Non-Isothermal Thermogravimetry of Selected Tropical Woods and Their Degradation under Fire Using Cone Calorimetry.

Linda Makovicka Osvaldova,Ivica Janigova,Jozef Rychly

doi:10.3390/polym13050708

Linda Makovicka Osvaldova, Ivica Janigova + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13050708

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Abstract

For selected tropical woods (Cumaru, Garapa, Ipe, Kempas, Merbau), a relationship was established between non-isothermal thermogravimetry runs and the wood weight loss under flame during cone calorimetry flammability testing. A correlation was found for the rate constants for decomposition of wood in air at 250 and 300 °C found from thermogravimetry and the total time of sample burning related to the initial mass. Non-isothermal thermogravimetry runs were assumed to be composed from 3 theoretical runs such as decomposition of wood into volatiles itself, oxidation of carbon residue, and the formation of ash. A fitting equation of three processes was proposed and the resulting theoretical lines match experimental lines.

Highlights

Wood is a natural, flammable material, and fire-risk properties represent some obstacle for its applicability in constructions
A correlation has been found for the rate constants for the decomposition of selected tropical woods in air at 250 and 300 ◦C, and the total time of sample burning related to the initial mass
The degradation of tropical woods was evaluated in air and oxygen at a heating rate of 10 ◦C/min, while cone calorimetry tests were performed in air with a cone radiance of 35 kW/m2

Summary

Introduction

Flammable material, and fire-risk properties represent some obstacle for its applicability in constructions. [1,2,3,4] used in different constructions and buildings have been given much attention, while less attention has been paid to tropical woods as they represent more complex systems [5,6]. As with any wood, tropical woods are a natural combustible material, and their fire properties are worth of further study. There are the different admixtures of both organic and inorganic nature with the result that unambiguous ordering of combustibility may be more complex [14,15,16,17,18]

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