Identified gap in preliminary smoke assessment on new energy storage and energy harvesting materials

This research addresses the issue of smoke generation of building energy storage and energy harvesting materials in case of fire. Despite the growing concern for fire safety, our literature review on the topic points out that it predominantly emphasizes mainly new materials and their thermal conductivity and toxicity, overlooking the important dimension of smoke-generating property. Identifying this gap, as the main reason for the current research, the study introduces a proposal to use a simplified approach for assessing the smoke-generating property of these kinds of materials. Utilizing a smoke test chamber and smoke formation coefficient calculations, the model aims to bridge this gap in fire safety evaluations and regulations. Applied to common polymer materials like rigid polyurethane foam, expanded polystyrene, and expanded polyethylene foam as case studies, the proposed approach seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of the smoke-generating property of energy storage and energy harvesting materials, ensuring a more holistic approach to building fire safety. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd.