• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.9-19
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• 2019

Experiments on the combustion characteristics of untreated wood specimens and those treated with four types of silicone compounds were carried out using a cone calorimeter according to the ISO 5660-1 standard. 3-Aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS), 3-(2-aminoethylamino) propylmethyldimethoxysilane (AEAPMDMS), and 3-(2-aminoethylamino) propyltrimethoxysilane (AEAPTMS) were used as the silane compounds. The flame retardants were synthesized with sodium silicate and amino silane compounds. The measured time to ignition after combustion at an external heat flux of $50kW/m^2$ was 9 s to 11 s. Time to ignition was marked with a delayed value in the 3 s to 5 s range. The peak heat release rate ($HRR_{peak}$) was reduced by 5 to 20% compared with the uncoated specimen, and AEAPMDMS showed the highest initial fire risk. The total heat release (THR) was decreased by 1 to 22%. Compared to the untreated specimen, the fire performance index (FPI) of the specimens coated with silicone sol compounds increased by 1.5 to 2.2 fold. The fire growth index (FGI) of the AEAPMDMS specimen was increased by 30% and the others were decreased by 93 to 94%. Therefore, the fire risk of wood coated with silicone compounds was improved in terms of the heat risk properties.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.670-676
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• 2018

Experiments on combustion gases generation of untreated cypress specimens or treated with boric acid, ammonium pentaborate, and boric acid/ammonium pentaborate additive were carried out. Test specimens were painted three times with 15 wt% boron compound aqueous solutions. After drying, the generation of combustion gas was analyzed using a cone calorimeter (ISO 5660-1). As a result, comparing to untreated specimen, the smoke performance index (SPI) of the specimens treated with the boron compound increased by 1.37 to 2.68 times and the smoke growth index (SGI) decreased by 29.4 to 52.9%. The smoke intensity (SI) of the specimens treated with boron compounds is expected to be 1.16 to 3.92 times lower than that of untreated specimens, resulting in lower smoke and fire hazards. Also, the maximum carbon monoxide ($CO_{peak}$) concentration of specimens treated with boron compounds was 12.7 to 30.9% lower than that of untreated specimens. However, it was measured to produce fatal toxicities from 1.52 to 1.92 times higher than that of permissible exposure limits (PEL) by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The boron compounds played a role in reducing carbon monoxide, but it did not meet the expectation of reduction effect because of the high concentration of carbon monoxide in cypress itself.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.69-75
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• 2019

In this study, the combustibility of five types of plastic plates, fiber reinforced plastic (FRP), polystyrene (PS), polycarbonate (PC), polypropylene (PP), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), were tested using a cone calorimeter (ISO 5660). The PVC plate showed a $44.65kW/m^2$ lower peak heat release rate (HRR) and a $30.97kW/m^2$ lower maximum average rate of heat emission than the other four types of plastics, whereas the PS plate showed a $773.44kW/m^2$ higher peak HRR and $399.14kW/m^2$ higher maximum average rate of heat emission. The PC plate and PS plate showed the highest HRR by a maximum of 3.88 times in $CO_{mean}$ yields, while the PS pate and PP plate showed the highest HRR by a maximum 4.88 times in $CO_{2mean}$ yields. In addition, the smoke performance index (SPI) of the PS plate decreased by 74.81%~95.99%; the smoke growth index (SGI) increased to 76%~300%; the smoke intensity (SI) also increased to 917.73% ~ 9607.57%, and the danger of smoke increased. The PS plate was found to have the highest risk of life damage due to smoke on the thermal and smoke sides.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.417-422
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• 2021

In this study, poly isocyanurate foam (PIR), poly urethane foam (PUR), and phenol foam (PF) of organic insulation materials were selected, and investigated using a cone calorimeter, as per ISO 5660-1. Standard materials (PMMA) were used to standardize the fire hazard assessment, and the fire risk was classified and evaluated by Chung's equations-III and IV. The fire performance index-II value of Chung's equations-II was the highest value with PF of 14.77 s²/kW. And the PUR was 0.08 s²/kW, the lowest value of fire performance index-II value. The fire growth index-II value was the lowest value with PF of 0.01 kW/s². And the PUR was 1.14 kW/s², the highest value of fire growth index-II value. The fire performance index-III (FPI-III) of Chung's equations-III had the lowest value for PUR (0.11) and the highest for PF (20.23). The PUR showed the highest value of the fire growth index-III (FGI-III) as 14.25, while the PF exhibited 0.13 regarded as the safest materials. The fire risk index-IV (FRI-IV) value of Chung's equation-IV was in the following order: PUR (130.03) >> PIR (19.13) > PMMA (1.00) > PF (0.01). Therefore, it was concluded that the fire risk associated with PF is the lowest, whereas that associated with PUR is the highest.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.423-430
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• 2021

In order to evaluate the fire risk and fire risk rating of wood for construction materials, this study focused on fire performance index-III (FPI-III), fire growth index-III (FGI-III), and fire risk index-IV (FRI-IV) according to Chung's equations-III and -IV. Western red cedar, needle fir, ash, and maple were used as the specimens. The fire characteristics were investigated using a cone calorimeter (ISO 5660-1) equipment on the specimen. The FPI-III measured after the combustion reaction was 0.86 to 12.77 based on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). The FGI-III was found to be 0.63 to 5.26 based on PMMA. The fire rating according to the FRI-IV, which is the fire rating index, was 0.05 to 6.12, and the western red cedar was 122.4 times higher than that of the maple. The fire risk rating according to the FRI-IV increased in the order of maple, ash, needle fir, PMMA and western red cedar. The CO peak concentration of all specimens was measured as 103 to 162 ppm, and it was 2.1 to 3.2 times higher than 50 ppm, the permissible exposure limits of the US occupational safety and health administration. Materials such as western red cedar, which have a low bulk density and contain a large amount of volatile organic substances, have a low FPI-III and a high FGI-III, so they have a high fire risk rating.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.75-82
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• 2021

This study investigated the fire risk assessment of woods and plastics for construction materials, focusing on the fire performance index-III (FPI-III), fire growth index-III (FGI-III), and fire risk index-IV (FRI-IV) by a newly designed method. Japanese cedar, red pine, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) were used as test pieces. Fire characteristics of the materials were investigated using a cone calorimeter (ISO 5660-1) equipment. The fire performance index-III measured after the combustion reaction was found to be 1.0 to 15.0 with respect to PMMA. Fire risk by fire performance index-III increased in the order of PVC, red pine, Japanese cedar, and PMMA. The fire growth index-III was found to be 0.5 to 3.3 based on PMMA. Fire risk by fire growth index-III increased in the order of PVC, PMMA, red pine, and Japanese cedar. COpeak concentrations of all specimens were measured between 106 and 570 ppm. In conclusion, it is understood that Japanese cedar with a low bulk density and PMMA containing a large amount of volatile organic substances have a low fire performance index-III and high fire growth index-III, and thus have high fire risk due to fire. This was consistent with the fire risk index-IV.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.373-380
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• 2022

In this study, Chung's equations 1, 2, and 3 were extended to standardize smoke safety rating evaluation in case of fire, and Chung's equations-V, smoke performance index-V, and smoke growth index-V were calculated. Five types of wood were selected and their smoke indices were measured using the cone calorimeter method according to ISO 5660-1. The smoke risk was graded by the smoke risk index-VI according to Chung's equation-VI. Smoke risk index-VI increased in the order of PMMA (1) ≈ maple (1.01) < ash (1.57) < needle fir (4.98) < paulownia (46.15) < western red cedar (106.26). It was predicted that maple and ash had the lowest smoke risk, and paulownia and western red cedar had the highest. The five samples' CO mean production rate (COP_mean) was 0.0009~0.0024 g/s, indicating that these woods were incompletely burned than the polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) reference material. Regarding the smoke properties of the chosen woods, the smoke performance index-V (SPI-V) increased as the bulk density increased, and the smoke risk index-VI (SRI-VI) decreased.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.388-396
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• 2023

The evaluation of fire risk for combustible materials was carried out using Chung's equations-X, Chung's equations-XI, and Chung's equation-XII, which were newly established. The fire risk index-XII (FRI-XII) and fire risk rating (FRR) were calculated for specimens including camphor tree, cherry, rubber tree, and elm. The combustion characteristics were determined using a cone calorimeter according to ISO 5660-1. Chung's equations caculated the fire performance index-X (FPI-X) and fire growth index-X (FGI-X) values ranged from 89.34 to 1696.75 s² /kW and from 0.0006 to 0.0107 kW/s² , respectively. In addition, the fire performance index-XI (FPI-XI) and fire growth index-XI (FGI-XI) varied from 0.08 to 1.48 and from 0.67 to 11.89, respectively. The fire risk index-XII (FRI-XII), which is an indicator of fire risk, showed that camphor tree had a value of 148.63 (fire risk rating: G), indicating a very high fire risk. This suggests that combustible materials with a high concentration of volatile organic compounds have lower FPI-X and FPI-XI values, higher FGI-X and FGI-XI values, and consequently higher FRI-XII values, indicating an increased fire risk.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.144-152
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• 2023

To evaluate the fire risk of combustible materials, Chung's equations VII, VIII, and IX were newly established. The fire risk index-IX (FRI-IX) and fire risk rating (FRR) were calculated. Ginkgo, dawn redwood, toona, lime, walnut, and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) were selected as test specimens. The combustion characteristics were evaluated using a cone calorimeter according to ISO 5660-1. After combustion, the fire performance index-VII (FPI-VII) of the specimens, varied between 15.15 and 182.53 s²/kW, as determined by Chung's equations, and the fire growth index-VII (FGI-VII) varied between 0.0023 and 0.0165 kW/s². The fire performance index-VIII (FPI-VIII) based on PMMA varied between 0.29 and 3.45, and the fire growth index-VIII (FGI-VIII) varied between 2.88 and 20.63. The FRI-IX, which is the fire risk rating, showed dawn redwood has a very high fire risk, with FRI-IX values of 71.14 (fire risk rating: G). Therefore, wood with a large amount of volatile organic compounds and a low bulk density showed a high value of FRI-IX by lowering FPI-VII and FPI-VIII and increasing FGI-VII and FGI-VIII.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 2024

The fire risk and fire safety of four types of wood were comprehensively evaluated according to Chung's equation-XII. White ash, willow, fraxinus mandshurica, and sagent cherry trees were selected as test specimens. A cone calorimetery (ISO 5660-1) was used to examine the combustion characteristics of the test piece, and finally, the fire risk rating (FRR) was predicted using the fire risk index-XII (FRI-XII). The predicted fire performance index-X (FPI-X) and fire growth index-X (FGI-X) ranged from 469.03 to 1109.73 s²/kW and 0.0009 to 0.0280 kW/s², respectively. Additionally, the fire performance index-XI (FPI-XI) and fire growth index-XI (FGI-XI) ranged from 0.41 to 0.97 and 1.11 to 3.11, respectively. The fire risk index-XII (FRI-XII), representing a fire risk rating, showed that the fire risk of frasxinus mandsurica tree (FM) was very high at 7.60 (fire risk rating: D). And it was compared with Chung's equation-IX, fire risk index-IX (FRI-IX). The fire risk ratings according to FRI-IX and FRI-XII were generally high for willow and frasxinus mandsurica trees. Additionally, the results of FRI-XII and FRI-IX had a similar relationship, and the size of each fire safety rating closely matched each other.