Collaborative Research: Study of Flammability, Mechanism and Heat/Mass Transfer Associated with Burning of Flame Retardant Polymer Nanocomposites

1336162/1336254甘露聚糖/王高度易燃聚合物，如建筑用聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯，一旦发生火灾，会造成惊人的死亡和财产损失。这项工作的目的是促进实现阻燃的最终目标，即聚合物基质的广泛炭化，这意味着聚合物可以在使用温度下使用，而如果发生火灾，它将迅速烧焦，从而限制可燃挥发分的产生。这将通过形成新的聚合物纳米复合材料来实现，该复合材料显示了两种类型的纳米填料的协同效应：一种形成物理屏障，另一种通过改变聚合物在燃烧过程中的降解路径来催化碳化。鉴于对每种纳米填料的阻燃机理缺乏定性和定量的了解，本研究将主要通过热分析和锥形量热仪实验，定性地研究聚合物在有无纳米填料的燃烧过程中的动力学以及传质和传热过程。产生的新知识将通过出版物、书籍部分以及德克萨斯农工大学和俄克拉荷马州立大学的消防安全课程进行传播。这项研究的广泛影响是双重的，它将有助于从根本上更好地了解纳米填料在阻燃中的作用，同时对开发具有取代现有材料潜力的新的、更好的阻燃材料提供实际的见解，为及时疏散和及时控制由于较少的热释放而产生的火灾提供足够的时间。

1336162/1336254Mannan/WangHighly flammable polymers like poly (methyl methacrylate) used in homes for construction, in case of fire, cause an alarming number of deaths and property loss. The objective of this work is to facilitate the accomplishment of the ultimate goal of fire retardancy, extensive charring of the polymer matrix, which means that the polymer can be used at the service temperature, whereas in case of fire, it would rapidly char, limiting the production of combustible volatiles. This will be accomplished by forming new polymer nanocomposites which show synergistic effects of the two types of nanofillers: one forms a physical barrier and the other catalytically chars the polymer by changing its degradation pathway during burning. In view of the lack of qualitative and quantitative understanding of the fire retardant mechanism of each type of nanofiller, this research will focus on studying the kinetics and the mass and heat transfer processes involved in the burning of the polymer with and without the nanofillers, qualitatively using thermal analysis and quantitatively using cone-calorimeter experiments. The new knowledge generated would be disseminated through publications, book sections, and fire safety courses at Texas A&M University and Oklahoma State University. The broad impact of this research is twofold, such that it would contribute to better understanding of the role of nanofillers in fire retardancy at the fundamental level and at the same time give a practical insight on the development of new and better fire retardant materials with the potential of replacing existing materials, providing enough time for timely evacuation and timely control of fires due to less heat release.