Flammable,thermal, and mechanical properties of intumescent flame retardant PP/LDH nanocomposites with different divalent cations

The flammable, thermal, and mechanical properties of intumescent flame retardant (IFR) polypropylene/layered double hydroxide (PP/IFR/LDH) nanocomposites with the LDHs of different divalent cations and IFR system of ammonium polyphosphate/pentaerythritol (APP/PER) have been studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), cone calorimeter test (CCT), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), limiting oxygen index (LOI), UL-94 test, and mechanical measurements. The XRD results show that the exfoliated PP/IFR/LDH nanocomposites possess the nanoscaled dispersion characteristic. The data from the CCT tests show the synergistic effect of LDHs with IFR can decrease considerably the HRR, MLR, and EHC values of the PP/IFR/LDH nanocomposites, in which the pk-HRR, pk-MLR, and pk-EHC values of the PP/IFR/ZnAl-LDH sample decrease to 318 kW/m², 0.081 g/m² s, 61.8 MJ/kg from the corresponding values 506 kW/m², 0.115 g/m² s, 71.8 MJ/kg of the PP/IFR sample. The LOI and UL-94 data further support the evidence that the flame retardant synergistic effects of LDHs with IFR increase the LOI values and UL-94 rating, especially for the LDHs with the transition ions (Zn, Cu) the LOI values can reach 33% and the UL-94 pass the V-0 rating. The TGA results demonstrate the LDHs can greatly improve the thermal stabilities of PP/IFR/LDH nanocomposites by increasing the thermo-oxidation decomposition temperature and charred residues. The morphological structures observed by SEM have demonstrated the LDHs can promote formation of compact charred layers. The data from the mechanical tests show the tensile strength and elongation at break of the PP/IFR/LDH samples are basically unchanged compared with the PP/IFR sample. POLYM. COMPOS., 2009. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Spontaneous ignition of high-pressure hydrogen during its sudden release into hydrogen/air mixtures

This paper investigates the effects of hydrogen additions on spontaneous ignition of high-pressure hydrogen released into hydrogen-air mixture. Hydrogen and air are premixed with different volume concentrations (0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% H₂) in the tube before high-pressure hydrogen is suddenly released. Pressure transducers are employed to detect the shock waves, estimate the mean shock wave speed and record the shock wave overpressure. Light sensors are used to determine the occurrence of high-pressure hydrogen spontaneous ignition in the tube. A high-speed camera is used to capture the flame propagation behavior outside the tube. It is found that only 5% hydrogen addition could decrease the minimum storage pressure required for spontaneous ignition from 4.37 MPa to 2.78 MPa significantly. When 10% or 15% hydrogen is added to the air, the minimum storage pressure decreases to 2.81 MPa and 1.85 MPa, respectively. When hydrogen addition increases to 20%, the spontaneous ignition even takes place at burst pressure as low as 1.79 MPa inside the straight tube.     

Effect of cellulose acetate butyrate microencapsulated ammonium polyphosphate on the flame retardancy, mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties of intumescent flame-retardant ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer/microencapsulated ammonium polyphosphate/polyamide-6 blends

Ammonium polyphosphate (APP), a widely used intumescent flame retardant, has been microencapsulated by cellulose acetate butyrate with the aim of enhancing the water resistance of APP and the compatibility between the ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) matrix and APP. The structure of microencapsulated ammonium polyphosphate (MCAPP) was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and water contact angle (WCA). The flame retadancy and thermal stability were investigated by a limiting oxygen index (LOI) test, UL-94 test, cone calorimeter, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The WCA results indicated that MCAPP has excellent water resistance and hydrophobicity. The results demonstrated that MCAPP enhanced interfacial adhesion, mechanical, electrical, and thermal stability of the EVA/MCAPP/polyamide-6 (PA-6) system. The microencapsulation not only imparted EVA/MCAPP/PA-6 with a higher LOI value and UL-94 rating but also could significantly improve the fire safety. Furthermore, the microencapsulated EVA/MCAPP/PA-6 composites can still pass the UL-94 V-0 rating after treatment with water for 3 days at 70 °C, indicating excellent water resistance. This investigation provides a promising formulation for the intumescent flame retardant EVA with excellent properties.     

Experimental study and three-dimensional simulation of premixed hydrogen/air flame propagation in a closed duct

An experimental and numerical study of premixed hydrogen/air flame propagation in a closed duct is presented. High-speed schlieren photography is used in the experiment to record the changes in flame shape and location. The pressure transient during the combustion is measured using a pressure transducer. A dynamic thickened flame model is applied to model the premixed combustion in the numerical simulation. The four stages of the flame dynamics observed in the experiment are well reproduced in the numerical simulation. The oscillations of the flame speed and pressure growth, induced by the pressure wave, indicate that the pressure wave plays an important role in the combustion dynamics. The predicted pressure dynamics in the numerical simulation is also in good agreement with that in the experiment. The close correspondence between the numerical simulation and experiment demonstrate that the TF approach is quite reliable for the study of premixed hydrogen/air flame propagation in the closed duct. It is shown that the flame wrinkling is important for the flame dynamics at the later stages.     

Experimental measurements,integral modeling and smoke detection of early fire in thermally stratified environments

Building fires go through a series of stages. They start with a fire plume period during which buoyant fire smoke rises to the ceiling. A second stage is the following enclosure smoke-filling period. In this paper, the first stage is the subject, especially for the fire plume behavior in thermally stratified environments in large volume spaces. In NFPA 92B, Morton's integral equation was introduced for calculating the maximum plume rise, and beam smoke detectors were recommended for smoke detection design. In this work, experiments and CFD simulations were conducted in a small-scale enclosure and a large space to investigate early fire movements in temperature-stratified ambients. The results show that in a thermally stratified environment, the axial temperature and velocity of a fire plume decrease more quickly along the vertical axis than in uniform environment, and in some cases the fire plume ceases to rise. The previous integral equation was shown to underestimate the actual maximum height of a fire smoke plume, and also was unable to explain the differences of the maximum heights of low-density and high-density smoke plumes with the same stratification and outlet conditions. The integral equation was improved by introducing two correction factors, and extended for non-linear temperature stratified environments. A light section smoke detection method with three space-protected area was suggested and discussed.     

高温下具有弹性支座钢构件的动力稳定荷载

根据弹性稳定理论原理研究了弹性支座钢构件在高温环境下的动力特性问题,导出了高温下杆件的动力稳定临界荷载计算式,并讨论了保护层厚度、长细比、阻尼、材料特性等因素对杆件动力稳定临界荷载的影响,探讨了在实际工程中如何减小结构失稳的问题,可为钢结构抗火设计提供参考.     

基于飞行时间深度图像变化率的火焰识别方法

为开发飞行时间算法在火灾探测中的应用,简化算法,提高检测速率和准确性,根据飞行时间法,结合火焰的深度图特征,设计了基于深度图像变化率的火焰识别算法。以三维深度相机为主要图像捕获设备,进行了多组火焰识别实验,包括正庚烷火焰、乙醇火焰、纸张火焰、灯光干扰、行人干扰实验,对捕获的图像进行了处理与计算,提出了识别火焰的简化算法和火焰像素估计模型。采用该方法分析了火焰深度图特征,火焰识别结果图像的频谱图特征、集中度特征以及面积变化特征。研究结果表明,采用文中提出的算法的实验识准率大于91.5%,误识率小于3.8%,能有效识别火焰。     

Preparation,mechanical properties,and thermal degradation of flame retarded epoxy resins with an organophosphorus oligomer

An organophosphorus oligomer, poly(DOPO-substituted hydroxyphenyl methanol pentaerythritol diphosphonate) (PFR), was synthesized from the dehydrohalogenation polycondensation of 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide substituted hydroxyphenyl methanol (DOPO-HBA) with 3,9-bis(chloro)-2,4,8,10-tetraoxa-3,9-diphosphaspiro [5.5]undecane-3,9-dioxide (SPDPC). The structure of PFR was confirmed by FTIR, ¹H NMR, and ³¹P NMR. Advanced flame retardant epoxy resins (FREP) were obtained by incorporating PFR into EP, cured by 4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane (DDM). Effects of PFR on thermal, dynamic mechanical properties, and flame retardant properties of the epoxy resins were investigated. The dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) results showed that EP/PFR exhibited higher glass transition temperature than that of neat EP. Moreover, incorporation of PFR significantly enhanced the char yield at higher temperatures. The addition of PFR into epoxy resins significantly improved their flame retardancy, due to the reduction of peak heat release rate, total heat release as well as the mass loss rate.     

基于粒子系统的室内火模型技术研究

对计算机火模拟技术的研究,既具有虚拟现实基础理论研究的意义,又有科学的研究火灾事故的现实意义,因此一直是计算机仿真研究的重点.结合前人的工作成果,初步研究了室内火模型建模所涉及的各种技术,采用粒子系统方法模拟火焰,提出粒子发射面的概念模拟多面体可燃物的燃烧,并采用二叉空间分割树分割室内空间以提高粒子碰撞检测的效率,实现了一个较为完整的模拟系统,在这个模拟系统的基础上就可以进一步探索火灾模拟的各种问题.实验结果表明,该系统生成的火焰具有较好的真实感,而空间分割技术的使用,较好地提升了碰撞检测的效率.最后给出了系统实现的模拟图.     

Preparation of UV-curable functionalized graphene/polyurethane acrylate nanocomposite with enhanced thermal and mechanical behaviors

Functionalized graphene nanosheets (f-GNSs) were synthesized by a simple covalent functionalization of graphene with 3-methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane (MPTES). The results from FTIR, XPS and XRD showed that MPTES was successfully attached onto the surface of graphene. Functionalized graphene/polyurethane acrylate (f-GNS/PUA) nanocomposites were prepared by UV radiation of PUA with f-GNS. The onset thermal degradation temperature of f-GNS/PUA nanocomposite was increased by 16 °C, at an f-GNS content of 1 wt%. Meanwhile, the storage modulus and glass transition temperature of the nanocomposites were enhanced by incorporating f-GNS into the PUA. This is believed to be attributed to that the covalent functionalization of graphene can improve both the dispersion of f-GNSs in the polymer matrix and the interfacial interactions between f-GNSs and PUA.