9. Performing Organization Name and Address Federa

Fire-ResistantMaterials:ResearchOverviewDecember1997FinalReportThisdocumentisavailabletotheU.S.publicthroughtheNationalTechnicalInformationService(NTIS),Springfield,Virginia22161.U.S.DepartmentofTransportationFederalAviationAdministrationDOT/FAA/AR-97/99OfficeofAviationResearchWashington,D.C.20591NOTICEThisdocumentisdisseminatedunderthesponsorshipoftheU.S.DepartmentofTransportationintheinterestofinformationexchange.TheUnitedStatesGovernmentassumesnoliabilityforthecontentsorusethereof.TheUnitedStatesGovernmentdoesnotendorseproductsormanufacturers.Tradeormanufacturer'snamesappearhereinsolelybecausetheyareconsideredessentialtotheobjectiveofthisreport.TechnicalReportDocumentationPage1.ReportNo.DOT/FAA/AR-97/992.GovernmentAccessionNo.3.Recipient'sCatalogNo.4.TitleandSubtitleFIRE-RESISTANTMATERIALS:RESEARCHOVERVIEW5.ReportDateDecember19976.PerformingOrganizationCodeAAR-4227.Author(s)RichardE.Lyon8.PerformingOrganizationReportNo.DOT/FAA/AR-97/999.PerformingOrganizationNameandAddressFederalAviationAdministration10.WorkUnitNo.(TRAIS)AirportandAircraftSafetyResearchandDevelopmentWilliamJ.HughesTechnicalCenterAtlanticCityInternationalAirport,NJ0840511.ContractorGrantNo.12.SponsoringAgencyNameandAddressU.S.DepartmentofTransportationFederalAviationAdministration13.TypeofReportandPeriodCoveredFinalReportOfficeofAviationResearchWashington,DC2059114.SponsoringAgencyCode15.SupplementaryNotes16.AbstractThisreportprovidesanoverviewoftheresearchbeingconductedbytheFederalAviationAdministration(FAA)todevelopfiresafecabinmaterialsforcommercialaircraft.TheobjectiveoftheFire-ResistantMaterialsprogramistoeliminateburningcabinmaterialsasacauseofdeathinaircraftaccidents.Long-termactivitiesincludethesynthesisofnew,thermallystable,lowfuelvalueorganicandinorganicpolymersystems.Thesynthesiseffortissupportedbyfundamentalresearchtounderstandpolymercombustionandfireresistancemechanismsusingnumericalandanalyticmodelingandthedevelopmentofnewcharacterizationtechniques.Aircraftmaterialswhicharetargetedforupgradedfireresistanceare(1)thermosetresinsforinteriordecorativepanels,secondarycomposites,andadhesives,(2)thermoplasticsfordecorativefacings,telecommunicationequipment,passengerserviceunits,moldedseatparts,transparencies,andelectricalwiring,(3)textilefibersforupholstery,carpets,decorativemurals,tapestries,and(4)elastomers/rubberforseatcushions,pillows,andsealants.Duringthefirst2yearsoftheprogram(1995-1996)wehavemadesignificantprogressinachievingourinterimgoalofa50percentreductionintheheatreleaserateofcabinmaterialsby2002andzeroheatreleaseratecabinmaterialsby2010withrespecttothe1996baselinefornewaircraft.Afollow-ondetailedreport,Fire-ResistantMaterials:ProgressReport,DOT/FAA/AR-97/100,documentsthetechnicaleffortsofalloftheinvestigatorsintheprogram.17.KeyWordsFire,Aircraft,Cabinmaterials,Flammability,Heatreleaserate,Polymer,Plastic,Resin,Rubber18.DistributionStatementThisdocumentisavailabletothepublicthroughtheNationalTechnicalInformationService(NTIS),Springfield,Virginia22161.19.SecurityClassif.(ofthisreport)Unclassified20.SecurityClassif.(ofthispage)Unclassified21.No.ofPages2322.PriceFormDOTF1700.7(8-72)ReproductionofcompletedpageauthorizediiiTABLEOFCONTENTSPageEXECUTIVESUMMARYvBACKGROUND1ProblemStatement1AircraftCabinMaterials1FireHazardsofAircraftCabinMaterials3MaterialsFireSafetyNeedsforFutureAircraft4TECHNICALAPPROACH6RESULTS8ThermosetResinsforDecorativePanels8ThermoplasticsforMoldedParts9RubberforSeatCushions10FibersforCarpetsandTextiles11SupportingScienceandTechnology12TechnologyTransfer14REFERENCES15ivLISTOFFIGURESFigurePage1PeakHeatReleaseRateVersusReciprocalTimetoFlashover(EscapeTime)ofDifferentPanelMaterialsinaFull-Scale,PostcrashFireSimulation42InteriorPanelConstruction83OilBurnerTestofFireproofComposite84CabinInteriorPanel95ProcessingRoutetoNanocomposites106TypicalSeatCushionConstruction117Full-ScaleFireTestofSeatAssembly118FAA'sMicroscaleCombustionCalorimeter129CorrelationBetweenFireTestandMicroscaleCalorimeterResultsforHeatReleaseRateofPlastics1210HeatReleaseRateofCurrentandDevelopmentalAircraftCabinMaterials13LISTOFTABLESTablePage1AircraftCabinMaterials22Fire-ResistantAircraftMaterialsProgramMilestones7vEXECUTIVESUMMARYFortypercentofthepassengerswhosurvivetheimpactofanaircraftaccidentsubsequentlydieinapostcrashfire.Unlessthispercentageisreducedortheaccidentratedecreases,thenumberoffirefatalitieswillincreaseby4percenteachyearwiththeexpectedgrowthinpassengerairtraffic.Compoundingtheupwardtrendinaircraftfirefatalitiesistheadditionalfireloadassociatedwiththe1percentannualgrowthintheuseoflightweight,combustiblepolymersandcompositesforaircraftinteriorsandstructures.Currentaircraftutilizeseveraltonsofcombustibleplasticsforcabininteriorcomponents(figuresIandII).Thisisafireloadcomparabletotheequivalentweightofaviationfuel.Thecabinfireloadwillapproximatelydoubleintheverylarge(800passenger)airplanesunderdevelopmentbyairframemanufacturersunlessultrafire-resistantmaterialsbecomeavailable.Theuseofmaterialswithimprovedfireresistance(relativetoc