1. Ceramizable silicone rubber based composites

2. Ceramizable silicone composites
Novel materials for fire protecting system destined for wire covers
Ceramizable silicone composites are materials able to form protecting ceramic shell in presence of fire and elevated temperature.
Ceramic shell protect copper wire against flames, heat and mechanical stress

3. Ceramizable composites can sustain the oparation of electrical systems in case of fire up to 2 hours.

4. Mechanisms of ceramization
Physical
Physicochemical

5. Physical mechanism of ceramization

6. Physicochemical mechanism of ceramization
Destruction of polymer matrix
Decomposition of some mineral fillers
Reaction between inorganic substrates

7. Study
Kinetics of vulcanization
Mechanical properties

8. Study
Microcalorymetry
TG – DTA – MS
FTIR - TG

9. Study
Microcalorymetry

10. Force required to destroy ceramic phase
Study
Porosimetry
Force required to destroy ceramic phase
SEM analysis

11. Study
Porosimetry

12. European Norms developed especially for fire resistant cables tests
Test of cables according to EN

13. Conclusions
Silicone rubber based composites have still high development potential: increase mechnical and insulation properties of ceramic phase, improve procesability, etc.
It is possible to use different kinds of polymer as a matrix in ceramizable composites to obtain large spectrum of properties (plastomers, foams, resins, adhesives, etc.)

14. Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the EU Integrity Fund, project POIG /08-00.