Effect of cenospheric fillers on the flammability and fire hazard of silicone rubber composites

This paper presents the results of testing the flammability of silicone rubber composites containing fillers, such as cenospheres, cenospheres covered with iron, attapulgite, wollastonite, aluminum hydroxide and silica. In order to increase the insulating character of boundary layer, boron trioxide was incorporated into the composites of silicone rubber as a ceramization additive. The flammability of the composites was tested with the use of a cone calorimeter. The composition of the gaseous products of thermal decomposition was determined quantitatively and qualitatively in the system with intensive stirring in the fluidal bed, under isothermal conditions at temperatures T = 550, 650 and 750 °C. All the test results show that the fillers used, especially with ceramization additives considerably reduce the fire hazard of silicone rubber composites containing these fillers.