Fire resistant composite

Abstract

A fire resistant composite contains an inner core containing a plurality of fabric layers. Each fabric layer contains a plurality of interwoven tape elements comprising a base layer of a strain oriented olefin polymer which adheres to neighboring fabric layers under heat and pressure. The composite also contains a first flame stable thermally conductive layer on the upper surface of the inner core, where the flame stable thermally conductive layer is impermeable to molten polymer and has a thickness less than about 0.5 mm. The composite also contains a first fire resistant polymer layer on the first flame stable thermally conductive layer on the side opposite to the inner core, where the first fire resistant polymer layer and first flame stable thermally conductive layer are adhered together by an optional third binding tie layer. The first fire resistant polymer layer forms one of the outer surfaces of the composite.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fire resistant composite having outer surfaces and comprising:
 an inner core having an upper surface and a lower surface and comprising a plurality of fabric layers, wherein each fabric layer comprises a plurality of interwoven tape elements comprising a base layer of a strain oriented olefin polymer which adheres to neighboring fabric layers under heat and pressure;   a first flame stable thermally conductive layer on the upper surface of the inner core, wherein the flame stable thermally conductive layer is impermeable to molten polymer and has a thickness less than about 0.5 mm, wherein the inner core and first flame stable thermally conductive layer are adhered together by a first binding tie layer; and,   a first fire resistant polymer layer on the first flame stable thermally conductive layer on the side opposite to the inner core, wherein the first fire resistant polymer layer and first flame stable thermally conductive layer are adhered together by an optional third binding tie layer, and wherein the first fire resistant polymer layer forms one of the outer surfaces of the fire resistant composite.   
     
     
         2 . The fire resistant composite of  claim 1 , wherein the first fire resistant polymer layer comprises a fire resistant thermoplastic film. 
     
     
         3 . The fire resistant composite of  claim 2 , wherein the first fire resistant thermoplastic film is a blown fire resistant thermoplastic film. 
     
     
         4 . The fire resistant composite of  claim 1 , wherein the first fire resistant polymer layer comprises a fabric layer comprising a plurality of interwoven tape elements comprising a base layer of a strain oriented olefin polymer which adheres to neighboring fabric layers under heat and pressure. 
     
     
         5 . The fire resistant composite of  claim 1 , wherein the first fire resistant polymer layer comprises a dye or pigment. 
     
     
         6 . The fire resistant composite of  claim 1 , wherein the first fire resistant thermoplastic film comprises polyamide. 
     
     
         7 . The fire resistant composite of  claim 1 , wherein the first binding tie layer is a co-extruded film. 
     
     
         8 . The fire resistant composite of  claim 7 , wherein the co-extruded film comprises a first sub-layer able to adhere to polyolefins and a second sub-layer able to adhere to metallics. 
     
     
         9 . The fire resistant composite of  claim 1 , wherein the first flame stable thermally conductive layer comprises a continuous metal foil. 
     
     
         10 . The fire resistant composite of  claim 9 , wherein the continuous metal foil comprises aluminum. 
     
     
         11 . The fire resistant composite of  claim 1 , wherein the inner core comprises additional layers. 
     
     
         12 . The fire resistant composite of  claim 11 , wherein the additional layers are selected from the group consisting of metal foil, flame resistant fabric, and metal mesh. 
     
     
         13 . The fire resistant composite of  claim 11 , wherein additional layers are additional flame stable thermally conductive layers. 
     
     
         14 . A garment comprising the fire resistant composite of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . The garment of  claim 14 , wherein the garment is selected from the group consisting of a belt, jacket, vest, helmet, hat, load distribution systems, and shoes. 
     
     
         16 . The fire resistant composite of  claim 1 , wherein the first fire resistant polymer comprises a fabric layer.