Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Aging with respect to flammability and other properties in fire-retarded ethylene propylene rubber and chlorosulfonated polyethylene

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5132548

The flammability characteristics of ethylene propylene and chlorosulfonated polyethylene rubbers containing fire-retardant additives, aged in different thermal and radiation environments have been studied. Flammability parameters for these materials (time to ignition, mass pyrolysis, buring rate and fuel consumption) when exposed to, and aged in thermal, radiation, and thermal/radiation environments are discussed. Two formulations of each type of rubber are compared. The results are a direct contradiction to expected results based on small-scale flammability tests. They show that the fire-retarding agents used in this investigation do not reduce, and in some cases, contribute to, rubber flammability when exposred to a full-scale fire environment. In addition, the results show that for full-scale fire conditions, the energy required for ignition of chlorosulfonated polyethylene is lower than that required for ethylene propylene rubber; a complete reversal of expected results. The effects of aging on the tensile-elongation properties have been determined. Radiation dose-rate effects are also discussed. Results show that the fire-retardant additives have a negligible influence on the tested materials' tensile-elongation properties and on material aging, regardless of the aging environment. The data obtained, however, may be too limited to show significant dose-rate effects. 15 figures, 9 tables.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76DP00789
OSTI ID:
5132548
Report Number(s):
NUREG/CR-2314; SAND-81-1906; ON: DE82015449
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English