The Influence of Transitional Metal Oxides on the Smoke Suppression of Epoxy Resin/Intumescent Flame Retardant/Silane Couple Agent System

Abstract

The smoke produced will do great harm on the public and environmental safety during polymer combustion. People lost their life during fire disaster mainly be attributed to the dense smoke and toxic gas under combustion, which hinder the escape of people and the rescue of firefighters under fire disaster. The influence of several kinds of transitional metal oxides on the smoke suppression of epoxy resin (EP) treated with intumescent flame retardant (IFR) and silane couple agent (EP/IFR/silane) systems have been investigated. The results showed manganese dioxide and cobalt oxide have small effect on the smoke suppression of EP/IFR/silane system, however cadmium oxide and titanium dioxide can decrease smoke density rate (SDR) of EP/IFR/silane system obviously, and especially copper oxide can decrease maximum smoke density (MSD) and smoke density rate of EP/IFR/silane system substantially. The MSD and SDR of EP/IFR/silane system can reduce 18.8% and 33.2% respectively when 2% of copper oxide is introduced.Keywords-transitional metal oxide; epoxy resin; intumescent flame retardant; smoke suppression.