Flammability of plastics

Tests for Flammability of Plastic Materialsfor Parts in Devices and Appliances, UL-94, Underwriters Laboratories, Northbrook, lU., 1991. 

Halogenated 2-propanol derivatives, eg, l,3-dichloro-2-propanol [96-23-1], are generally prepared from glycerol [56-81-5] (qv). These materials are used in the preparation of halogen-containing phosphates to plasticize and lower the flammability of plastics, eg, polyurethanes and ceUulosics. 

The Standard for Tests for Flammability of Plastic Materials for Parts in Devices and Appliances (UL 94) has methods for determining whether a material will extinguish, or burn and propagate flame. The UL Standard for Polymeric Materials-ShortTerm Property Evaluations is a series of small-scale tests used as a basis for comparing the mechanical, electrical, thermal, and resistance-to-ignition characteristics of materials. 

Tests for flammability of plastic materials, Underwriters Laboratory Bulletin UL-94, Underwriters Laboratory, Northbrook, IL, 1985, pp. 10-13. 

Flammability af Plastics was discussed by W.J Sauber G.A. Patton in SPE (Society of Plastics Engineers) TechPapers 5, No 63 (1959) Sc CA 53, 10827 (1959) (Critical view of methods for measuring flammability of plastics)... 

UL-94 Test for Flammability of Plastic Materials for Parts in Devices and Applications [Includes ASTM D635-98 (UL-94 HB), ASTM D3801-96 (UL-94V), ASTM D4804-98 (UL-94 VTM), ASTM D5048-97 (UL-94 5V), ASTM D4986-98 (UL-94 HBF)]. 

Learmonth, G. S. Nesbitt, A. Thwaite, D. C. Flammability of plastics I. Relation between pyrolysis and burning, British Polymer Journal, 1969, 1, 149-153. 

Thomson, H. and Drysdale, D., Flammability of plastics, I Ignition temperatures. Fire and Materials 1987,11, 163-172. 

Tewarson, A. and Pion, R., Flammability of plastics. I. Burning intensity. Combustion Flame 1976,26,... 

Tewarson A, Pion RF. Flammability of plastics. 1. Burning intensity. Combust. Flame 1976 26 85-103. 

Lyon, RE, Safronava, N, and Walters, RN. 2008. A statistical model for the flammability of plastics, 19th Annual BCC Research Conference on Recent Advances in Flame Retardancy of Polymeric Materials, Stamford, CT, June 9-11. 

The flammability of plastics can be a useful tool in their identification, but the additives present have an influence on their ability to bum. A clear test to indicate the presence of chlorine, mainly found in PVC and poly(vinylidene chloride) is the Beilstein test. A clean, copper wire 30-40 cm long, with a cork or other heat-insulating material at one end as a handle, is heated with a Bunsen burner to clean it of residual impurities, heating it until the flame is colourless. The hot, cleaned wire is placed in contact with the plastic to be analysed so that a small piece is melted onto it. The wire is returned to the flame and the colour noted a green or blue-green flame denotes the presence of chlorine while other colours suggest the plastic to be other than PVC or poly(vinylidene chloride). 

The method provides means for the determination of relative flammability of plastics by varying the oxygen to nitrogen concentration (see Table 12.31). The oxygen indexer is shown in Figure 12.32. 

UL94, Tests for the flammability of plastics materials for parts in devices and appliances. Underwriters Laboratories USA. 

UL 94, Standard for Safety of Flammability of Plastic Materials for Parts in Devices and Appliances Testing, Underwriters Labs, www.ul.com. 

Hazkoto, G., Macskasy, H. and Szabo, A. Muanyagok eghetosege (Flammability of plastics, in Hungarian). Muszaki Konyvkiado, Budapest 1967... 

The thermal and thermal-oxidative degradation of plastics were extensively studied. These investigations, however, aimed mainly at studies of stability rather than the flammability of plastics. 

Several results have been recently published concerning the gaseous decomposition and combustion products of plastics, especially for examination of their toxicity. Connections between the thermal stability and flammability of plastics are not well established. 

A simple and rapid technique for testing the flammability of plastics was developed by theUnderwriters Laboratories. The already mentioned UL 94 standard system was firstly issued in 1970. Since then, it has spread all over the world, supplementing the oxygen index values by other essential flammability characteristics in many product guide leaflets. 

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