Formulation optimization of a silicon-based fire protective coating in terms of intumescent alkali silicate particles

IF 7.4 1区工程技术 Q1 CONSTRUCTION & BUILDING TECHNOLOGY

Construction and Building Materials Pub Date : 2025-04-02 DOI:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.141143

Aixiao Fu , Hafeez Ahmadi , Burak Ulusoy , Hao Wu , Ander Labaien Etxeberria , Kim Dam-Johansen

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Alkali silicate particles suggested efficient expansion capacity due to water release, making them potential candidates as expandable agents in intumescent coatings. Different types of particles with different alkali cations (Na-, K- or Li-) and varied SiO₂/Na₂O molar ratios were incorporated into a silicone binder and their fire protection performance was investigated. Among the tested alkali cations, the Na-based system exhibited the best performance with a critical time of 64.3 minutes reaching a failure temperature of the steel of 550 °C, tested under UL 1709 fire scenario. This was attributed to its efficient expansion ratio, while a lower degree of intumescence led to the unsatisfactory performance of K- and Li-based systems. Additionally, the melting behaviour of K-based silicate particles and their pronounced catalytic effect on silicone decomposition were unfavourable for effective heat insulation of the composed coating. An optimal SiO₂/Na₂O molar ratio was found to be 4.2 among a lower molar ratio of 3.5 and a higher molar ratio of 4.9. By optimizing the particle size of sodium silicate particles to 125–212 µm, the critical time was further prolonged to 78.6 minutes. These findings underscore the adverse effects of excessive expansion, which results in the formation of large pores that facilitate heat transfer. This conclusion stems from a detailed structural analysis of the selected expanded coatings utilizing X-ray microcomputed tomography (µ-CT).

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来源期刊

Construction and Building Materials 工程技术-材料科学：综合

CiteScore

13.80

自引率

21.60%

发文量

3632

审稿时长

82 days

期刊介绍： Construction and Building Materials offers an international platform for sharing innovative and original research and development in the realm of construction and building materials, along with their practical applications in new projects and repair practices. The journal publishes a diverse array of pioneering research and application papers, detailing laboratory investigations and, to a limited extent, numerical analyses or reports on full-scale projects. Multi-part papers are discouraged. Additionally, Construction and Building Materials features comprehensive case studies and insightful review articles that contribute to new insights in the field. Our focus is on papers related to construction materials, excluding those on structural engineering, geotechnics, and unbound highway layers. Covered materials and technologies encompass cement, concrete reinforcement, bricks and mortars, additives, corrosion technology, ceramics, timber, steel, polymers, glass fibers, recycled materials, bamboo, rammed earth, non-conventional building materials, bituminous materials, and applications in railway materials.