THE DEGRADATION FRONT MODEL - A TOOL FOR THE CHEMICAL STUDY OF THE DEGRADATION OF EPOXY-RESINS IN FIRE

This work studies two different epoxy resin systems using cone calorim eter data and the results of classical thermogravimetric analyses. It presents a discussion of the chemical behavior of the resins using con e calorimeter results (mainly the rate of heat release). The thermogra vimetric analyses give the invariant kinetic parameters (IKP) and a co mputation of the distribution of probabilities associated with the kin etic functions which allow a kinetic representation of the resins' deg radations. Then, the study using the cone calorimeter allows to obtain kinetic data under the conditions of a fire and to compute the temper ature of the degradation front (zone where the weight loss occurs). Co mparison of the values of this temperature and of the temperature meas ured in the lowest volume of the sample allows the comparison of the p rotective character of the carbon-based shields which form in the firs t step of the resins' degradation.