An experimental study of cellulosic fabric smolder is discussed. A cellulosic smolder model consistent in part with published literature is developed from the analyses of these experiments. Chemical reactions comprising cellulose fragmentation are suggested. A microkinetic analysis of empirically obtained steady-state smolder characteristics and estimations from the literature identify the rate-determining partial processes critical to this model. The analysis reveals 1. heat transfer between the reaction zone and bulk air is not significant to the de scriptive kinetics, 2. heat transfer within the yarn determines the rate of smolder, 3. oxygen transport between bulk air and the reaction zone must be included in the model, 4. the rate of oxygen diffusion within the yarn is a significant factor. The classes of chemical reactions in the model are revealed by estimations of their activation energies, as provided by experimental DSC/TGA and TPR investiga tions.
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