The effect of variation in polymer properties on the rate of burning

The sensitivity of the burning rate to variations in physical and chemical properties of synthetic polymers has been examined in order to understand the relative importance of the knowledge of these properties. The sensitivity analysis was performed using a numerical pyrolysis model called ThermaKin, which was employed to compute the rate of burning (expressed in terms of mass loss) of a one‐dimensional material object exposed to steady radiative heat. The results of the calculations indicate that the knowledge of decomposition reaction parameters (including the Arrhenius pre‐exponential factor, activation energy, heat, and char yield) is of key importance for prediction of the peak and average burning rates. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.