Developing a lab-scale testing method for intumescent coatings

Intumescent coatings, favored for their aesthetics, easy application, and flexibility, serve as a prominent passive fire protection method. Expanding up to 100 times their original thickness, they create a thermally insulating layer, protecting the substrate beneath[1]–[3].

To commercialize intumescent coatings, compliance to national/international fire safety standards is essential, typically necessitating testing in gas-fired industrial-scale furnaces. However, the cost and energy consumption of industrial furnaces make them impractical during the formulation development phase. Consequently, researchers employ lab-scale methods such as small electric furnaces, Bunsen burners, and cone calorimeters[4]. Yet, a significant challenge lies in the lack of direct correlation between lab-scale and industrial-scale results. Figure 1 is showing an example of how much the results may differ depending on the equipment used.

Our research aims to establish precise correlations, paving the way for a cost-effective and energy- efficient testing method.