Thermal characteristics of pinewood treated with additives at varied temperatures

Pinewood is a crucial material for residential housing, serving both decorative and construction purpose in Australia. However, its susceptibility to ignition from high heat sources, such as fire, lightning, extremely current, etc, poses a significant fire risk. In order to reduce fire risk, it is essential to explore the thermal properties of pinewood, including thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity and volumetric specific heat. Understanding these parameters is key to enhancing the fire safety of pinewood in building application. In this study, pinewood treated with flame-retardant additives, including fish gelatine, 9,10-dihydro9-oxa-10-phosphaphen-anthrene-10-oxide (DOPO), triphenylphosphine (TPP), Na2CO3 and (NH4)2HPO4, can enhance the fire resistance and delay the time to ignition (TTI) at a high external heat flux, providing crucial time for evacuation. The investigation into the thermal parameters of these treated pinewood samples revealed significant variations in how they influence the TTI, highlighting the importance of detailed thermal analysis in fire safety research. The samples of PA4 (the ratio of pinewood, fish gelatine, DOPO, TPP, ), Na2CO3 and (NH4)2HPO4 is equal to 30:10:6:2:2:1 in weight) displayed notably lower thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity, alongside a higher specific heat. Generally, the thermal conductivity decreased with the elevated temperature and conversely, the volumetric specific heat manifested the inverse results. Basically, the thermal diffusivity remained stable with the rising temperature. A material with a lower thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity and a higher volumetric specific heat is considered superior for such applications, making it a desirable choice for both construction and decoration in building.