duminică, 15 iunie 2014

The Fire Retardant Coatings Outline

By Ina Hunt


In incidences of fire fighting, there are substances that are commonly used in order to reduce flammability of fuels or rather delays the combustion. An overview of fire retardant coatings will unfold these substances explaining the outside layer that cover them. This includes chemical agents, but may also include substances that work by physical action, such as cooling the fuels, such as fire-fighting foams and fire-retardant gels.

Wood, timber, among other fire retardants are usually accessible for sale in the market. There components are made up of different components made in order to satisfy customers wants. These will be covered in a comprehensive manner.

The most common coating used in fire fighters is the Intumescent Coatings. An intumescent is a substance that swells up as a consequence of heat exposure, therefore escalating in volume and decreasing in density and are of two types. The soft char intumescents produce a light char, which is a poor conductor of heat, thus retarding heat transfer while the harder char are produced with graphite and silicates of sodium and suitable for exterior steel fireproofing as well as fire stops of plastic pipes.

The intumescent coatings uses expansion process which is caused by combination of three formulated components including the expanding agent known as melamine, an acid source preferably ammonium polyphosphate and a carbon supplier like pentaerythritol. It is important to note that the components are again bound in solvent or in water-borne polymeric while other components are also added in order to improve this paint properties, easy application, faster drying and enhance building.

The chemical process starts when heat is instilled and this makes the ammonia phosphate to produce acid of organic kind as it softens the polymeric binder. The blowing agent, melamine then undergoes decomposition to release a gas that facilitates the swelling of the mixture that initially was molten and the char solidifies so as to maintain insulation.

It is crucial to discuss coatings used on timber as it is among the most commonly used fire retardant. It is usually a plain fluid flame retardant with a light mass comparable to water and comes in two fundamental types of application techniques namely pressurized impregnation and saturation of surface. Typically, timbers are arranged into big sealed chambers packed with liquid fire retarded and then pressure is exacted to the chambers for sometimes around 24-48 hours previous to removal and drying of the timber.

Another method is saturation by topical application. Application is by brush, roller or spray and usually requires 2-3 coats. This too can be a very cost effective way to meet the timber retardant requirements of particularly if your need is for the treatment of external door and window frames, floor bearers, decks and pergolas and other timbers.

As discussed, there are various coatings available in the market. It is therefore upon the user to consider all of them and get the best depending on the equipment concerned. The economic aspect comes in ensuring that the coatings selected are cost friendly and effective to the user.




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