Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08K—Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients
  • C08K7/00—Use of ingredients characterised by shape
  • C08K7/02—Fibres or whiskers
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08K—Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients
  • C08K3/00—Use of inorganic substances as compounding ingredients
  • C08K3/01—Use of inorganic substances as compounding ingredients characterized by their specific function
  • C08K3/016—Flame-proofing or flame-retarding additives
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C09—DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • C09K—MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
  • C09K21/00—Fireproofing materials
  • C09K21/14—Macromolecular materials
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
  • E04B1/00—Constructions in general; Structures which are not restricted either to walls, e.g. partitions, or floors or ceilings or roofs
  • E04B1/62—Insulation or other protection; Elements or use of specified material therefor
  • E04B1/92—Protection against other undesired influences or dangers
  • E04B1/94—Protection against other undesired influences or dangers against fire
  • E04B1/941—Building elements specially adapted therefor
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10S428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
  • Y10S428/92—Fire or heat protection feature
  • Y10S428/921—Fire or flameproofing

Definitions

• Intumescent sheets, caulks, putties, and coatings are known for use in various fire retardant or fire barrier applications. Many of these materials have a high organic content.
• intumescent compounds have been used with polymeric binders to form caulks for use in filling joints.
• Elastomeric sheets containing intumescent compounds are also known for use in pipe wraps or cable tray wraps.
• compositions containing inorganic endothermic materials such as sodium silicates, and intumescent materials in a free standing article in a sufficient quantity to provide swelling of a functional magnitude are known.
• the present invention relates to a flexible self-supporting fire barrier material comprising about 0.5 to about 25 weight % of a structural phase and greater than or equal to about 75 weight % to about 99.5 of inorganic heat absorbing compounds dispersed throughout the structural phase, based on a total weight % of the fire barrier material; the structural phase comprising about 0.5 to about 10 weight % binder and 0.01 to about 15 weight % fibers, based on the total weight % of the fire barrier material; the inorganic heat absorbing compounds comprising an intumescent compound and an endothermic compound; the material having a density of at least about 0.5 g/cc.
• heat absorbing compound refers to a compound that reacts to create an insulating barrier and includes endothermic and intumescent compounds and absorbs heat due to a phase change or rearrangement of chemical bonds activated within the caloric contribution and temperature ranges defined by a typical
• inorganic fibers refer to mineral wool, silicate glass, glass-ceramic, or ceramic, refractory, aluminate, or fiberous crystal mineral materials in the form of fibers;
• organic fibers refer to natural or synthetic polymeric materials having pendant hydroxyl groups, such as cellulosic materials, in the form of fibers;
• rayon fiber refers to an extruded cellulosic material in the form of fibers;
• the structural phase comprises about 0.5 to about 10 weight % binder, preferably 3 weight % to about 9 weight % binder, and about 0.01 to about 15 weight % fibers, preferably 3 weight % to about 10 weight % fibers, based on the total weight % of the fire barrier material.
• the binder comprises a halogenated polymer and the halogen is present in sufficient quantity, the binder typically has flame retardant properties, and no additional flame retardant need be added to the mixture making up the fire barrier material.
• a flame retardant preferably is added
• a semi-quantitative test method can be used to evaluate the ignitability and burning behavior of different polymers, i.e. the "limiting oxygen index”.
• This test relatively measures flame- retardant properties by measuring the minimum concentration of oxygen in an oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere that is necessary to initiate and support a flame for > 3 minutes. The higher the ignitability, the higher the oxygen indexes number.
• This test is described in ASTM standard D 2863, "Standard Test Method for Measuring the Minimum Oxygen Concentration to Support Candle-like Combustion of Plastics (Oxygen Index)".
• the fire barrier material of this invention comprises binders having a limiting oxygen index of greater than about 25 (which generally include halogenated polymers), an additional flame retardant is generally not required.
• Preferred cellulosic fibers include rayon fibers commercially available under the trade designations "RAYON 3D 1/2" and “RAYON 3D 1/4" from MiniFiber, Inc. of Johnson City, TN, which are provided as chopped fibers in 1.25 cm and 0.63 cm lengths, respectively.
• the "D" designation refers to the denier of the fiber.
• Preferred cellulosic fibers also include wood fibers. Wood pulp fibers can be obtained from well known chemical processes such as the kraft and sulfite processes as well as from mechanical pulp processes. Suitable starting materials for these processes include hardwood and softwood species, such as alder, pine, Douglas fir, spruce, and hemlock. Preferred wood fibers are commercially available from Conwed Fibers of Conover, NC, and comprise pine and poplar fibers.
• An intumescent compound contributes to the insulating ability of a fire barrier material by increasing the total volume of the fire barrier material and creating a generally tight seal around or between construction elements or other objects to be protected from heat. This volume change will make the material more thermally insulating than it was in its originally unfired state. Additionally, endothermic absorption of some thermal energy during this expansion contributes to the overall inhibition of thermal transfer during firing.
• any volatile gas produced by the endothermic compound is not combustible.
• Suitable endothermic compounds include inorganic material which provides endothermic reaction or phase change without exothermic decomposition or combustion between 90 and 1500°C.
• Exemplary compounds include alumina trihydrate (ATH) (Al 2 O 3 ⁇ H 2 0), hydrated zinc borate (ZnB 2 0 4 » 6H 2 0), calcium sulfate (CaSO 4 »2H 0) also known as gypsum, magnesium ammonium phosphate (MgNH_tPO 4 » 6H 2 0), magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH) 2 ).
• ATH alumina trihydrate
• ZnB 2 0 4 » 6H 2 0 hydrated zinc borate
• CaSO 4 »2H 0 calcium sulfate
• MgNH_tPO 4 » 6H 2 0 magnesium ammonium phosphate
• Mg(OH) 2 magnesium hydroxide
• ZnB and encapsulated H 2 O.
• -13- Other preferred endothermic compounds include gypsum, CaSO • 2H 2 O, which is commercially available from James Hardie Gypsum, Los Vegas, Nevada under the trade designation "Soultion Gypsum” and hydrated zinc borate, 2ZnO • 3B 2 O 3 • 3.5H O, which is commercially available from U.S Borax, Los Angeles, CA under the trade designation "Firebrake ZB".
• a flame retardant When the binder does not have inherent flame retardant properties, it is desirable to add a flame retardant to the mixture of binder, intumescent, and organic fibers.
• Exemplary flame retardant compounds include phosphorous-containing compounds (e.g., ethylene diamine phosphate, magnesium ammonium phosphate, polymer-encapsulated ammonium polyphosphate, and organic phosphate oils), boron-containing compounds, alumina trihydrate, antimony oxide, and other metal oxides and hydrates.
• Exemplary flame retardants are preferably insoluble organic phosphates, which may be added to the combustion load (i.e., exothermic contributions) during firing of the binder and fibers.
• a preferred organic phosphate oil e.g., a phosphate ester
• SANTICIZER 141 Monsanto of St. Louis, MO (containing 2.7-3.0 weight % phosphorous).
• halogenated organic polymeric material is used as a binder
• zinc oxide is typically added to scavenge HCl, which is given off if the fire barrier material is heated.
• the fire barrier material swells to block openings; the inorganic component will fuse sufficiently to maintain the integrity of the fire barrier during the fire and the material will form a mechanically strong mass to seal any opening and remain lodged in place.
• the predominant presence of a heat absorptive materials makes the material of the present invention
• the mixture is stirred continuously in order to maintain homogeneous mixed suspension.
• the mixture is at a basic pH, typically within a range of about 8 to 10.
• the suspension is then acidified using an acidic salt, for example, sodium aluminate, to a pH preferably ranging from 2.5 to 4.5.
• a pH change is preferably used to coagulate or precipitate the suspension; however, other methods as known and used in the paper industry or other known methods, for example heat shock, or ionic disruption of the colloidal boundaries, of disrupting the colloidal structure of the latex are available to coagulate or precipitate the suspension.
• a high temperature for example, in excess of 45°C
• a strong pH change in the environment of the turbulent suspension is generally preferred for homogeneously distributing the binder, for example, supplied in latex form, across the surface area of the fibers and the heat absorbing compounds, creating a dense curd.
• This macroscopically homogeneous composite structure with highly dispersed fiber allows the incorporation of a high percentage of heat absorbing compounds in accordance with the present invention to produce a material with an
• the temperature, the shear forces, and the amount and speed of pH change are selected to avoid suspended inorganic particulate that has not been incorporated into the curd, small particles of coagulated polymer, and loose fibrous masses typical of conventional papermaking. Such suspensions will be difficult to dewater and form, often plugging the drainage screen with sticky binder particles and retaining water in a sponge like fashion. Instead these process conditions will be selected to have good cohesive strength, to allow the end material to be lifted from the dewatering screen, and sufficient cohesive strength in the final article to render it useful.
• the fire barrier material can be formed into a desired shape having desired dimensions including thickness. Narious useful shapes include shells, honey combs, and sheets such as corrugated sheets. Formation into a shape can be accomplished by using well know techniques such as vacuum forming process or otherwise draining the curd and molding it into shapes using heat and pressure. For example, the curd can be vacuum formed by known methods using a three-dimensional screen.
• the mixture was cast into sheets using a conventional Fourdrinier paper making machine employing a steam drum drier.
• a defoaming agent a petroleum derivative commercially available under the trade designation "FOAMMASTER II” from Henkle, Ambler, PA
• the cast material had a weight per unit area of about 40-60 grams per 24 square inches (154.8 sq. cm) and a thickness ranging around 1/8 inch (3.2 mm).
• the resulting fire barrier material was used in a series of two hour Through Penetration Fire Tests in accordance with ASTM E814-94b "Fire Tests of Through Penetration Fire Stops" described in the section "Plastic Pipe Penetration Fire Tests involving plastic pipes of various sizes set forth in Table 1.
• a two inch (5.08 cm) wide strip of the fire barrier material was wrapped continuously around the pipe abutting the surface of the cement slab.
• the wrap was temporarily secured with a piece of masking tape and a steel collar commercially available from Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (3M), St. Paul, MN under the trade designation "RC-1".
• the RC-1 plastic pipe collar was secured around the fire barrier material with a hose clamp and the tabs were bent in. All tests were run with both polypropylene schedule 40 pipe and polyvinylchloride schedule 40 pipe.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
• Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Materials Engineering (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Electromagnetism (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Fireproofing Substances (AREA)
• Building Environments (AREA)
• Laminated Bodies (AREA)
• Compositions Of Macromolecular Compounds (AREA)
• Paper (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

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Publications (1)

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Citations (4)

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• 1998
  • 1998-01-30 US US09/016,876 patent/US6153674A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-06-08 JP JP2000529394A patent/JP2002501969A/ja not_active Withdrawn
  • 1998-06-08 AU AU78090/98A patent/AU741830B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1998-06-08 EP EP98926195A patent/EP1051455B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-06-08 DE DE69807530T patent/DE69807530T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-06-08 KR KR1020007008309A patent/KR100566443B1/ko not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1998-06-08 CA CA002317606A patent/CA2317606C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-06-08 WO PCT/US1998/011314 patent/WO1999038932A1/en not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (4)

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