Background of the Invention
The invention relates to a new fireproof inorganic protective coating, and to the method for preparation of said coating designed for protection of products made of readily inflammable materials, particularly of wood and of wood-like materials, against destruction by fire or glow. The coatings according to the invention can also be successfully used for covering the surface of products made of plastics, particularly of those made of polystyrene or polyurethane.
The fireproof materials and coatings used hitherto for impregnation and for covering the surface of readily inflammable wood and wood-like materials were based on ammonium and sodium phosphates, on alumosilicates or potassium silicates in the form of water glass, as well as on Portland cements or alumina cements. Such coatings are toxic or easy wettable and permeable by liquids, water-soluble and therefore they are not capable of being washed without damage.
Summary of the Invention
The fireproof protective coating according to the invention is not subject to the above mentioned limitations. It is insoluble in water, impermeable by liquids, washable and non-toxic. These good properties, as well as complete resistance against fire and glow, are obtained because the new coating material is produced from three specially selected and combined components.
The first ingredient actively reacts with the binding material of the coating, and is a silicate-oxide ceramic sinter or alloy, having the following chemical composition: 50--65 percent by weight of Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 +FeO in any proportion of (Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 /FeO); 3-8 percent by weight of CuO+Cu.sub.2 O, in any proportion of (CuO/Cu.sub.2 O); 2 to 7 percent by weight of CaO; and 20 to 30 percent by weight of of SiO.sub.2. It may also, include other oxides, for instance Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, TiO.sub.2, NiO, CoO, MgO, Na.sub.2 O and K.sub.2 O in any weight proportions, and in a total quantity from zero up to 10 percent by weight.
The second ingredient is an anhydrous aluminosilicate substance either in a natural state or after being subjected to sintering at a temperature above 1000.degree.C, said substance including 40 to 75 percent by weight of SiO.sub.2 ; 10 to 45 percent by weight of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 ; 0 to 15 percent by weight of Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 plus FeO in any proportion of (Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 /FeO), as well as other oxides in a total of 0 to 10 percent by weight, these oxides being TiO.sub.2, CaO, MgO, Na.sub.2 O and K.sub.2 O in any relative weight proportions. This ingredient constitutes the ceramic filler of the coating.
The third ingredient is an intensively binding inorganic binder either in the form of a water solution of the acid phosphate of aluminum, chromium, magnesium or calcium, having a density of 1.3 to 1.6 g/cc, or in the form of a mixture of these phosphates in any weight proportions. The best results are obtained by using the acid mono-and dibasic phosphates of the type Me.sup.III (H.sub.2 PO.sub.4).sub.3, Me.sub.2.sup.III (HPO.sub.4).sub.3, Me.sup.II (H.sub.2 PO.sub.4).sub.2 and Me.sup.II (HPO.sub.4), where Me.sup.III represents Al.sup.3.sup.+ and Cr.sup.3.sup.+, and where Me.sup.II represents Mg.sup.2.sup.+ and Ca.sup.2.sup.+.
The fireproof inorganic coating according to the invention consists of 5 to 15 percent by weight of the first ingredient, 15 to 35 percent by weight of the second ingredient, and 50 to 80 percent by weight of the third ingredient.
The method of manufacturing the coating according to the invention consists in grinding the first and second ceramic ingredients until a grain size below 0.5 mm is reached, preferably until a grain size of 0.1 mm is reached; in preparing the third ingredient by dissolving the oxides or hydroxides of aluminum, chromium, magnesium or calcium in concentrated phosphoric acid at 60.degree. to 80.degree.C, diluting the reaction products with water to the required density of 1.3 to 1.6 g/cc; and mixing the coating ingredients in the above specified proportions until they produce a suspensoid. The coating is then applied on the surface of a readily inflammable material by means of brushing, by spraying or by immersion and is then dried in air at room temperature.
During the drying process the ingredients of the coating react with each other so that a self-hardening process takes place. This process may be accelerated by heating the coating up to a temperature of about 150.degree.C.
Description of Preferred Embodiments
Exemplary compositions of the protective coatings are as follows:
An example of the method for the preparation of the coating according to the invention is presented below.
Example
The first ingredient, i.e. the silicate oxide sinter or alloy is ground, preferably in a ball mill or in a vibration mill, until a grain size below 0.1 mm is reached. The second ingredient, i.e. the anhydrous aluminosilicate substance, is ground in the same manner.
The third ingredient, i.e. the phosphate binder, is obtained by dissolving either aluminum hydroxide, chromium oxide, magnesium oxide, or calcium oxide in phosphoric acid at a 60 percent concentration, while the quantities of individual substances are taken in accordance with the stoichiometric composition of mono- and dibasic phosphates. The reaction product is subjected to a slight dilution with water until the required density is obtained.
All three ingredients of the coating according to the invention are mixed together, preferably in a propeller mixer, thus obtaining a suspensoid of ceramic ingredients in a water solution of acid phosphates.
The coating is applied on a surface by spraying so that a protective layer of about 0.5 to 3.0 mm in thickness, preferably of about 1.0 mm, is obtained.
The coated material is then left for about 12 hours for drying in air at room temperature. During that time the setting and self-hardening of the coating occurs.
By heating a wet coating up to 150.degree.C, preferably by using infra-red radiators, the hardening process may be reduced down to about 30 minutes.
The invented fireproof inorganic coating is suitable for coating of products made of wood and wood-like materials, particularly for coating of fibre-, chip-, and shove boards of all kinds of plywood etc., in order to protect them against fire and glow.