Hybrid fire retardants to increasing combusting resistance for fibersreinforced composites

Abstract

This research aims to attainment two essential purposes : first, using of inorganic
fire retardant which represent zinc borate to increase the flame retardancy for
advanced composite material consist of araldite resin (AY103) reinforced by hybrid
fibers from carbon and Kevlar fibers as a woven roving (0 º - 45º), by using a surface
layer from zinc borate as a coating layer of (4mm) thickness .Then, this system was
exposed to a direct flame generated from Oxyacetylene torch (3000ºC) with different
flame exposure distances [10,15,20mm], and study the range of resistance of
retardant material layer to the flames and protected the substrate . Second, forming a
hybrid fire retardant by added antimony trioxide with various amount
(10%,20%,30%) to zinc borate for enhance the action of this material to react flame
and exposure this hybrid material to same flame temperature and exposure distances.
Method of measuring the surface temperature opposite to the flame was used to
determined the heat transferred to composite material . the best results was obtained
with large exposed distance and large percentage from protective layer which is zinc
borate with (30%) antimony trioxide .