HIGH-TEMPERATURE OXYGEN INDEX INSTRUMENT WITH QUANTITATIVE FT-IR GAS-ANALYSIS

A bench-scale instrument has been constructed which provides a fire ha zard and combustion product profile of polymers and composites used in advanced construction. Novel to the instrument is that a standardized test of material flammability (oxygen index) can be measured as a fun ction of sample exposure temperature up to 800 degrees C. Sample mass loss is measured concurrently; and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy is used for on-line quantification of evolved gas species during heating, burning, and smoldering of the sample. The instrument has applications for industrial quality control of the fire character istics of processed materials, and research and development of new bui lding materials. This article describes the instrument and presents me asurement results for several materials.