Annotated Summary
Smith, B. (2019). Why aluminium composite cladding is flammable and how buildings can be made safe. ABC Science. Retrieved from https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2019-03-12/aluminium-composite-cladding-polyethene-flammable-grenfell/10882316#:~:text=So%20a%20fire%20starting%20in,sideways%2C%20as%20aluminium%20spreads%20heat In this article, Smith (2019) focuses on the reason why aluminium composite cladding is flammable. An aluminium composite cladding consists of “a layer of plastic sandwiched between two aluminium sheets”. The plastic layer is made of polyethylene which contributes to cladding fires. Polyethylene is versatile due to its long molecular structure, comprising of “carbon with hydrogen atoms”. The structure is tightly packed together and makes the material of the polyethylene stiff. However, when the molecular structure catches fire, the chains break apart and plastic melts and “turns to liquid”. As cladding is installed in a vertical position, as the plastic melts, it