Polymer composites have been used in shipbuilding for over half a century, as they enable more economical and durable ship construction. Composites have numerous advantages, but also some disadvantages. Their biggest shortcoming is their flammability, which was tested in the presented thesis with selected material samples in accordance with the UL 94 standard - Horizontal Test. For the purpose of testing, two epoxy resins with a high glass transition temperature were chosen. A flame retardant, aluminium hydroxide, was added in various concentrations. The results showed that a higher concentration of flame retardant resulted in a slower rate of combustion and less material was burnt. Because additives affect the mechanical properties of materials, tensile tests on the chosen samples were performed. The results showed that stiffness and brittleness increase with increasing additive content. Despite choosing a material with a relatively high glass transition temperature and the addition of a flame retardant, we still cannot guarantee the same fire safety as that of steel when using the studied material composites.
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