New Fire & Corrosion Protection Coating Developed by Scientists in Singapore
Just a couple of coats of this enhanced paint should be all that’s required to protect your steel, concrete and even laminated timber against fire and corrosion
Dr Indraneel S Zope, Professor Tan Kang Hai and Mr Ng Yan Hao at the university laboratory in Singapore, show off the wide range of colours that will be available with this innovative new fire and corrosion resistant paint system.
Scientists have developed a brand new 3-in-1 coating that provides enhanced fire and corrosion protection. The new coating was developed as a result of a two year research and development program into guarding underground reinforced concrete against fire damage.
Extensive laboratory testing was carried out by technicians.
Firoshield, which is the name given to the new coating, is cheaper and much easier to apply, compared to intumescent coatings currently available. As you can see on the image above, there is a wide range aesthetically pleasing colours to choose from too, just like any other paint system.
This new intumescent paint can be applied directly on to a bare steel substrate without any special preparation, such as sandblasting. This equates to a 50% reduction in the time required to apply the paint compared to conventional intumescent coatings. The material will then be protected against fire for two hours.
In addition to steel, materials such as reinforced concrete and even laminated timber have all been tested. The tests exhibited the same level of protection for all materials. The paint will also protect steel against corrosion, unlike other intumescent coatings which offer no such protection.
Tests demonstrate the temperature is kept at a sufficiently low 67°C on the opposite side to the fire, which provides excellent protection for occupants of the building while they escape danger.
Once applied a coating of FiroShield is expected to last longer than conventional paints. After exposure to weathering, ultraviolet rays and moisture, performance was reduced by only 2%. The same tests carried out on traditional intumescent coatings resulted in reductions of over 70%. This will no doubt save time and money on building maintenance.
The development program has been a collaboration between Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and industrial developer JTC, both based in Singapore. The team also includes Dr Indraneel S Zope and Mr Ng Yan Hao from NTU, and also Ng Kian Wee, Principal Engineer at JTC’s Civil and Structural Department, who offered his experience from engineering projects.
Says assistant Professor Aravind Dasari at the School of Materials Science and Engineering;
In a fire, our coating forms a compact charred layer that acts as a protective barrier against the heat, while typical fire coatings will also form a charred layer, those are thick and foam-like, which can fall off easily and leave the steel exposed to the fire. What we aimed at was an innovative coat that works differently from conventional intumescent coatings and can stick to the steel surface for as long as possible under high temperatures, and yet has durability and weather resistance under normal conditions without a need for a top coat of paint.
A Video Demonstrating FiroShield in Laboratory Tests
To read more about the development of this incredible product visit the NTU website here.
