ABSTRACT
Flame spread velocity over a polymer surface, w, is an important characteristic of polymer flammability. Indeed, the time elapsed from the ignition to full-scale fire is determined to a considerable extent by the flame velocity. Investigations in this field deals with the critical conditions of burning, particularly, Oxygen Index, OI. It is better to consider the effect of fire retardants on the flame velocity together with the critical conditions for burning. The flammability of polymers depends strongly on the ability of a polymer to form a char layer on the burning surface. A char layer, firstly, diminishes heat transfer from the flame to polymer surface and, secondly, hinders the diffusion of volatile products of thermo-destruction of a polymer to the flame. Char-forming polymers burned more slowly than char-free polymers. The influence of nine fillers on the burning rate of horizontal specimens of an epoxy resin was studied.
