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Effect of glass reinforcement on burning rates of poly(methyl methacrylate) composite candles
Author(s) -
Barlow Joel W.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.1977.070210201
Subject(s) - composite material , materials science , volume (thermodynamics) , composite number , methyl methacrylate , limiting oxygen index , candle , glass fiber , flame spread , oxygen , limiting , perpendicular , combustion , polymer , chemistry , polymerization , organic chemistry , thermodynamics , char , mechanical engineering , physics , engineering , geometry , mathematics
Burning rates of glass‐reinforced poly(methyl methacrylate) candles were measured under limiting conditions using an oxygen index apparatus modified to allow weighing of the candle as it burns. The limiting oxygen index was found to increase slightly with increasing concentration of glass in the candle for all samples tested. Burning rates were found to be a function of both glass concentration and orientation with respect to the propagating flame front. The burning rates of candles constructed from randomly oriented glass mats were found to increase with mat concentration by a factor of nearly 3 as mat content was increased to 70% by volume. The burning rates of candles constructed with unidirectionally oriented fibers, parallel to the flame propagation direction, were found to decrease by a factor of 2 as the glass concentration increased to 40% by volume. Erratic burning rates were observed for candles constructed with oriented fibers perpendicular to the flame propagation direction. These results are correlated by extension of existing thermally thin flame spread theories through consideration of composite solid‐state energetics and the relative tendencies of the glass reinforcements to act as wicks for supplying the flame with degraded polymer liquid.