CSIRO Research: Fireproof Coatings Resistant To Over 1000C.

Thanks to Terry Oakley for passing on this information:

CSIRO researchers have developed a new fire-resistant coating that can withstand temperatures of over 1000C. Current commercial coatings used on building materials and structures usually break down at between 150-250°C.

This news was published in the Future Materials and Australian Nanotechnology Alliance August Newsletter No 34 and forwarded to PWF.

About The New Product – HIPS

“The material is knows as HIPS which is short for ‘hybrid inorganic polymer system’. HIPS coatings contain an inorganic geopolymer resin, and a small component of polymer additives.

Project leader, Dr Damian Fullston of CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering, says CSIRO is seeking coatings manufacturers interested in partnering with CSIRO to customise HIPS to meet product specifications for selected applications.

Geopolymers To Transform Building Products Industry?

“They are not only fire, blast and acid-resistant, they are also strong, castable, sprayable, and extrudable, making their potential uses almost limitless,” he says. “Geopolymers are an emerging class of ceramic-like inorganic polymers produced at room temperatures that have the potential to transform the building products industry..

The polymer additives in HIPS improve the flexibility and waterproofing properties, and provide stronger adhesion, which are important properties for a coating.”

HIPS has the potential to form thin fireproof coatings on timbers such as weatherboards, and on metals such as structural or galvanised steel. It can also protect brickwork, either as a thin coating or as a render. HIPS can be applied by spray equipment, roller or brush, and cures from ambient temperature to below 90°C.

HIPS are water-based materials so coatings are free of volatile organic compounds, do not burn or produce heat, and do not release smoke or toxic chemicals at temperatures up to 1200°C.

Geopolymers Are Cost Effective

Geopolymers are cost-competitive, since they are made from readily available raw materials. They can also be derived from industrial by-products such as flyash and blast furnace slag. They can be cheaper than organic resins and coloured with pigments or dyes.

The strength of HIPS materials is comparable with that of phenolic resins in heat-sensitive applications, but HIPS retains higher strength at higher temperatures. HIPS formulations are tailored to be interchangeable with phenolic resins, and have higher fatigue resistance than normal phenolics. CSIRO also sees potential for the manufacture of fireproof wood composites and fire seals from HIPS technology, but has not fully explored these applications to date.

For More Info Contact: damian.fullston@csiro.au