What materials make the “best” fire helmet?
Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to that question. The high heat resistance of modern thermoplastic materials has effectively eliminated what had previously been the primary advantage of thermoset composites, namely their inability to melt. The temperatures required to melt Ultem and Radel are so high as to cause chemical degradation of most thermoset resins. At the same time, these new materials exhibit the high quality of surface finish and the resilience and impact resistance that has long been associated with thermoplastics. Composite materials still offer benefits, however: their cross-linked molecular structure, in addition to preventing melting, also gives these materials an exceptional resistance to chemical attack, while their traditional inferiority in impact resistance is being increasingly offset by new developments in high strength resins and reinforcements. Many commonly held beliefs are the result of experience with products in the field. While certainly valid, t
