Multicriteria approach to assess the fire behaviour of polymers in electrochemical energy storage

An innovative and multicriteria procedure based on the experimental characterization of solid materials exposed to fire was developed in this work. The validity and potentialities of this approach were tested for the evaluation of polymeric materials of potential use in electrochemical energy storage systems. To this aim, different experimental techniques, including thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and cone calorimetry, were implemented to quantify fundamental-based key performance indicators (KPIs) accounting for environmental (e.g., toxicity), ignitability, and flame characteristics. The developed approach enabled us to thoroughly examine the implications of key variables, including sample thickness, thermal flux, and composition. Considering the analyzed scale, the flexibility in boundary conditions, and the variety of collected data, the use of bench-scale equipment such as the cone calorimeter is recommended for the implementation of the proposed procedure. Based on the combination of collected data an overall ranking in terms of sustainability was obtained, showing that PVC is the least-performing material among the ones investigated. Therefore, the presented methodology can be also intended as a powerful tool for the comparison of final products and materials, paving the way for a more informed decision-making process. • Characterization of thermal degradation of polymeric materials at small and bench scales. • Identification of key performance indicators for safety and environmental aspects. • Quantification and aggregation of different domains in an overall indicator. • Evaluation and ranking of sustainability performances of solid materials.