Synergistic flame retardant effects of different zeolites on intumescent fire retardant coating for wood

Abstract

To investigate the fire-retardant properties of intumescent fire-retardant coatings of wood modified by different zeolites, tests were conducted by a cone calorimeter with poplar samples whose surfaces were covered by an intumescent fire-retardant coating modified by 3A, 4A, 5A, 13X zeolites, respectively. Results indicated that the ignition time (TTI) of the intumescent fire-retardant coating modified by 3A zeolite was prolonged 120 s, while the total smoke production (TSP) increased 60.1% as compared with the untreated group. The intumescent fire-retardant coating modified by the 13X zeolite had a smaller smoke production rate (SPR) and was the last to reach the peak-SPR. Its TSP remained in a very low state until 410 s and decreased 25%. Thus, 3A zeolite and 13X zeolite were of complementarily synergistic effects on improving the fire-retardant properties of an intumescent fire-retardant coating for wood. This paper suggested the alternative types of zeolites for flame-retardant coatings.