Fire Risk of Polyethylene (PE)-Based Foam Blocks Used as Interior Building Materials and Fire Suppression through a Simple Surface Coating: Analysis of Vulnerability, Propagation, and Flame Retardancy
Building fires can spread through surface combustion of both combustible and interior finishing materials. Recently, the use of foam blocks as interior materials for high-rise residential buildings has increased. However, as foam blocks are primarily composed of polyethylene, they are not flame-reta...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Fire |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/6/9/350 |
| _version_ | 1827726150138331136 |
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| author | Yongtae Jeon Jungwoo Park Jongyoung Park Chankyu Kang |
| author_facet | Yongtae Jeon Jungwoo Park Jongyoung Park Chankyu Kang |
| author_sort | Yongtae Jeon |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Building fires can spread through surface combustion of both combustible and interior finishing materials. Recently, the use of foam blocks as interior materials for high-rise residential buildings has increased. However, as foam blocks are primarily composed of polyethylene, they are not flame-retardant and can readily burn and the fire can spread, leading to large-scale damage. Herein, the fire hazard and diffusion characteristics of foam blocks were compared with those of flame-retardant and general wallpapers to confirm the risk of fire. The fire risk of the foam blocks was confirmed using flammability, cone calorimetry, and spread-of-flame analyses. Based on a comparative analysis of the fire risk of foam blocks, the average total heat release was 11.2 MJ/m. This is approximately three times higher than the average heat release rate of the flame-retardant wallpaper and approximately two times higher than that of the general wallpaper. The foam blocks ignited rapidly owing to fire and generated large amounts of combustion gas and heat. To prevent such a fire, 5 wt% montmorillonite (MMT) was simply coated after surface modification to suppress the occurrence of fire. Various flame-retardant materials, surface modifications, and fire safety systems must be developed to prevent fire hazards. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:46:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3fed340643944b05a18087d487b18a40 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2571-6255 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:46:09Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fire |
| spelling | doaj.art-3fed340643944b05a18087d487b18a402023-11-19T10:40:15ZengMDPI AGFire2571-62552023-09-016935010.3390/fire6090350Fire Risk of Polyethylene (PE)-Based Foam Blocks Used as Interior Building Materials and Fire Suppression through a Simple Surface Coating: Analysis of Vulnerability, Propagation, and Flame RetardancyYongtae Jeon0Jungwoo Park1Jongyoung Park2Chankyu Kang3Fire Technology Research Division, National Fire Research Institute of Korea, Asan-si 31555, Republic of KoreaDivision of Fire Safety Laboratory, National Fire Research Institute of Korea, Asan-si 31555, Republic of KoreaDivision of Fire Safety Laboratory, National Fire Research Institute of Korea, Asan-si 31555, Republic of KoreaSchool of Social Safety System Engineering, Research Center for Safety and Health, Hankyong National University, Anseong-si 17579, Republic of KoreaBuilding fires can spread through surface combustion of both combustible and interior finishing materials. Recently, the use of foam blocks as interior materials for high-rise residential buildings has increased. However, as foam blocks are primarily composed of polyethylene, they are not flame-retardant and can readily burn and the fire can spread, leading to large-scale damage. Herein, the fire hazard and diffusion characteristics of foam blocks were compared with those of flame-retardant and general wallpapers to confirm the risk of fire. The fire risk of the foam blocks was confirmed using flammability, cone calorimetry, and spread-of-flame analyses. Based on a comparative analysis of the fire risk of foam blocks, the average total heat release was 11.2 MJ/m. This is approximately three times higher than the average heat release rate of the flame-retardant wallpaper and approximately two times higher than that of the general wallpaper. The foam blocks ignited rapidly owing to fire and generated large amounts of combustion gas and heat. To prevent such a fire, 5 wt% montmorillonite (MMT) was simply coated after surface modification to suppress the occurrence of fire. Various flame-retardant materials, surface modifications, and fire safety systems must be developed to prevent fire hazards.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/6/9/350interior materialfoam blockflame retardantfire riskheat releaseflammability |
| spellingShingle | Yongtae Jeon Jungwoo Park Jongyoung Park Chankyu Kang Fire Risk of Polyethylene (PE)-Based Foam Blocks Used as Interior Building Materials and Fire Suppression through a Simple Surface Coating: Analysis of Vulnerability, Propagation, and Flame Retardancy Fire interior material foam block flame retardant fire risk heat release flammability |
| title | Fire Risk of Polyethylene (PE)-Based Foam Blocks Used as Interior Building Materials and Fire Suppression through a Simple Surface Coating: Analysis of Vulnerability, Propagation, and Flame Retardancy |
| title_full | Fire Risk of Polyethylene (PE)-Based Foam Blocks Used as Interior Building Materials and Fire Suppression through a Simple Surface Coating: Analysis of Vulnerability, Propagation, and Flame Retardancy |
| title_fullStr | Fire Risk of Polyethylene (PE)-Based Foam Blocks Used as Interior Building Materials and Fire Suppression through a Simple Surface Coating: Analysis of Vulnerability, Propagation, and Flame Retardancy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fire Risk of Polyethylene (PE)-Based Foam Blocks Used as Interior Building Materials and Fire Suppression through a Simple Surface Coating: Analysis of Vulnerability, Propagation, and Flame Retardancy |
| title_short | Fire Risk of Polyethylene (PE)-Based Foam Blocks Used as Interior Building Materials and Fire Suppression through a Simple Surface Coating: Analysis of Vulnerability, Propagation, and Flame Retardancy |
| title_sort | fire risk of polyethylene pe based foam blocks used as interior building materials and fire suppression through a simple surface coating analysis of vulnerability propagation and flame retardancy |
| topic | interior material foam block flame retardant fire risk heat release flammability |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/6/9/350 |
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