THERMAL-DECOMPOSITION PRODUCTS OF FIBERGLASS COMPOSITES - A FOURIER-TRANSFORM INFRARED-ANALYSIS

Decomposition products of fiberglass composites used in construction w ere identified using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. This bench-scale study concentrated on identification and quantificati on of toxic species. Identifying compounds evolved during thermal deco mposition provides data to develop early fire detection systems as wel l as evaluate product fire safety performance. Material fire behavior depends on many factors. Ventilation, radiant heat flux, and chemical composition are three factors that can be modeled. Physical observatio ns of composites during thermal decomposition with simultaneous identi fication and quantification of evolved gases offer researchers in both material development and fire safety an advancement-in the state-of-t he-art for material testing. Gas analysis by FT-IR spectroscopy identi fied toxic effluent species over a wide range of composite exposure te mperatures (100 to 1000 degrees C), during pyrolysis and combustion. F iberglass composites with melamine, epoxy, and silicone resins were pr ofiled. Formaldehyde, methanol, carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, methane , and benzene were identified by the spectral analysis prior to physic al evidence of decomposition. Toxic concentrations of formaldehyde, ca rbon monoxide, nitric oxide, ammonia, and hydrogen cyanide were observ ed as thermal decomposition progressed.