Synthesis and Characterization of New Eco-Friendly Fire-Retardants Based on Soda-Silicate Glass

Ngoc Nguyen Nguyen (School of Chemical Engineering, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Dai Co Viet Street 1, Hanoi, Vietnam)
Vinh The La (School of Chemical Engineering, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Dai Co Viet Street 1, Hanoi, Vietnam)
Thanh Xuan Le (School of Chemical Engineering, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Dai Co Viet Street 1, Hanoi, Vietnam)
Suong Thu Huynh (School of Chemical Engineering, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Dai Co Viet Street 1, Hanoi, Vietnam)

ASEAN Journal of Chemical Engineering
Vol 20, No 2 (2020)

Fire-retardants (FRs) are additives used to improve the fire-resistance of combustible materials. New generations of FRs must be effective and eco-friendly. Traditional inorganic FRs are non-hazardous but have limited fire-retardancy. Here, we aim to develop an innovative way to enhance the fire-retardancy of inorganic FRs. We synthesized a new type of FRs, called mATH, whose compositions are similar to soda-silicate glass (xNa2O.yK2O.zSiO2.tAl2O3). When applied to unsaturated polyester resin, mATH showed a much better performance than traditional aluminum trihydroxide (ATH). The better performance of mATH originated from its new working mechanism. Dehydrated mATH, as a soda-silicate glass, melts under the heat of the fire, which causes heat sink and produces a molten glass. The molten glass forms a charred insulating layer that prevents oxygen from contacting the interior combustible materials. This phenomenon significantly contributes to the fire-retarding behavior of mATH. Our findings open a new method for developing effective eco-friendly FRs.