Fire resistant Organic Composite Material

Current fire-retardant/fire-resistant resin materials for composite panel systems in Naval topside applications do not provide the required levels of fire protection and combustion resistance. The need exists for a lightweight, fire-resistant resin systems that enables composite structures to maintain structural integrity following exposure to high intensity flames (without toxic releases), thereby affording fire-barrier protection to equipment and personnel. Development of such a system would extend the use of composite structures far beyond current levels. Previous attempts to improve fire resistance in resin systems have focused on improving resin chemistry and/or incorporation of certain fire-retardant additives. However, the effectiveness of additives has inevitably been limited by the need to balance their enhanced fire-resistance with their adverse effect on mechanical properties and processability. Under the proposed program, METSS will investigate incorporating recent advanced in nano-phase materials processing into intumescent additives fir a series if resin systems. Nano-pahse additives, which possess increase in specific surface area orders of magnitude high than conventional additives, offer the potential to minimize additive weight and volume, thereby enhancing combustion resistance significantly beyond current levels without adverse effect on mechanical properties or signal selectivity. METSS is uniquely qualified to develop the resin system, possessing the necessary expertise in processing, testing and evaluation of composite materials and expertise and practical experience in formulations of fire-retardant additives and resins.