Experimental study of fire resistant properties of Quartz powder filled areca phenolic resin composites

Abstract

Polymeric Composites are the materials becoming a necessary part of today’s life. When these composites are exposed to heat above the glass transition temperature of resin matrix, this leads to reduction in stiffness and strength of material and degrades the mechanical properties due to thermal degradation and combustion of the resin. This poor fire resistance of composites has been a major factor to limit their wide spread of applications. Composites require high flame retardancy which can be obtained by adding a filler material. Thus, improving the fire-retardant behavior of polymers was main challenge for extend their use to most of the applications. In this research work, Composite laminates were prepared by using quartz powder as filler, areca fiber as reinforcement and Phenolic resin as matrix. These filler and reinforcement materials are abundantly available and have very low cost. The filler material arrests the flame spread production of gaseous, combustion vapors and contaminants. An attempt has been made to use these filler materials to improve fire resistant properties such as Limiting oxygen Index, flammability, Ignition time, Mass loss Rate and Flame propagation Rate. Experimental investigations have been carried out to understand the effect of filler material on matrix and reinforcement. It is expected optimum composition of AQPC05 (65% of Phenolic resin, 05% Areca fiber and 30% of Quartz powder) can be used in Chemical industries, foundries, heat treatment plants, Thermal encapsulation, Flip chip  applications, Thermal interface materials and even in the engine cooling systems of modern automobile.