COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF FIRE POLYMER COMPOSITE MATERIALS USED TO THE MANUFACTURE OF STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS FOR AIRCRAFTS

One of ways of increase of profitability of air transportation is improvement of weight efficiency of air vehicles. This requirement can be reached at the expense of wider use of composite materials in designs of products. However the majorities of polymeric materials are capable to reactions of exothermic oxidation and can significantly change the characteristic of development of fire in case of polymer composite material (PCM) application instead of aluminum alloys. On the other hand, in case of influence of elevated temperatures aluminum alloys quickly lose bearing capacity and burn through, therefore replacement of metals by PCM can lead to increase of fire resistance of external circuit of flight vehicles and survival of people in case of flight incidents of the land fires connected with emergence from the spread fuel. In this work studying of characteristics of fire safety glass and carbon fiber-reinforced plastics, perspective for broad application on external contour in products of different industries is carried out. Aviation engineering combines large amount of hydrocarbon fuel, high concentration of people and complexity in operational carrying out evacuation. Flight incidents often occur at adverse weather conditions and can be on considerable removal from places of basing of fire-fighting crews. In this regard to materials of aviation assignment increased requirements on fire safety are shown. Therefore assessment of fire safety of materials carried out according to methods being used in the aviation industry. On the basis of these results of tests indexes of fire danger, including taking into account reduction of samples to the identical weight, thickness or deposit of the binding have been calculated. The model specimen of comparison — leaf of aluminum alloy of the D-16 brand at tests did not allocate smoke and heat, did not extend flame on surface, however quickly melted and allowed through penetration of flame. It is shown that carbon fiber-reinforced plastics with the high heatresistant bindings have the best characteristics of fire safety.