TY - JOUR A1 - Shabir Mahr, Muhammad A1 - Hübert, Thomas A1 - Schartel, Bernhard A1 - Bahr, Horst A1 - Sabel, Martin A1 - Militz, H. T1 - Fire retardancy effects in single and double layered sol-gel derived TiO2 and SiO2-wood composites JF - Journal of sol gel science and technology N2 - Sol–gel derived TiO2 and SiO2-wood inorganic composites are prepared by direct vacuum infiltration of silicon and titanium alkoxide based precursors in pine sapwood in one or two cycles followed by a controlled thermal curing process. The resulting flame retardancy effect is investigated under two different fire scenarios using cone calorimetry and oxygen index (LOI). Heat release rates (HRR) especially the values for the second peak, are reduced moderately for all single layered composites. This effect is more pronounced for double layered composites where HRR was reduced up to 40 % showing flame retardancy potential in developing fires. Beside this, smoke release was lowered up to 72 % indicating that these systems had less fire hazards compared to untreated wood, whereas no meaningful improvement is realized in terms of fire load (total heat evolved) and initial HRR increase. However impressively, the LOI of the composites were increased up to 41 vol% in comparison to 23 vol% for untreated wood displaying a remarkable flame retardancy against reaction to a small flame. An approximate linear interdependence among the fire properties and the material loading as well as fire residue was observed. A residual protection layer mechanism is proposed improving the residue properties for the investigated composites. KW - Wood KW - Sol-gel KW - Composite materials KW - Cone calorimeter KW - Fire retardance KW - Flammability PY - 2012 DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-012-2877-5 SN - 0928-0707 SN - 1573-4846 VL - 64 IS - 2 SP - 452 EP - 464 PB - Kluwer Academic Publ. CY - Dordrecht AN - OPUS4-27618 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -