INTUMESCENT MATERIAL FOR FIRE PROTECTION

• US 20110136937A1
• Filed: 11/16/2010
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unifrax I LLC (ASP Unifrax Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Unifrax I LLC (ASP Unifrax Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fernando, Joseph A., Miller, Kenneth B., Packard, Kevin D., WIERZBICKI, Michele
• Granted Patent: US 8,729,155 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 523/179
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 21/02 Inorganic materials

Abstract

A flexible or rigid intumescent material for fire protection applications. The intumescent material includes inorganic fibers, intumescent material, and a char strength enhancer that is different from the intumescent material and binder. The intumescent material exhibits a high expansion ratio and char strength, without substantial shrinkage, in response to elevated temperatures normally encountered during a fire.

Claims

1. An intumescent fire protection material comprising:

inorganic fiber;

intumescent substance;

char strength enhancer; and

binder.

2. The intumescent fire protection material of claim 1, comprising:

about 10 to about 50 weight percent inorganic fiber;

about 20 to about 50 weight percent intumescent substance;

about 10 to about 50 weight percent char strength enhancer; and

about 2 to about 20 weight percent binder.

3. The intumescent fire protection material of claim 2, comprising:

about 35 weight percent inorganic fiber;

about 30 weight percent intumescent substance;

about 30 weight percent char strength enhancer; and

about 5 weight percent binder.

4. The intumescent fire protection material of claim 1, wherein said inorganic fibers are selected from the group consisting of carbon fibers, glass fibers, ceramic fibers, silica fibers, alkaline earth silicate fibers and combinations thereof.

5. The intumescent fire protection material of claim 4, wherein said ceramic fibers comprise alumina-silica fibers comprising the fiberization product of about 45 to about 75 weight percent alumina and about 25 to about 55 weight percent silica.

6. The intumescent fire protection material of claim 4, wherein said alkaline earth silicate fibers comprise calcia-magnesia-silica fibers, magnesia-silica fibers and combinations thereof.

7. The intumescent fire protection material of claim 6, wherein the magnesia-silica fibers comprise the fiberization product of about 65 to about 86 weight percent silica, about 14 to about 35 weight percent magnesia and 5 weight percent or less impurities.

8. The intumescent fire protection material of claim 6, wherein the calcia-magnesia-silica fibers comprise the fiberization product of about 45 to about 90 weight percent silica, greater than 0 to about 45 weight percent calcia, and greater than 0 to about 35 weight percent magnesia.

9. The intumescent fire protection material of claim 1, wherein said intumescent substance is selected from the group consisting of unexpanded vermiculite, expandable graphite, hydrobiotite, water-swelling tetrasilicic flourine mica and combinations thereof.

10. The intumescent fire protection material of claim 9, wherein said char strength enhancer comprises alkali metal silicates, acids and phosphates.

11. The intumescent fire protection material of claim 10, wherein said char strength enhancer comprises an alkali metal silicate.

12. The intumescent fire protection material of claim 11, wherein said intumescent material comprises expandable graphite and said char strength enhancer comprises sodium silicate.

13. The intumescent fire protection material of claim 1, wherein said organic binder comprises a thermosetting binder or a thermoplastic binder.

14. The intumescent fire protection material of claim 13, wherein said organic binder is selected from the group consisting of acrylic latex, (meth)acrylic latex, copolymers of styrene and butadiene, vinylpyridine, acrylonitrile, copolymers of acrylonitrile and styrene, vinyl chloride, polyurethane, copolymers of vinyl acetate and ethylene, polyamides, silicones, polyesters, epoxy resins, polyvinyl esters and mixtures thereof.

15. The intumescent fire protection material of claim 1, further comprising an inorganic binder wherein said inorganic binder is selected from the group consisting of colloidal alumina, colloidal silica, colloidal zirconia and mixtures thereof.

16. The intumescent fire protection material of claim 1, further comprising at least one clay.

17. The intumescent fire protection material of claim 16, wherein said clay comprises attapulgite clay, ball clay, bentonite clay, hectorite clay, kyanite clay, kaolinite clay, montmorillonite clay, palygorskite clay, saponite clay, sepiolite clay, silimanite clay and combinations thereof.

18. A process for preparing an intumescent fire protection material comprising preparing a sheet comprising inorganic fibers, intumescent substance and binder;

and applying a char strength enhancer to the sheet.

19. A process for protection and article from fire damage comprising locating an intumescent fire protection material on, in, or around said article.