Effect of titanium nitride coating for improvement of fire resistivity of polymer composites for aerospace application

Abstract

A significant attempt has been made to enhance the flammability property of polymer composites that are used in the aircraft structural application. With cumulative interest in carbon fabric reinforced epoxy polymeric composites, it is imperative to enhance the fire-resistant property of these materials. In this context, work has been carried out to investigate the improvement in the fire resistance property of epoxy/carbon fabric reinforced laminate using titanium nitride as a coating material. In addition, the influence of thickness of the coating over the improvement in the fire resistance properties was also studied using cone calorimeter test. X-ray diffraction spectrum confirms the titanium nitride coating over the surface of the composites. Thermogravimetric analysis of uncoated and coated epoxy/carbon fabric laminate of 3.24 µm shows the decomposition temperature of 325 ℃ and 340 ℃, respectively. By increasing the coating thickness of the titanium nitride to 0.01 mm, there is an increase in the decomposition temperature, which is around 360 ℃. Limiting oxygen index value of the uncoated and varied thickness coated epoxy/carbon fabric laminate evidently shows that increase in the thickness of the titanium nitride coating leads to enhancement of the limiting oxygen index value up to 15%. Time-to-ignition has also been calculated theoretically by employing the linear conduction theory, which revealed an upsurge of 65 s when compared to basic epoxy/carbon fabric composites. The above findings visibly designate that the titanium nitride coating as well as the coating thickness significantly plays a vital role in improving the fire resistance property of epoxy/carbon fabric laminates.