Evaluating the influence of varied fire-retardant surface coatings on post-heat flexural properties of glass/epoxy composites

This paper investigates the influence of char-forming, flame-inhibiting and intumescent surface coatings on the post-heat flexural behavior of glass fibre-reinforced epoxy composites exposed to one-sided radiant heating. The fire performance of glass/epoxy laminates surface-coated with varied formulations was evaluated using a cone calorimeter under various external heat fluxes (25, 50 and 65 kW/m2). Self-sustained ignition was significantly delayed for fire-protected laminates relative to the control. The peak heat release rates and the time to reach this event were significantly reduced in thermally-protected laminates. In addition to the chemical nature of flame retardant chemicals present in the coatings, the time to reach the peak heat release rate and the magnitude of the total heat release were influenced by the quantity and morphology of the char formed by each type of surface coating. The post-heat flexural performance of heat-damaged laminates was determined via three-point bending. There was a significant improvement in the post-heat flexural moduli retention in thermally-protected glass/epoxy laminates. This may be due to the flame retardation efficacy of the coatings and the ability of the charred structures to reduce the heat transfer into the substrate thereby protecting the underlying composite and its mechanical integrity.