Plastics, burning mechanism flammability

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. 

In general, all types of solid plastic or glass-reinforced plastic pipe should not be used, if possible, with flammable liquids. Compared to metal, plastic piping melts and burns easier, is more fragile, is easily mechanically damaged, is harder to adequately support, and should be used with appropriate judgement. 

The mechanism of burning for polymers is believed to take place through thermal pyrolysis of the solid plastic to produce gases that act as fuel for the fire (45). Fire retardants work in both the condensed and the vapor phase to interrupt melting of the polymer and burning of the gases. Triaryl phosphates function well in the vapor phase. Alkyl aryl phosphates are believed to decompose in the flame front to form polyphosphoric acid, which stays in the condensed phase to form char, which reduces flammability and smoke evolution (46. 47). 

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