Fire retardant coatings: in-depth analysis of types, performance and application scenarios

In modern building design and construction, fire safety has become an important link that cannot be ignored. In order to improve the fire resistance of buildings, various types of fire retardant coatings have come into being. These coatings can effectively slow down the spread of fire and protect the building structure from high temperature damage through their unique chemical composition and physical properties when a fire occurs, thus winning precious time for personnel evacuation and fire rescue. There are significant differences in fire resistance between different types of building fire retardant coatings, which are mainly reflected in fire resistance limit, expansion characteristics, thermal insulation effect and application scenarios. The following is a detailed analysis of the differences in fire resistance of several major types of fire retardant coatings.

1. Thick fire retardant coatings (non-expansive): rock-solid guardians
Thick fire retardant coatings are known for their thick coatings (usually more than 7 mm) and are ideal for providing long-term fire protection. The main feature of this type of coating is its high fire resistance limit, which can maintain structural integrity in extremely high temperature environments and effectively delay the spread of fire to the main structure of the building. The coating formed by it is not only strong, but also has good stability. It can withstand external force impacts that may be encountered during the fire, such as explosion waves, further enhancing the safety of the building.

In terms of thermal insulation effect, thick fire retardant coatings effectively isolate heat transfer through their dense coating structure, reduce thermal damage to substrates such as steel structures, and thus extend the overall fire resistance time of the building. This feature makes thick fire retardant coatings the first choice for outdoor or building structures that require extremely high fire resistance levels, such as steel structure factories, large shopping malls, airport terminals, etc. These places often have extremely high requirements for fire safety due to dense personnel and high material value.

2. Thin fire retardant coatings (expansive): light and efficient fire guards
Compared with thick fire retardant coatings, thin fire retardant coatings stand out for their thin coatings and the characteristics of fire expansion. Under the action of flames or high temperatures, this type of coating can quickly expand to form a porous insulating carbon layer. This carbon layer is like an efficient thermal insulation barrier, which effectively prevents the rapid transfer of heat to the substrate, thereby greatly improving the fire resistance of the substrate.

In addition to its excellent fireproof performance, thin construction fireproof coatings are also favored for their good decorative properties. By adjusting the formula and adding pigments of different colors, manufacturers can produce fireproof coatings with rich colors and diverse textures to meet the decorative needs of different architectural styles. This makes thin fireproof coatings an ideal choice for fire protection of indoor steel structures, such as public buildings such as office buildings, shopping malls, and gymnasiums, which not only require fire safety, but also pursue beauty and comfort.

In practical applications, the rapid expansion characteristics of thin fireproof coatings can quickly form a protective layer at the beginning of a fire, effectively slowing down the development of the fire, and providing valuable time for personnel evacuation and initial firefighting operations. At the same time, its lighter coating thickness also reduces the impact on the deadweight of the building structure, which is conducive to maintaining the stability and durability of the building.