| Abstract: | The molecular design of semi‐inorganic polymers has produced polysilphenylene–siloxane and polyphosphazene elastomers having comparable fire safety to heat resistant engineering plastics. In flaming combustion a polyphosphazene rubber had a four times lower peak heat release rate than the polyurethane elastomer currently used in fire‐blocked aircraft seat cushions. The addition of expandable graphite flakes to polyurethane and polyphosphazene elastomers reduces their peak heat release rates by factors of seven and five, respectively. Published in 2003 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
