Prediction of fire behaviour for amine cured epoxy resin systems based on molecular structure

Abstract

The shift from traditional materials towards polymeric composites in the transport sector, has made fire performance of composite materials a crucial factor. Due to their organic content, they release volatiles which burn, and also produce toxic fumes which are fatal in high concentrations during pyrolysis. Current approaches to fire retardancy involve additives or reactive retardants incorporated into the resin, or fire-retardant coatings being applied to the surface. This approach has its limitations as it can reduce other favourable properties of the target material, especially mechanical properties. This study aims to determine if the fire performance of polymer resin systems could be improved by altering the molecular structure of the original reacting constituents. By analysing a number of commercially available resin systems and curing agents and characterising them it is possible to predict their material properties. The main findings indicate that variations in molecular structure do have an effect on the thermal and mechanical properties, as reaction mechanisms and network formation in the cured systems are affected by the structure of the reactive constituents. These variations in structural morphology due to molecular structure, also have an effect on the fire performance of the cured formulations. By varying molecular structure, the need for fire retardant additives and coatings could be reduced, which would limit the effect of increasing fire performance on other desirable material properties. This approach is also sustainable as the overall cost of manufacture and its environmental impact would be reduced, while the health & safety aspect would also be improved.

Date of Award	24 Jan 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bristol
Supervisor	Ian Hamerton (Supervisor) & Carwyn Ward (Supervisor)