14 DAY TRIAL // A team of scientists from the National Institute of Standards and Technology have discovered that carbon nanofibers added to the polyurethane foams used at upholstered furniture in order to decrease its flammability enhance the effect by as much as 30 percent. Usually, the foam drips while burning, and forms a miniature pool under the piece of furniture, which actually increases the burning rate by three times.
The laws require that the Californian furniture, especially that used in public places like offices or hotels, is treated with fire-retarding foam or materials for damage prevention purposes. Since the foam that drips from a burning piece of furniture enhances the burning rate by 300%, and as “It also creates so much smoke that it is a life-safety hazard,” according to Jeff Gilman, chief of the Materials Flammability Group at the Building and Fire Research Laboratory, as quoted by PhysOrg, the team came up with the idea of enriching it with carbon nanofibers.
Although carbon is largely known as a fire fuel, it seems that the nanofibers generate a thermally-stable network that increases the viscosity of the foam, preventing it from flowing as much. “The carbon nanofibers help prevent the foam from dripping in a pool under the furniture and increasing the fire intensity,” shared Gilman. The tests during which palm-sized foam samples were mixed with one of six carbon nanofiber combinations indicated that they didn't drip.
“These small-scale experiments correlate well with the fire behavior of larger foam samples and are easier and less expensive to conduct,” claimed the expert, adding that “The small-scale tests will allow us to cost-effectively perform more experiments and help us find an optimal fire retardant faster. Carbon nanofibers are still more expensive than conventional flame retardant materials, but because the price is decreasing and so little needs to be used, they could soon be an affordable and effective option”.