Burning behavior of wood-plastic composite decking boards in end-use conditions: the effects of geometry, material composition, and moisture

In this study, we investigated the basic knowledge necessary to develop flame-retarded wood-plastic composite (WPC) materials by focusing on decking boards. Therefore, the respective effects of geometry, material composition, and moisture were studied by performing cone calorimetric measurements. Using hollow-shaped geometries removes combustible material and reduces the fire load but simultaneously increases fire propagation. The best results were achieved by using high-wood contents. The addition of talc can reduce the intensity of burning. Moisture also has a positive effect on burning behavior. Apart from the well-known mechanism of water, a change was observed in the resultant residue.