Fire retardant impregnants for woods based on alkaline silicates

PEREYRA, ANDREA M.; GIUDICE, CARLOS A.

FIRE SAFETY JOURNAL

Elsevier

Lugar: Edinburgh, UK. ; Año: 2009 vol. 44 p. 497 - 503

0379-7112

The aim of this paper was to determine the fire performance of wood panels (Araucaria angustifolia) impregnated in a pressure vessel with post-cured alkaline silicates (water glasses). Several commercial silicates based on sodium ions and potassium ions with 3.0/1.0 and 3.5/1.0 silica/alkali molar ratios were selected. Various treatments for curing were applied for polymerization, creating metallic silicic polymers of high water insolubility. Experimental panels were tested in a Limiting Oxygen Chamber (Limiting Oxygen Index) and in a Two-Foot Tunnel (Flame-spread index and Panel consumption). Test results displayed a high fire retardant efficiency of some post-cured alkaline silicates. Keywords: wood, fire-retardant impregnant, soluble alkaline silicates, Limiting Oxygen Chamber, Two Foot Tunnel.