Abstract
AbstractFire‐protective clothing are manufactured using heat and flame resistant fibers that are made of high‐performance polymers. These polymers exhibit a gradual reduction in their performance after long‐term exposure under various aging conditions. This study investigates the thermal aging behavior of a high‐temperature resistance polymer, polyetherimide (PEI), at elevated temperatures in air. Changes in the ultimate tensile strength (UTS), glass transition temperature, and surface properties are observed. In addition, infrared spectroscopy identifies chemical bonds in PEI being consumed because of chain scission. Applying the time–temperature superposition principle to the UTS data gives an activation energy of 112 kJ mol−1 for the effect of thermal aging on the mechanical strength of PEI. This value is similar to what has been reported for fire‐protective clothing fabrics, which opens the possibility to use PEI as a sensing material for the development of end‐of‐life sensors for fire‐protective fabrics.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
