Cone calorimetric fire properties and thermal analysis of polyester-banana peduncle fibre composite fused with bio-fire retardant additive

Abstract

Abstract Background Lately, thermoplastic and thermoset polymers are integrated with natural fillers to harvest composites. Due to an excellent property profile, these composites find wide applications in engineering fields. This research work aimed to investigate the parameters that influence the thermal degradation of Polyester-Banana peduncle fibre-reinforced composite incorporated with cow horn ash particle (CHAp) as a fire retardant additive and optimize the total heat produced for the smaller the better. The major instruments used in this study were cone calorimeter and the thermogravimetric analyser. Result The parameters considered were time, reinforcement type, and weight per cent of reinforcement material. The composites were made by varying the ratios of CHAp and BPF in the polyester matrix from 0:0, 2.5:2.5, 5:5 and 7.5:7.5 and 10:10 weight per cent. The flammability properties of the developed composites were examined, using a cone calorimeter. The controlling parameters were analysed using the Taguchi robust design method. The ANOVA showed that time had the greatest influence on the total heat release rate (81.72%). The weight per cent reinforcement type (10.37%) and reinforcement type (5.28%) had smaller influences on the heat release rate. The S/N ratio obtained, using optimal testing shows that time had the greatest influence on the total heat release rate, followed by weight per cent of reinforcement type, while reinforcement type had the least influence. The corresponding multiple regression models for total heat released revealed that the total heat release rate increased with an increase in time and reinforcement type and decreased with an increase in weight per cent of the fire retardant additive material. Conclusion This work indicated that the parameter design of the Taguchi method provided an efficient methodology for the analyses of the effects of thermal degradation parameters of composites. The controlling parameters of time, the weight of reinforcement material and the type of reinforcement material had significant contributions to the value of heat production during composites thermal decomposition. Time had the greatest contribution, followed by the weight of reinforcement type, and type of reinforcement material.

Keywords

• Cow horn ash particle
• Composite
• Fire retardancy
• Thermal property
• Taguchi method