Fire-Resistant Polymeric Foams and Their Applications
Mohammad Harun‐Ur‐Rashid, Abu Bin Imran, Md. Abu Bin Hasan Susan
Abstract
Every year, a large number of fire incidents occur all over the world. Fires initiated from soft furnishings at residences, in particular, mattresses and furniture; cause a large fraction of casualties. To minimize causalities of this kind, it is essential to avoid the use of common polymeric foams participating in the fire. Conventional fire-resistant technologies suffer from their ineffectiveness and are not viable options for operation. Therefore, high-performance fire-resistant polymeric foams have received great attention in the last few decades. From that perspective, it is essential to compile information related to thermally insulated and fire-resistant polymeric foams, foam coatings, and foam additives for the interested communities in the respective sectors. Thermally insulated and fire-resistant polymeric foams and the associated materials can be prepared from non-renewable resources such as petrochemicals and renewable resources like natural biopolymers. However, biopolymers are associated with certain limitations, and the incorporation of fillers or nanofillers through the implementation of nanotechnology can resolve this. Most polymers are susceptible to high-temperature conditions and flames due to the presence of a higher amount of organic matter. The combustion of polymers generates different types of toxic gases, liquids, and solids that are hazardous to the environment and health. Developing polymers capable of exhibiting fire-resistant properties without compromising the other desirable features for multipurpose industrial and consumer applications to control fire damage has been a very demanding task. It is thus crucial to discuss and summarize the design, fabrication, characterization, mechanism of fire-resistance, present, and future trends, and prospective applications of fire-resistant polymeric foams collectively in a single platform. This chapter on fire-resistant polymeric foams and their applications is expected to serve the interested community with the aforementioned information.