title: Improved fire retardancy of thermoset composites modified with carbon nanofibers.
abstract: Multifunctional thermoset composites were made from polyester resin, glass fiber mats and carbon nanofiber sheets (CNS). Their flaming behavior was investigated with cone calorimeter under well-controlled combustion conditions. The heat release rate was lowered by pre-planting carbon nanofiber sheets on the sample surface with the total fiber content of only 0.38 wt.%. Electron microscopy showed that carbon nanofiber sheet was partly burned and charred materials were formed on the combusting surface. Both the nanofibers and charred materials acted as an excellent insulator and/or mass transport barrier, improving the fire retardancy of the composite. This behavior agrees well with the general mechanism of fire retardancy in various nanoparticle-thermoplastic composites.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, 158 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116012, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhongfu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering University of Central Florida, FL 32816, USA.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gou
keywords: carbon nanofiber; composites; flame retardance