Garolite Ablative Tests - March 16th, 2023
G10/FR-4 samples were exposed to an oxy-acetylene flame to measure mass loss, surface recession and temperature for GAR-E's ablative chamber design.
Test matrix
| Sample | Exposure | Recorded result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 s | Approximately 0.3 g mass loss |
| 2 | 11 s | Approximately 0.3 g mass loss |
| 3 | 18 s | Approximately 0.4 g mass loss |
| 4 | 25 s | Approximately 1.0 g mass loss |
| 6 | 75 s | Thermocouple peaks near 218–221 °C; mass result confounded by the thermocouple and adhesive |
| 7 | 10 s, then an extended burn | Burn-through trial; the test report lists approximately 90 seconds while the same-day notes record 110 seconds of added exposure |
Measurement limits
The thermocouple used on sample 6 had previously been overheated, was installed without thermal paste and had an air gap under the sensor. Its temperature trace was therefore rejected as a material-temperature limit. The sample-6 mass comparison was also invalid because the thermocouple and adhesive changed the measured mass.
Safety change
The burn produced strong fumes. Follow-up discussion identified hydrogen-bromide exposure as a concern and added respirator fitting, ventilation and a more explicit test procedure before further Garolite flame tests.
Download the archived test data
