BFRL Program

Reduced Flammability of Materials Program

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The phenomena associated with fire are inherently stochastic, complex and dynamic. To order to successfully address these challenges, BFRL is providing industry with measurement tools capable of accurately predicting the flammability behavior of materials over a multiplicity of time and length scales. Furthermore, developing the measurement science tools to enable industry to accurately evaluate the sustainability of fire safe products, especially those based on nano-materials, is primarily impeded by the lack of data available on their sustainability, i.e., the data are not available on their environmental health and safety, manufacturability, ageing and recyclability. The challenge of coupling the difficult fire problem to the equally complex sustainability analysis is considerable.

This program is focused on the three specific thrusts: 1) development of validated bench scale flammability measurement methods, 2) evaluation of new methods and materials for fire safe products and 3) a critical assessment of the sustainability of new fire safe approaches. The program will provide a competitive advantage in international markets where the new bench scale measurement methods and sustainable flame retardant approaches will enable U.S. companies to develop sustainable, cost effective, fire safe products.

Recent results of this program have led to two important developments: 1) the promulgation of a National Mattress Flammability Standard, and 2) the development, by the polymer industry, of the first new non-halogen flame retardant system in decades based on nanoadditives.

Component Projects:

• Nanoadditive Flame Retardants for Polyurethane Foam

• High performance barrier materials for mattresses and furniture

• Modeling the Dispersion and Agglomeration of Carbon Nanotubes in Polymers

• Fire Growth and Spread on Real Objects

• Validation of Bench-scale Smoke Toxicity Apparatus

• Characterizing Particulate Emissions from Burning Polymer Nanocomposites

• Sustainable Fire Safe Products

Contact:
Jeffrey Gilman
(301) 975-6573
jeffrey.gilman@nist.gov

 

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