Organic insulating materials combustion

Fire properties of insulation materials range from the highest to the lowest, from non-combustible to flammable with toxic fume emission. Generally, inorganic materials tend to be non-combustible while organic (or oil-based) materials are combustible, but many have surface treatments to improve their fire-safety rating. 

For the synthesis of insulation materials organic substances are added to the clay mass. During the firing the combustion products from those substances are responsible for the formation of cavities in the material. 

Yi A-h, Liu J-y, Zhao X, Yang Z. Study of the combustion performance of three kinds of organic heat insulation materials. Procedia Eng 2011 11 614—619. 

Many scenarios involving spontaneous combustion involve a combination of materials exposed to sufficient air, often in an insulating situation that prevents heat from a slow oxidation reaction to dissipate and thus results in a self-heating situation. Examples include activated carbon exposed to a high concentration of organic vapors and cotton or cellulose materials contaminated with oil. These combination scenarios can be... 

Fire Behavior—While (hernial insulations are nut intended for lire protections (treated elsewhere) their behavior in tire is important, especially from the standpoint ol contribution of combustible matter to a lire that has started at the site. Material behaviot may he complex, e.g.. an absorptive material that would hold a combustible fluid (say, kerosene) would not be a major contribution to fire intensity because the fluid would not flow to the surface to burn as rapidly as it would from a pool of the fluid. Materials that contain organic binders may not he a serious contribution in an open fire, but if they are totally enclosed they may contribute to persistence of fire by smoldering. 

Asbestos-reinforced organic binders (thermoplastics, duroplasts and elastomers) are widely utilized e.g. hardenable molding materials on the basis of asbestos-reinforced phenol or melamine resins for the manufacture of insulating components for combustion engines, components for electrical installations, cogwheels etc. Possible fiber substitutes are glass fibers, carbon fibers and other synthetic fibers (e.g. aramide fibers) and non-fiber fillers such as calcium carbonate, clay or talcum. 

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