Monday, February 10, 2014

Ensure That You Are Using The Finest Fire Retardant Coatings

By Marcie Goodman


Research in to the propagation of fire has improved in leaps and bounds. Through flow dynamics and computer simulations, scientists can determine were and how flame can be prevented or contained. Through these simulations new materials and chemical compounds can be created. One of these chemicals is a powder that can be added to paints and other surface type coatings. Fire retardant coatings can help suppress the spread of fires. They can even prevent the flame from starting by smothering the oxygen needed for the flame to propagate.

These new compounds can be in an array of different forms such as gas, gels and powders. Gas type retardants help by reacting with the air and pulling oxygen out of the air. Oxygen is a main component necessary for the flame to continue. Most modern flame extinguishers have a powder suppressant in them which smothers the flame and prevents it from spreading.

These powder type retardants can be mixed in all sorts of manufactured goods. Household appliances are one of those items that it is widely used in. Shorts in appliance cables have been a major culprit for house fires over the years. Older type appliances never had these new chemicals and would ignite and create fires if they were faulty.

With the use of retardants the flame cannot propagate and the flame is self-extinguished within a short period of time. This has also been a revolution in the painting industry. By adding these chemicals to paint, you can create a protective coating on walls and even heavy industrial equipment. Major sky rise buildings use these paints. By providing a little extra time to get out of the building these coatings help save lives.

Fire fighters have been on the forefront of prevention. From there clothing to their personal protection equipment, all these items have some form of coating to protect them for the flame . Most firefighting engines use these chemicals, they add it to the water to help maintain and control the flame.

The use of coatings in the Skyscrapers can allow the occupants to escape quicker as the flame does not spread as quickly as it would in non coated building. Some building although coated with these chemicals succumbed to flame, due to the coating been damaged to a point where it could not hold the flames back. From these tragedies the industries can develop new and better retardants which can be resistant to severe damage which can cause the coatings to ineffective.

These coatings are all round you, without even knowing about it. Helping protect you in your everyday lives and maybe even saving lives in the process. It will always be around and through prevention, it can be controlled and not be let to run amok. Famous cities have been devastated by fires. Even in modern times, a flame has been the downfall of some great monuments.

Prevention is a perfect point to start saving lives. Government safety standards have over the years included these retardants as a standard feature to all goods that could under circumstances be susceptible to flames. As scientists develop new complex compounds, fire retardant coatings will be included in more of your daily lives.




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