Measurements of the physical properties of flame-retardant intumescent paints

Fire protection of exposed structures may effectively be achieved by the use of intumescent paints, which create a cellular charred foam cushion upon the substrate when temperature gets high. Such protective foam, which develops owing to the chemical reactions occurring among the several active ingredients, has the main role of keeping the structural damage to a minimum, or at least buying time until help can arrive. Unfortunately, physical properties of intumescent paints after the chemical reaction has occurred are not widely known, which makes impossible to carry out reliable fire-resistance evaluations for the coated structure. In this context, first-approach measurements of the thermal conductivity of the cellular foam are executed, and the main results obtained are presented. Mass density and weight-loss data are also reported.