A theoretical model for quantifying expansion of intumescent coating under different heating conditions

This article presents an analytical method to calculate the expansion of intumescent coatings under different heating and fire conditions, being the most critical step in quantifying their fire protection performance under different conditions. The proposed method extends that of Amon and Denson, originally developed for spherical bubbles in viscous fluid subject to increase in pressure within the bubbles, to intumescent coatings with non‐uniform temperature field and temperature‐dependent viscosity. The pressure increase inside the bubbles is a result of the conversion of intumescent coatings from melt to gases at high temperatures. The extended analytical method has been used to predict the expansion processes of intumescent coatings tested by Zhang et al. under cone calorimeter with different heating rates and under furnace fire condition with different temperature–time curves, and those of Muller under cone calorimeter heating. In these tests, intumescent coatings were applied to steel plates and the tests examined the effects of different coating thicknesses and steel plate thicknesses, therefore allowing the fire and cone calorimeter tests to encompass a wide range of temperatures and rates of heating. Comparison of the analytical calculation and test results indicates that the proposed method is suitable for quantifying the expansion process of intumescent coatings. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 56:798–809, 2016. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Engineering model for intumescent coating behavior in a pilot‐scale gas‐fired furnace

In the event of a fire, intumescent fire protective coatings expand and form a thermally insulating char that protects the underlying substrate from heat and subsequent structural failure. The intumescence includes several rate phenomena, which have been investigated and quantified in the literature for several decades. However, various challenges still exist. The most important one concerns mathematical model validation under realistic exposure conditions and/or time scales. Another is the simplification of advanced models to overcome the often‐seen lack of a complete set of input and adjustable model parameters for a given coating, thereby providing models for industrial applications. In this work, these two challenges are addressed. Three experimental series, with an intumescent coating inside a 0.65 m³ gas‐fired furnace, heating up according to so‐called cellulosic fire conditions, were conducted and a very good repeatability was evident. The experiments were run for almost 3 h, reaching a final gas temperature of about 1100°C. Measurements include transient temperature developments inside the expanding char, at the steel substrate, and in the mineral wool insulation placed behind the substrate. A mathematical model, describing the intumescent coating behavior and temperatures in the furnace using a single overall reaction was developed and validated against experimental data. By including a decomposition front movement through the char, a good qualitative agreement was obtained. After further validation against experiments with other coating formulations, it has potential to become a practical engineering tool. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 62: 3947–3962, 2016     

膨胀型钢结构防火涂料的开发及研究进展

介绍了膨胀型钢结构防火涂料的发展历史,分类介绍了各类膨胀型钢结构防火涂料的组成、性能以及制备工艺。重点综述了近几年国内在膨胀型钢结构防火涂料研究领域所获得成果。进一步分析了其防火机理并对今后的发展方向进行了展望。     

Thermal shielding performances of nano-structured intumescent coatings containing organo-modified layered double hydroxides

Cone calorimetry tests performed at 50 kW/m² heat flux have been exploited for assessing the fire resistant properties of nano-structured intumescent coatings containing modified layered double hydroxides (hydrotalcites, LDHs) and deposited on steel plates. The effects of different types of modified hydrotalcites (i.e. magnesium–aluminum lactate hydrotalcite, magnesium–aluminum gluconate hydrotalcite, magnesium–aluminum hydrotalcite modified with a fatty acid, magnesium–aluminum hydrotalcite modified with rosin) on the thermal shielding performances of the intumescent coatings and their intumescent degree have been thoroughly discussed and compared with the pristine unfilled counterparts.More specifically, the coatings containing organo-modified LDHs showed better thermal shielding performances with respect to the reference intumescent coating; on the contrary, the use of unmodified hydrotalcite in the intumescent formulations was found detrimental. The thermal shielding performances of the coatings filled with modified LDHs were found to be strictly related to the intumescent degree developed during the cone calorimetry tests. In addition, it was possible to compare the thermal shielding performances of the nanofilled coatings by evaluating the temperatures achieved after 2000 s exposure to the 50 kW/m² heat flux of the cone: the thermal shielding performance sequence was LDH-GL > LDH-RS > LDH-LA > LDH-FA > LDH).Finally, the intumescent degree of the modified coatings was found to decrease with increasing the hydrotalcite content, hence lowering their thermal shielding performances.     

紫外老化对溶剂型膨胀防火涂料基本性能的影响

膨胀型钢结构防火涂料的耐候性是其应用中需考虑的一个重要因素。本文利用扫描电镜（ SEM）、热重分析仪（ TG）和小型耐火试验炉研究了紫外老化对膨胀型防火涂料的磷含量、表面形貌、热稳定性和防火性能的影响规律,并研究了面漆对其上述性能的影响。研究结果表明：随紫外老化试验的进行,防火涂料的磷含量、热稳定性、高温膨胀成炭性能和耐火隔热性能均出现明显降低;面漆具有较好的保护作用,表面涂刷面漆的防火涂料各项性能变化不大。     

Influence of external heat flux and coating thickness on the thermal insulation properties of two different intumescent coatings using cone calorimeter and numerical analysis

Polymeric intumescent coatings are fire protective materials that increase their thermal resistance when exposed to high temperatures to prevent building structures from damage. The idea of the investigation was to develop a simple test method to determine the time dependent thermal conductivity of intumescent coatings. Therefore steel plates were coated with two different intumescent systems. During cone calorimeter tests the temperature at the back side of the coated plates was measured. These results were used to calculate the time dependent thermal resistance of the protective layer with the simulation program IOPT2D for different external heat fluxes and different layer thickness. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Intumescent coatings: A review on recent progress

Fire is a serious threat to people and the structures they build. There is a continuous development of newer methods and materials to prevent its effects on them. Nowadays, a lot of attention is being paid in the design of public and commercial buildings by incorporating fire safety. Passive fireproofing of high-rise structures has become very important due to the use of steel in load bearing mode and has attracted increased attention after the collapse of the WTC towers. Conventional passive fireproofing materials include concrete covering, gypsum board and cementitious coatings which have a poor aesthetic. Intumescent fire-resistive coatings are a newer type of passive fireproofing coatings usually applied as thin film and they swell many times their original thickness forming an insulating char which acts as a barrier between the fire and the structural steel. It prevents the temperatures of the steel members from reaching a critical value and helps in maintaining the integrity of the structure in fire event. They are the preferred choice for passive fire protection of load bearing steel frame structures of architects and designers as they offer aesthetic appearance, flexibility, speed of application, and ease of inspection and maintenance. The present review covers recent developments in the field of intumescent coatings with a major emphasis on organic intumescent coatings. The role of various ingredients, their interactions in intumescent coatings, effects of various pigments, binders and additives are discussed briefly.     

耐火膨胀涂料防火性能的模拟分析与验证

简述了耐火膨胀涂料的基本组成和原理。通过有限元分析和涂料样板实验,介绍了耐火涂料在钢结构耐火隔离上所起到的作用,并展望了耐火膨胀涂料所具有的性能优势和在船舶耐火领域的发展应用前景。     

Effects of expandable graphite on char morphology and pyrolysis of epoxy based intumescent fire-retardant coating

The current study was designed to investigate the effects of expandable graphite (EG) on fire protection properties of intumescent fire-retardant coating for steel structures. Several formulations of intumescent coating were prepared and tested according to ISO 834 for char expansion. The chars were found without cracks and bonded with the steel substrate. The results showed that the coating slowly degraded during the test and char remained in contact with vertically tested coated substrate. The coated substrates were also tested for weather resistance using humid and ultraviolet environment. The char was characterized by using FESEM, XRD, FTIR, TGA, and XPS analysis. FESEM examined char morphology of the coatings after furnace fire test. XRD and FTIR showed the presence of graphite, borophosphate; boron oxide and sassolite in the char. TGA and DTGA results disclosed that EG improved the residual mass of coating. XPS analysis showed the percentages of carbon and oxygen are 48.50 and 43.45 in char of formulation with 12.8% EG. The results of weathering test coatings showed decreased in char expansion because of a humidity and UV light. The formulation with 9.8% EG showed the maximum char expansion and high residual mass among the formulations investigated in this study. The weathering tested coated samples showed their capability of fire protection.     

Fire‐resistant effect of nanoclay on intumescent nanocomposite coatings

The aim of the study is the development of an intumescent nanocomposite coating to provide fire protection for the metallic substrate. Acrylic nanocomposites containing nanoclay and relative intumescent nanocoatings are prepared. The effect of nanoclay on the thermal degradation of an intumescent nanocomposite coating is analyzed by using differential thermal analysis, thermogravimetry, and X‐ray diffraction. The influence of the added content of nanoclay on fire performance is studied by a fire protection test and measurements of the limiting oxygen index and effective thermal conductivity. The distribution of nanoparticles in the acrylic nanocomposite is characterized by transmission electron microscopy. The flame‐retardant efficiency of the intumescent nanocomposite coating is improved by 1.5% well‐distributed nanoclay particles. However, 3% nanoclay produces a negative effect on the fire performance of the coating. Fire protection tests and scanning electron microscopy observations reveal that the fire‐retardant property of a conventional intumescent coating is destroyed by aging, whereas the nanocomposite coating modified with 1.5% nanoclay demonstrates good aging and fire resistance. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 103: 1681–1689, 2007     

超薄膨胀型钢结构防火涂料烃类火试验研究

钢结构建筑属于循环结构形式,由于钢材耐火性能差,温度超过600℃,材料强度和刚度都显著降低,因此必须对钢结构建筑进行防火保护。超薄膨胀型钢结构防火涂料逐渐应用到民用建筑钢结构防火保护中,而且GB14907—2002对其耐火性能评价方法有了具体规定,但是对石化烃类火环境下的耐火性能没有提及。本研究依据GB14907—2002的规定,参照UL1709的实验方法,对烃类火下超薄膨胀型钢结构防火涂料的耐火性能进行了测试。根据试验情况主要考察了涂料的发泡倍数,试验结果表明发泡倍数指标可以作为该类涂料的一个参考指标,并且对烃类火下超薄膨胀型防火涂料的施工养护和粘结强度等提出了建议。     

Assessing the performance of intumescent coatings using bench‐scaled cone calorimeter and finite difference simulations

A method was developed to assess the heat insulation performance of intumescent coatings. The method consists of temperature measurements using the bench‐scaled experimental set‐up of a cone calorimeter and finite difference simulation to calculate the effective thermal conductivity dependent on time/temperature. This simulation procedure was also adapted to the small scale test furnace, in which the standard time–temperature curve is applied to a larger sample and thus which provides results relevant for approval. Investigations on temperature and calculated effective thermal conduction were performed on intumescent coatings in both experimental set‐ups using various coating thicknesses. The results correspond to each other as well as showing the limits of transferability between both fire tests. It is shown that bench‐scaled cone calorimeter tests are a valuable tool for assessing and predicting the performance of intumescent coatings in larger tests relevant for approval. The correlation fails for processes at surface temperatures above 750°C, which are not reached in the cone calorimeter, but are attained in the small scale furnace set‐up. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Revealing the inner secrets of intumescence: Advanced standard time temperature oven (STT Mufu+)—μ‐computed tomography approach

Intumescent coatings have been used for fire protection of steel for decades, but there is still a need for improvement and adaptation. The key parameters of such coatings in a fire scenario are thermal insulation, foaming dynamics, and cohesion. The fire resistance tests, large furnaces applying the standard time temperature (STT) curve, demand coated full‐scale components or intermediate‐scale specimen. The STT Mufu⁺ (standard time temperature muffle furnace⁺) approach is presented. It is a recently developed bench‐scale testing method to analyze the performance of intumescent coatings. The STT Mufu⁺ provides vertical testing of specimens with reduced specimen size according to the STT curve. During the experiment, the foaming process is observed with a high‐temperature endoscope. Characteristics of this technique like reproducibility and resolution are presented and discussed. The STT Mufu⁺ test is highly efficient in comparison to common tests because of the reduced sample size. Its potential is extended to a superior research tool by combining it with advanced residue analysis (μ‐computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy) and mechanical testing. The benefits of this combination are demonstrated by a case study on 4 intumescent coatings. The evaluation of all collected data is used to create performance‐based rankings of the tested coatings.     

新材料在钢结构膨胀型防火涂料中的应用

介绍了改善和提高钢结构膨胀型防火涂料性能的几种新材料，其中晶须材料增加了防火涂料的施工厚度和耐火时间，石墨层间化合物增加了防火涂料的耐火时间和耐水性，氟素改善了防火涂料的理化性能和外观性能，双氢氧化物提高防火涂料的防火性能。     

Effect of expandable graphite and ammonium polyphosphate on the thermal degradation and weathering of intumescent fire-retardant coating

This research aims to study the effect of ammonium polyphosphate and expandable graphite on the intumescent coating formulations (ICF). The coating presented in this research article is based on carbon source expandable graphite (EG), blowing agent melamine, acid source ammonium polyphosphate (APP), epoxy resin as a binder with polyamide amine. The stability of the developed coating was verified at 950°C for 1-hour fire test. The results showed that the coating is stable and well bond with the steel substrate. The char was characterized by using FESEM, XRD, FTIR, DTA, TGA, XPS, Py-GCMS and Weathering Test. The morphology of the char was studied by SEM of the coating after furnace fire test. XRD and FTIR show the presence of graphite, borophosphate; boron oxide and sassolite in the residual char. TGA and DTG disclosed that EG improved the residual mass of coating. XPS analysis showed the char residue of IF5-APP-EG contains carbon and oxygen contents 47.50 and 40.70, respectively. Py-GCMS analysis described that the IF5-APP-EG released less gaseous compounds. The weathering test illustrated that's the char expansion of coatings samples was decreased due to the presence of a humid environment and UV light. The IF5-APP-EG showed the maximum char expansion, lower substrate temperature and high residual weight among the studied formulations.     

Influence of heat-stable filler on the thermal shielding performance of water-based intumescent fire-resistive coating for structural steel applications

Intumescent coatings are the newest passive fireproofing materials which maintain structural integrity of high-rise buildings in fire events. The present work focuses on the influence of zirconium silicate as a heat-stable filler in intumescent coatings. Different coatings were formulated by varying the zirconium silicate concentration from 1, 3, 5, 8, and 10 on parts per hundred basis (phr). Fire performance of the coatings was then determined by fire test using a Bunsen burner fire flame at 950°C for 1 h. The degradation of coatings was examined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The morphology of the intumescent chars was analyzed by environmental scanning electron microscopy. The char was also examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. XRD confirmed the inertness of zirconium silicate with intumescent ingredients at high temperatures. TGA showed an increase in the weight residue of char at high temperature. The incorporation of zirconium silicate into intumescent coating forms a thermally stable char with better substrate adhesion. EDS analysis confirmed an increase in the antioxidation property of the char, and the fire test also confirmed an increase in char strength of coatings by the incorporation of zirconium silicate.     

无溶剂膨胀型环氧防火涂料及其在建筑领域的应用

目前市场上常用的钢结构防火涂料主要是厚型非膨胀型防火涂料,单组分溶剂型或水性防火涂料。相对于这几种类型的防火涂料,无溶剂膨胀型环氧防火涂料具有更加优越的综合性能和某些独有的特点。对不同类型的防火涂料进行分析和对比。结合市场上一款非常成熟的无溶剂膨胀型环氧防火涂料EP-FP产品进行介绍,分析其特点及主要的应用场合。     

Vitreous fillers in intumescent coatings

The introduction of vitreous fillers in some intumescent coatings compositions proved to be useful both in improvement of thermal insulation and durability of char under fire and in smoke emission characteristics. In this paper a comprehensive experimental study is presented showing results for solvent-borne, 2K epoxy and water-borne intumescent paints.

Blends of vitreous fillers with different melting temperatures, between 350°C and 850°C, have been tested together with refractory fillers (with melting temperatures between 1100°C and 1350°C). Lead free vitreous fillers with very low melting temperatures (from 350°C to 550°C) and with low water solubility were developed. Different types of paints have been prepared by adding different amounts of vitreous fillers. These compositions were then fire tested after application on steel plates. The effect of vitreous fillers on fire performance and stabilization of char (by means of encapsulation, with or without self-extinguishing additives) has been studied. The fillers’ effect on smoke emission under fire was also examined both in terms of optical density and toxicity index.

A special attention was focused on water-borne intumescent paints modified with vitreous fillers of different solubility and melting temperature. Residual solubility of the vitreous fillers, which appeared as a very important parameter for paint stability, has been assessed. Vitreous fillers releasing alkaline ions in such an amount to give a conductivity higher than 500 μS cm, make the intumescent paint composition unstable.     

Cyclic Conjugation in Peropyrenes

Cyclic conjugation in benzenoid hydrocarbons is studied in the series of peropyrene and its 42 mono–, di–, tri–, tetra–, penta– and hexabenzo derivatives. Some general regularities in the conjugation pattern of these molecules are pointed out.     

超薄膨胀型钢结构防火涂料的研制

以磷酸二氢铵、季戊四醇、三聚氰胺及丙烯酸树脂为原料研制了一种超薄膨胀型丙烯酸树脂钢结构防火涂料。并依据国家标准测定了不同配方防火涂料的理化性能和防火性能,分析了防火涂料的作用过程,并提供了相应的检测标准和测试结果,给出了性能优异的配方。阻燃体系(磷酸二氢铵、季戊四醇、三聚氰胺)的分解温度对防火涂料的性能有明显的影响;该配方使用原料简单、来源丰富、成本低、防火性能好。