Investigation of thermal and combustion properties of fly ash filled polymer based composite materials

Polymers have been widely used in various industries, owing to their superior features. However, they are flammable materials and can easily decompose and burn when they are exposed to a heat source. Therefore, it is required to enhance their thermal and combustion properties to continue their usage in different industries, particularly in applications where fire safety is paramount. In this thesis, effects of a fly ash mainly including SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, MgO, and CaO, and different flame retardants on thermal, combustion and mechanical properties of high-density polyethylene, polypropylene and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene based composite materials were investigated. The changes in the properties of composite materials were determined by the addition of the fly ash alone, up to 40 wt %, and at rates of 1 - 5 wt % in combination with different flame retardants (20 - 25 wt %) into the polymers. While the use of fly ash alone has a limited impact on the thermal decomposition and the combustion resistance of the polymers, it was found out that it can be utilized as a filler material to reduce the environmental pollution and the production costs of the composite materials. However, it was determined that the addition of fly ash in the range of 1 - 5 wt % into the polymers including 20 - 25 wt % flame retardants generate synergistic effects, providing a high level of thermal and combustion resistances without causing significant adverse effects on the mechanical properties.