Shielding effects of silica-ash layer on the combustion of silicones and their possible applications on the fire retardancy of organic polymers

This study demonstrates the shielding effects of a silica-ash layer on the combustion of silicones and their possible applications on the fire retardancy of organic materials. The deposited silica-ash layer, formed on the surface of silicone materials during combustion, has shielding effects on the combustion of silicones. It insulates the burning surface from the radiant heat of flame, as well as from the radiant heat produced from the burning of adjacent materials. It also restricts the diffusion of fuels into the combustion zone and the access of oxygen to the unburned fuels. The shielding effects provide some of the fundamentals for the development of silicone-based fire retardants.