OPTIMIZATION IN FLAME RETARDANT FIBRE

REINFORCED PLASTIC COMPOSITES

By:-
Elma Khan (0101PC151013)
Depak Khare (0101PC151012)
Rishabh Bagora (0101PC151039)
Fahad Sheikh (0101PC151014)
INTRODUCTION
 Composite materials, especially, fibre reinforced plastics (FRP) are widely
used in different fields such as aerospace, automobile, electrical and
electronics, domestic, building and construction.
 It is also need of the hour in developing countries like India that low cost
housing / building is to be provided within short duration at times of natural
crisis such as Tsunamis, earthquake, floods etc.
 With this main objective the present work is aimed at carrying out studies
systematically to arrive at cost effective flame retardant formulation using
different Flame retardant fillers such as Aluminium tri hydrate (ATH),
Antimony trioxide (Sb2O3), Deca Bromo diphenyl ether (DeBDE) a novel
halogenated compound, Tricresyl phosphate (TCP) at different loading levels
with general purpose unsaturated polyester resin and chopped strand glass
fibre mat.
 The FRP laminates were prepared using hand lay up method and the
samples were tested for various properties such as mechanical, thermal,
flammability and smoke density tests.
 Among the various FR fillers tried, there are in line as DeBDE, Sb2O3 and
ATH provides more cost effective FR formulation with good mechanical
and flame retardant properties than the commercial FR formulation.
COMPOSITES

 A composite material is a macroscopic combination which has a

recognizable interface between two or more distinct materials. In many fields
such as automotive, aerospace, marine, etc.
 Composites are accepted as high performance engineering materials. Modern
composite materials are usually optimized to achieve a balanced property for
particular application.
ADVANTAGES OF COMPOSITES

 Light weight, high strength-to-weight ratio

 Directional strength, dimensional stability
 Corrosion and weather resistance
 Low thermal conductivity and coefficient of thermal expansion, high
dielectric strength
 Radar transparency, non-magnetic, part consolidation
 High impact strength, low maintenance, long term durability
 Small to large part geometry, tailored surface finish
 High specific strength, design freedom, low or nil maintenance.
APPLICATIONS OF COMPOSITES

 Aerospace and defence, land transport

 Marine vessels and structures
 Chemical plant and corrosion resistant structures (acid storage tanks, road
transportation tankers, pipelines, scrubbers, etc.)
 Building construction and infrastructure (roofing sheets, doors, water tanks,
partitions, domes, furniture)
 Electrical, electronic and communication
 Mechanical engineering and energy appliances
 Biomedical appliances including body support systems
 Sports goods and consumer durable goods.
FLAME RETARDANCE
 Any substance other than water that reduces the fuel flammability or delays
their combustion is referred as “flame retardant” (FR). This includes typically
chemical retardants and also substances that work by physical action which
retards the flame by blocking the fire either physically or by initiating a
chemical reaction.
 The flame retardants enhance the fire safety level of combustible materials
like plastics in many applications and thus protect the life, health and
property efficiently.
 Depending on the nature of combustion process, the flame retardants can
interfere with combustion at any of the following stage: during heating,
decomposition, ignition or flame spread by either acting chemically or
physically in the solid, liquid or gas phase.
CHALLENGE FOR US

 The challenge we are facing in this product are as follows:-

1) LOI
2) Smoke density
3) Toxicity test
4) Spread of flame
5) Hardness
6) Flexiblity
GOAL TO BE ACHIEVED

 The goals which we are trying to achieve through this project is that a ideal
FRP which has a set of properties as follows as per Indian standards which
can be used for several household and commercial purposes:-
1) LOI: 32
2) Smoke density: 95
3) Toxicity test: <1%
4) Spread of flame: 100 mm2
Materials

 Unsaturated polyester resin (URP)

 Chopped Glass Strand Mat-450g/mm2
 Aluminium tri hydrate (ATH)
 Methyl Ethyl Ketone Peroxide (MEKP)
 Chloro Paraffin wax (CPW)
Equipment details

 Mild steel plates

 BOP film
 Brushes
 Batch mixer
 Hydraulic press
Procedure of operation
1) Firstly we prepare a batches of URP with ATH, MEKP and CPW at various
concentration by generally varying ATH throughout the process as in
percentages of 10, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 in batch mixer on temperature of
60oC.
2) Then we take a MS plate and on it we put a BOP film over it and fix it.
3) After this we put the Chopped Glass Strand Mat which is 450g/mm2 by weight
(represented in GSM) over the BOP film.
4) After this with the help of the brush we spread the mixture which contains 10%
ATH in it over the mat and try it to spread it evenly through the whole surface.
5) After this another glass mat sheet is spread over the setup and then again the
mixture is applied over the new mat sheet.
6) This is continuously repeated till at least 4-6 glass mat sheet are put on.
7) After a BOP film is put over the mixture dipped glass mat sheet and over it a
another MS plate is put on.
8) After this the whole setup of MS plate with the dipped glass mat is put
under a hydraulics press and it is press for up to 30-35 minutes at a pressure
of 60 N/mm2 at a temperature range of 130-150oC.
9) After 35 minutes the sheet is taken out and put on rest to get cooled in the
atmosphere by itself. After cooling the BOP film and MS plate are removed
and the product is ready.
10)The same procedure is repeated for the 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50% mixtures
and sheets are made out of it.
11)Once the sheets of all concentration is ready the test are taken out one by
one on all sheet to check parameter satisfaction for which they are made of.
TEST TO BE APPLIED ON PRODUCT

 Limiting oxygen index test:- Limiting oxygen index is defined as the

minimum concentration of oxygen present in oxygen - nitrogen mixture
that will just support flaming combustion and measured as per ASTM D
2863. The test specimen of dimension 100 x 65 x 3 mm was taken.
Formula used: Oxygen index percent = 100∗𝑂2 𝑂2+𝑁2
where, O2 – Volumetric flow of oxygen at the concentration determined
N2 - Volumetric flow of nitrogen.
 Smoke density test: Smoke density test measures the loss of light transmission
through a collected volume of smoke produced under controlled, standardized
conditions. Measured as per ASTM D 2843 and the test specimen of dimension 25
x 25 x 6 mm was used. The total smoke produced was determined from the area
under the absorption – time curve.
 Vertical burning test for classifying materials (V0, V1, V2): In this test, the
specimens are clamped vertically and the materials are classified as V2 or V1 or
V0 based on their stringent behaviour. A small ¾ inch high blue flame is applied to
the bottom of the ½*5 inch specimen for 10 seconds, withdrawn the flame and
then reapplied for another additional 10 seconds, the duration of flaming and
glowing is noted as soon as the specimen has extinguished. Beneath the specimen,
a layer of cotton is placed to determine whether the dripping material will ignite it
during the test period.
 Tensile strength: Tensile strength is the measurement of materials‟ ability to
withstand the forces that tend to pull it apart and to determine upto what extent the
material stretches before breaking. It was measured as per ASTM D 638. The test
specimen of dimension 150 x10 x 3 mm was used with the gauge length of 50 mm
and test speed of 50 mm/min.
The sheets are made up and test has to be performed for getting the results on
the products we have made. Some are sent to the laboratory for analysis.
CONCLUSION
 Several flame retardant fillers like ATH, DeBDE, Sb2O3, TCP were tried to make
composites with desired properties. It has been found that ATH improved
mechanical properties and flame retardant property. Aluminium Tri hydrate meet
the required mechanical and flame retardant properties and it is more cost
effective than the FR formulation used by the FRP industry.
 Though Fibre reinforced plastics are widely used in other fields, in building and
construction their flammability is producing a major threat. Lot of studies have
been carried out in the areas of usage of various flame retardant fillers /
compounds in Fibre reinforced plastic composites for various applications. And
ATH is found out to be the best filler till now for manufacturing FRP.
 The present project is aimed at developing systematically a method of
preparation of fibre reinforced plastic with V0, V1 and V2 flame rating with
lessening the toxicity and smoke density to suit the needs of consumer.
THANK YOU