{"id":{"repo_id":"wichita-thes","oai_identifier":"oai:soar.wichita.edu:10057/56134"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/wichita-thes/oai:soar.wichita.edu:10057/56134","repository":{"repo_id":"wichita-thes","name":"Wichita State University","base_url":"https://soar.wichita.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Improving flame resistance of aircraft interiors via electrospun polymeric nanocomposite fibers","abstract":"The future of aircraft design relies on the adoption of advanced, next-generation materials engineered for multifunctionality. This study presents a scalable approach to enhancing flame retardance in electrospun Sulfonated Poly Ether Ether Ketone (SPEEK), Poly Ether Imide (PEI), and Poly Imide (PI) nanofibers through multifunctional additives such as 9,10-Dihydro-9-Oxa-10-Phosphaphenanthrene-10-Oxide (DOPO), Tannic Acid (TA), Hexagonal Boron Nitride (h-BN), Graphene, and Boric Acid (BA). Uniform fiber formation was achieved through optimized electrospinning of the polymer systems, despite increased viscosity from the additives. Comprehensive characterization (SEM, FTIR, TGA, WCA, UL-94) revealed strong structureproperty relationships as a function of additive type and concentration. The results demonstrate that optimized electrospun nanofibers with tailored additive incorporation, particularly BA, DOPO, h-BN, and TA, achieve significantly enhanced thermal stability, controlled morphology, and superior flame retardancy (UL-94 V-0) through synergistic char formation, barrier effects, and interfacial interactions. Quantitatively, thermal degradation temperatures increased by up to ~30-80 °C, and char residue improved substantially, correlating directly with enhanced flame-retardant performance. Among the three polymer systems evaluated, PEI-based systems consistently achieved UL-94 V-0 ratings across multiple additive combinations and exhibited high thermal stability up to 480 °C, making them the most suitable candidates for flame-critical applications. SPEEK-based systems exhibited the smallest fiber diameters, making them the most suitable candidates for nanoscale applications. PI-based systems exhibited the highest water contact angles, making them ideal for hydrophobic applications. This work illustrates a tunable, halogenfree nanofiber system with enhanced flame retardancy, offering a multifunctional pathway towards advanced aerospace applications.","abstract_html":"The future of aircraft design relies on the adoption of advanced, next-generation materials engineered for multifunctionality. This study presents a scalable approach to enhancing flame retardance in electrospun Sulfonated Poly Ether Ether Ketone (SPEEK), Poly Ether Imide (PEI), and Poly Imide (PI) nanofibers through multifunctional additives such as 9,10-Dihydro-9-Oxa-10-Phosphaphenanthrene-10-Oxide (DOPO), Tannic Acid (TA), Hexagonal Boron Nitride (h-BN), Graphene, and Boric Acid (BA). Uniform fiber formation was achieved through optimized electrospinning of the polymer systems, despite increased viscosity from the additives. Comprehensive characterization (SEM, FTIR, TGA, WCA, UL-94) revealed strong structureproperty relationships as a function of additive type and concentration. The results demonstrate that optimized electrospun nanofibers with tailored additive incorporation, particularly BA, DOPO, h-BN, and TA, achieve significantly enhanced thermal stability, controlled morphology, and superior flame retardancy (UL-94 V-0) through synergistic char formation, barrier effects, and interfacial interactions. Quantitatively, thermal degradation temperatures increased by up to ~30-80 °C, and char residue improved substantially, correlating directly with enhanced flame-retardant performance. Among the three polymer systems evaluated, PEI-based systems consistently achieved UL-94 V-0 ratings across multiple additive combinations and exhibited high thermal stability up to 480 °C, making them the most suitable candidates for flame-critical applications. SPEEK-based systems exhibited the smallest fiber diameters, making them the most suitable candidates for nanoscale applications. PI-based systems exhibited the highest water contact angles, making them ideal for hydrophobic applications. This work illustrates a tunable, halogenfree nanofiber system with enhanced flame retardancy, offering a multifunctional pathway towards advanced aerospace applications.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Ali, Zaara"],"institution":null,"degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2026,"date_issued":"2026-05","date_published":"2026-05","updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:06:11Z","subjects":[],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["hdl:10057/56134"],"render_values":[{"text":"hdl:10057/56134","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":null,"outbound_label":null,"outbound_source":null},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2026-05"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Dissertation"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["hdl:10057/56134"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.other","label":"Dc Description Other","values":["The future of aircraft design relies on the adoption of advanced, next-generation materials engineered for multifunctionality. This study presents a scalable approach to enhancing flame retardance in electrospun Sulfonated Poly Ether Ether Ketone (SPEEK), Poly Ether Imide (PEI), and Poly Imide (PI) nanofibers through multifunctional additives such as 9,10-Dihydro-9-Oxa-10-Phosphaphenanthrene-10-Oxide (DOPO), Tannic Acid (TA), Hexagonal Boron Nitride (h-BN), Graphene, and Boric Acid (BA). Uniform fiber formation was achieved through optimized electrospinning of the polymer systems, despite increased viscosity from the additives. Comprehensive characterization (SEM, FTIR, TGA, WCA, UL-94) revealed strong structureproperty relationships as a function of additive type and concentration. The results demonstrate that optimized electrospun nanofibers with tailored additive incorporation, particularly BA, DOPO, h-BN, and TA, achieve significantly enhanced thermal stability, controlled morphology, and superior flame retardancy (UL-94 V-0) through synergistic char formation, barrier effects, and interfacial interactions. Quantitatively, thermal degradation temperatures increased by up to ~30-80 °C, and char residue improved substantially, correlating directly with enhanced flame-retardant performance. Among the three polymer systems evaluated, PEI-based systems consistently achieved UL-94 V-0 ratings across multiple additive combinations and exhibited high thermal stability up to 480 °C, making them the most suitable candidates for flame-critical applications. SPEEK-based systems exhibited the smallest fiber diameters, making them the most suitable candidates for nanoscale applications. PI-based systems exhibited the highest water contact angles, making them ideal for hydrophobic applications. This work illustrates a tunable, halogenfree nanofiber system with enhanced flame retardancy, offering a multifunctional pathway towards advanced aerospace applications."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Improving flame resistance of aircraft interiors via electrospun polymeric nanocomposite fibers"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:date.issued":["2026-05"],"dc:description.other":["The future of aircraft design relies on the adoption of advanced, next-generation materials engineered for multifunctionality. This study presents a scalable approach to enhancing flame retardance in electrospun Sulfonated Poly Ether Ether Ketone (SPEEK), Poly Ether Imide (PEI), and Poly Imide (PI) nanofibers through multifunctional additives such as 9,10-Dihydro-9-Oxa-10-Phosphaphenanthrene-10-Oxide (DOPO), Tannic Acid (TA), Hexagonal Boron Nitride (h-BN), Graphene, and Boric Acid (BA). Uniform fiber formation was achieved through optimized electrospinning of the polymer systems, despite increased viscosity from the additives. Comprehensive characterization (SEM, FTIR, TGA, WCA, UL-94) revealed strong structureproperty relationships as a function of additive type and concentration. The results demonstrate that optimized electrospun nanofibers with tailored additive incorporation, particularly BA, DOPO, h-BN, and TA, achieve significantly enhanced thermal stability, controlled morphology, and superior flame retardancy (UL-94 V-0) through synergistic char formation, barrier effects, and interfacial interactions. Quantitatively, thermal degradation temperatures increased by up to ~30-80 °C, and char residue improved substantially, correlating directly with enhanced flame-retardant performance. Among the three polymer systems evaluated, PEI-based systems consistently achieved UL-94 V-0 ratings across multiple additive combinations and exhibited high thermal stability up to 480 °C, making them the most suitable candidates for flame-critical applications. SPEEK-based systems exhibited the smallest fiber diameters, making them the most suitable candidates for nanoscale applications. PI-based systems exhibited the highest water contact angles, making them ideal for hydrophobic applications. This work illustrates a tunable, halogenfree nanofiber system with enhanced flame retardancy, offering a multifunctional pathway towards advanced aerospace applications."],"dc:identifier":["hdl:10057/56134"],"dc:title":["Improving flame resistance of aircraft interiors via electrospun polymeric nanocomposite fibers"],"dc:type":["Dissertation"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:06:11Z"}