Fire Hazard of Polymer Composites and Nanocomposites

Dear Colleagues,

The extensive use of polymer materials in our everyday lives is driven by a combination of their remarkable properties, e.g., low weight or easy processing. However, most polymers are flammable, which is extremely dangerous for people using them. The high flammability of most polymers is a consequence of their chemical build. The high content of carbon and hydrogen in their structures makes them combustible. The combustion of polymeric materials results in the production of corrosive and toxic gases as well as smoke. Smoke very often is a carrier of cancerogenic and mutagenic organic gaseous destructs, mainly from the PAHs and PCDDs/Fs groups.

The development of flame-retardant materials and the understanding of phenomena that take place during the combustion of polymer composites require collaboration between macromolecular and physical chemistry, as well as physics of mass and heat transfer, rheology, etc.

Improving the fire-retardant behavior of polymeric composites is a major challenge for extending their use to most applications.

The main focus of this Special Issue concerns the following topics:

• Fundamentals of the polymer combustion process, toxicity of combustion products, thermal stability, heat transfer, and smoke emission during combustion;
• Flame-retardant mechanisms of action;
• Novel flame-retardant systems for polymer composites (flame-retardant co-monomers and co-polymers, additive flame-retardant systems);
• Influence of nanotechnology on flame retardancy of polymer composites.

Dr. PrzemysŁaw Rybiński
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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