Fire behaviour related to the thermal degradation of unsaturated polyesters

In this work, the thermal and the fire behaviour of unsaturated polyester ( UP resins have been investigated. A comparison of the thermal stability of the two materials (UP resins without and with modification with DCPD grafte d on the chains ends) showed that the resin with DCPD is more stable. Never theless, modelling of the fuel flow evolved during the degradation showed t hat it is faster in the case of the material with the DCPD. It is related t o the formation of char which must be developed to provide protection to th e underlying polymer. This assumption was then confirmed by measurement of the temperature profiles using the cone calorimeter and by the evolution of the degradation front which showed that the thermal transfer was reduced i n the case of the resin with DCPD. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All right s reserved.