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The influence of sample dimension on the critical oxygen index of thin polypropylene films
Author(s) -
McIlhagger R.,
Hill B. J.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
fire and materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.482
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1099-1018
pISSN - 0308-0501
DOI - 10.1002/fam.810050307
Subject(s) - polypropylene , oxygen , volume (thermodynamics) , materials science , flammability , composite material , limiting oxygen concentration , analytical chemistry (journal) , index (typography) , sample (material) , surface area to volume ratio , forensic engineering , chemistry , chromatography , thermodynamics , physics , organic chemistry , engineering , world wide web , computer science
This investigation examines the influence of sample dimensions on the Critical Oxygen Index, as determined on a Stanton Redcoft Hot Flammability Test Apparatus instrument. The materials used were polypropylene films in a range of thicknesses from 40 μm up to 300 μm and polymethylmethacrylate of 1600 μm thickness. Both the Critical Oxygen Index and the rate of spared of burn in the samples were determined. It is concluded that, for polypropylene, the sample dimensions were important in determining the Critical Oxygen Index and the rate of spread of burn and, further, that the ratio of the volume of material burned in unit time to the volume flow of oxygen in the same time remains constant, the value of the constant being 2.5 × 10 −4 . For polymethlmethacrylate, in confirmation of the work of Fenimore and Jones, the sample dimensions were unimportant when investigating the Critical Oxygen Index, although the rate of burn by volume showed a significant increase with sample width. The volume ratio showed a corresponding increase.