New-type Fire-resistant Building Materials

New-type Fire-resistant Building Materials

With the development of modern society, the construction industry is booming, and fire safety in buildings is getting more attention. Fires can cause economic losses and endanger lives. Thus, this paper discusses new-type fire-resistant building materials in detail.

I. Requirements for polymer materials

1. Fire resistance

It should meet the national standard combustion ratings (e.g., non-combustible A class, fire-resistant B1 class), prevent rapid fire spread, and produce less smoke and toxic gases when burning to reduce the risk of poisoning.

2. Thermal stability and heat insulation

Maintain structural stability at high temperatures and slow down heat conduction. For example, phenolic foam resin has a high char yield for effective heat insulation.

3. Mechanical properties

Have both toughness (e.g., compressive and crack resistance) and lightweight properties to avoid construction and usage issues caused by brittleness.

4. Environmental friendliness

No formaldehyde release (e.g., ENF environmental standard), low smoke toxicity.

5. Construction adaptability

Easy to process and with strong adhesion to substrates. For example, fire-resistant coatings need strong adhesion and self-healing functions.

II. Selected polymer materials and modification requirements

Polylactic acid (PLA), a promising bio-based polymer, features environmental friendliness and good mechanical and processing properties. However, its low limiting oxygen index (LOI) of 20% makes it highly flammable with severe dripping and toxic gas (e.g., CO, CO₂) release, limiting its applications in construction and electronics. Thus, enhancing its fire resistance through modification is essential to meet safety requirements.

To create fire-resistant composites, PLA is combined with inorganic flame retardants. Consideration must be given to improving fire resistance while maintaining mechanical and waterproof properties. Based on previous work, this paper introduces a method using aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide as inorganic flame retardants, and bio-based polymers and nano-MOF materials for entanglement, bonding, and fusion. Through 3D assembly, the composite meets A1 fire resistance standards with good mechanical, waterproof, and eco-friendly properties, avoiding performance degradation due to flame retardancy.

III. Specific modification methods and product performance

Firstly, aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide serve as inorganic flame retardants. The optimal PLA content of 10wt% is determined based on composite combustion heat value. Different bio-based polymers (PBAT and PVA) are blended to enhance interface compatibility. PBAT significantly improves flexural strength and has minimal impact on water resistance, while PVA increases water absorption. Hence, 1wt% PBAT is added to the PLA composite.

Then, nano-MOF-BT material is used to modify the PLA-PBAT composite. The effects of different nano-MOF-BT contents on fire resistance, mechanical properties, water resistance, and thermal stability are studied to develop an A1 fire-resistant composite. At 8wt% nano-MOF-BT.

A comprehensive performance comparison revealed that the mechanical and waterproof properties of this A1-grade flame-retardant composite material are superior to those of commercially available samples. It also meets the combustion heat value requirement of <1MJ/kg, further expanding the application range of composite materials.

It is worth noting that YINSU Flame Retardant Company has a wide range of flame retardant products for building materials. Take microcapsule-encapsulated red phosphorus flame retardant FRP - 950X for building cables as an example. It can enhance cable fire resistance, prevent fire spread along cables, and has good electrical insulation and thermal stability. Then there's T3, an antimony trioxide substitute. It achieves flame retardancy through synergistic effects with other flame retardants, with high thermal stability and no halogen, meeting environmental requirements. And red phosphorus paste RP - TP46 for XPS foam materials, it improves XPS fire resistance, with good compatibility and dispersibility, giving XPS excellent thermal insulation and fire - retardant properties.