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Fire retardant - Wikipedia, the free enc clopedia

Fi e e a dan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A fi e e a dan is a substance that reduces flammability of fuels or delays their combustion.[1][2] This includes
chemical agents, but may also include substances that work by physical action, such as cooling the fuels, such as
fire-fighting foams and fire-retardant gels. Fire retardants may also be coatings applied to an object,[3] such as a
spray retardant to prevent Christmas trees from burning.[4] Fire retardants are commonly used in fire fighting.
Home fires damage about 400,000 homes, and cause approximately 7 billion US dollars in direct damage
annually in the United States.[5] Because of the importance of prevention, fire retardation has become a very
notable industry.

Ho

e a dan

o k

In general, fire retardants reduce the flammability of materials by either blocking the fire physically or by initiating
a chemical reaction that stops the fire.

Ph ical ac ion
There are several ways in which the combustion process can be retarded by physical action:
By cooling: Some chemical reactions actually cool the material down.
By forming a protective layer that prevents the underlying material from igniting.
By dilution: Some retardants release water and/or carbon dioxide while burning. This may dilute the
radicals in the flame enough for it to go out.
Commonly used fire retardant additives include mixtures of huntite and hydromagnesite, aluminium hydroxide,
and magnesium hydroxide. When heated, aluminium hydroxide dehydrates to form aluminum oxide (alumina,
Al2O3), releasing water vapor in the process. This reaction absorbs a great deal of heat, cooling the material into
which it is incorporated. Additionally, the residue of alumina forms a protective layer on the material's surface.
Mixtures of huntite and hydromagnesite work in a similar manner. They endothermically decompose releasing
both water and carbon dioxide,[6][7] giving fire retardant properties[8][9][10] to the materials in which they are
incorporated.

Chemical ac ion
Reactions in the gas phase: chemical reactions in the flame (i.e. gas phase) can be interrupted by fire
retardants. Generally, these retardants are organic halides (haloalkanes) such as Halon and PhostrEx.
However, there are situations where the released gas might be more dangerous when this type of
retardant is involved.
Reaction in the solid phase: some retardants break down polymers so they melt and flow away from the
flame. Although this allows some materials to pass certain flammability tests, it is not known whether fire
safety is truly improved by the production of flammable plastic droplets.
Char Formation: For carbon-based fuels, solid phase flame retardants cause a layer of carbonaceous
char to form on the fuel surface. This char layer is much harder to burn and prevents further
burning.[11][12]
Intumescents: These types of retardant materials add chemicals which cause swelling up behind the
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protective char layer, providing much better insulation behind the protective barrier. In additions to being
added to plastics, these are available as paints for protecting wooden buildings or steel structures.

Ue
Fi e e ing i he
Class A foam is used as a fire retardant in 2.5 gallon [APW] and
[CAFS] extinguishers to contain incipient brush fires and grass fires by
creating a fire break. Other chemical retardants are capable of
rendering class A material and Class B fuels non-flammable and
extinguishing class A, class B, and some class D fires. Fire retardant
slurries dropped from aircraft are normally applied ahead of a wildfire
to prevent ignition, while fire suppression agents are used to extinguish
fires.

S face coa ing

It is possible to coat an object with a fire retardant. The classic
example of this is the green Christmas tree. As a tree dries out it can
be accidentally lit on fire putting the home at risk. A coating of a
specialised fire retardant can prevent the starting of the fire and slow it
down if it does start.

A Fire extinguisher

Many large sky-scrapers use a coating around main structural

elements to prevent catastrophic weakening during a fire. It is believed
that one of the reasons why the World Trade Center's twin towers in
New York collapsed on 9/11 was due to the airplane impact
removing portions of the fire-insulation layer.

Many dormitories in the US are also considering using these products.

Since 2000, 109 people have died in fires in dormitories or off-campus student housing across the nation,
according to Campus Firewatch, an online newsletter.
Campus Firewatch's publisher, Ed Comeau, said a January 2000 fire at Seton Hall University in New Jersey
drew attention to the perils of fire on campus. A common area in a Seton Hall dorm caught fire after two
students ignited a banner from a bulletin board. The fire quickly spread to furniture and killed three students and
injured 58 others.[13]

Fo e -fi e figh ing

Early fire retardants were mixtures of water and thickening agents,
and later included borates[14] and ammonium phosphates.
Generally, fire retardants are dropped from aircraft or applied by
ground crews around a wildfire's edges in an effort to contain its
spread. This allows ground crews time to work to extinguish the fire.
However, when needed, retardant can also be dropped directly onto
flames to cool the fire and reduce flame length.[15]
A MAFFS-equipped Air National
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Ae ial fi efigh ing

Aerial firefighting is a method to combat wildfires using aircraft. The
types of aircraft used include fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.
Smokejumpers and rappellers are also classified as aerial firefighters,
being delivered by parachute from a variety of fixed-wing aircraft, or
rappelling from helicopters. Chemicals used to fight fires may include
water, water enhancers, or specially-formulated fire retardants.[16]

Guard C-130 Hercules drops fire

retardant on wildfires in Southern
California

Te ile
Most clothing intended for children in the United States is required to
pass fire-retardant tests for safety reasons.

Home f ni

In many locations mattresses are now treated with fire retardant or

built with fire-resistant material. Many new foams self-extinguish. This
is the most common use of chemical fire retardancy.

Ma e ial
Wildfi e e a dan

Red-dyed line of fire retardant stands

out clearly on this Arizona hill. Drop
was against the Alambre Fire.

Fire retardants applied to wildfires are usually a mixture of water and chemicals designed to wet the area as well
as chemically retard a fire's progression through vegetation. Typically it is colored[17] so that the application area
can be seen from the air. New gel-based retardants which meet NFPA Standard 1150 are being introduced
into use. These are dyed other colors to differentiate them from the traditional red retardant. The gels and their
dyes are designed to biodegrade naturally.[18] Phos-Chek is a brand of long-term retardant currently approved
for wildland fire use.[19]

En i onmen al conce n
Some fire retardants contain chemicals that are potentially dangerous to the environment, such as PBDEs. Fire
retardants used in airplanes and fire resistant objects such as carpets accumulate in humans. (see PBDE#Health
concerns).
Forest fire retardants that are used are generally considered non-toxic,[20] but even less-toxic compounds carry
some risk when organisms are exposed to large amounts.[21] Fire retardants used in firefighting can be toxic to
fish and wildlife as well as firefighters[22] by releasing dioxins and furans when halogenated fire retardants are
burned during fires,[23] and drops within 300 feet of bodies of water are generally prohibited unless lives or
property are directly threatened.[24] The US Forest Service is the governing agency that conducts research and
monitors the effect of fire retardants on wildland systems in the US.[25][26]
It was found that marine bacteria manufacture a non-synthetic source of chemically identical PBDEs that are
toxic to the environment.[27]
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See al o
Aerial firefighting
Flame retardant
List of fire-retardant materials
Modular Airborne FireFighting System
Wildland fire suppression

Refe ence
1. "BLM Wyoming Wildland Fire Glossary". Blm.gov. 2008-06-18. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
2. Coford Glossary "Fire Retardant" (http://www.coford.ie/iopen24/glossary-f-t-277.html) Archived
(https://web.archive.org/web/20090208221741/http://www.coford.ie/iopen24/glossary-f-t-277.html) February
8, 2009 at the Wayback Machine
3. "Zinsser Glossary". Zinsser.com. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
4. mindfully.org. "Fire Retardant Kills Rhode Island's Christmas Tree". Mindfully.org. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
5. "U.S. home structure fires". National Fire Protection Association. Retrieved 2007-08-22.
6. Hollingbery, LA; Hull TR (2010). "The Thermal Decomposition of Huntite and Hydromagnesite - A Review".
Thermochimica Acta 509 (1-2): 1 11. doi:10.1016/j.tca.2010.06.012.
7. Hollingbery, LA; Hull TR (2012). "The Thermal Decomposition of Natural Mixtures of Huntite and
Hydromagnesite". Thermochimica Acta 528: 45 52. doi:10.1016/j.tca.2011.11.002.
8. Hollingbery, LA; Hull TR (2010). "The Fire Retardant Behaviour of Huntite and Hydromagnesite - A Review".
Pol mer Degradation and Stabilit 95 (12): 2213 2225. doi:10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2010.08.019.
9. Hollingbery, LA; Hull TR (2012). "The Fire Retardant Effects of Huntite in Natural Mixtures with
Hydromagnesite". Pol mer Degradation and Stabilit 97 (4): 504 512.
doi:10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2012.01.024.
10. Hull, TR; Witkowski A; Hollingbery LA (2011). "Fire Retardant Action of Mineral Fillers". Pol mer
Degradation and Stabilit 96 (8): 1462 1469. doi:10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2011.05.006.
11. "PHOS-CHeK D75 Fire Retardants" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-11-20.
12. "How do flame retardants work?". European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC) and European Flame
Retardants Association (EFRA). Retrieved 12 Feb 2010.
13. Amy Farnsworth (2007-08-06). "New coatings cut risk of a dorm fire". The Boston Globe.
14. US 2858895 (http://worldwide.espacenet.com/textdoc?DB=EPODOC&IDX=US2858895), Connell, George A.
(inventor), "Methods and compositions for controlling fires", published November 4, 1958.
15. "Interagency Standards for Fire and Aviation Operations 2007, Chapter 17" (PDF). National Interagency Fire
Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
16. "USDA Forest Service Wildland Fire Chemicals". Retrieved 2008-11-13.
17. US 6676858 (http://worldwide.espacenet.com/textdoc?DB=EPODOC&IDX=US6676858), Vandersall, Howard
L. & Kegeler, Gary H., "Colorant liquid, method of use, and wildfire retardant liquids containing the same",
published January 13, 2004.
18. "CDF Tankers Test Dropping New Colored Retardants" (PDF). California Department of Forestry and Fire
Protection. August 27, 2005. Retrieved 2007-08-22.
19. "Wildland Fire Chemical Product Information". Retrieved 2008-11-13.
20. "Phos-Chek MSDS" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-11-14.
21. "Bell, T., Tolhurst, K., and Wouters, M. Effects of the fire retardant Phos-Chek on vegetation in eastern
Australian heathlands. International Journal of Wildland Fire. 14(2) 199 211.".
22. "Greensciencepolicy.org". Greensciencepolicy.org. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
23. "Effect of Fire Retardant on Water Quality" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-11-17.
24. William Yardley (November 15, 2008). "In Fighting Wildfires, Concerns About Chemicals". The New York
Times. Retrieved 2008-11-26.
25. "USDA Forest Service Wildland Fire Chemical Systems". Retrieved 2008-11-13.
26. "Wildland Fire Chemical Products Toxicity and Environmental Concerns" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-11-13.
27. http://phys.org/news/2014-06-marine-bacteria-natural-source-chemical.html

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E e nal link
Fire Management Notes (1989) (http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/fmt/fmt_pdfs/050_04.pdf)
National Fire Protection Association (http://www.nfpa.org/)
Defense Fire Protection Association (http://www.dfpa.org/)
Using Fire Retardant Materials (http://www.emersoncuming.com/other//usingfireretardantmaterials.pdf)
Influence of the fire retardant, ammonium polyphosphate, on the thermal degradation of poly(methyl
methacrylate) (http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/104053743/abstract)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fire_retardant&oldid=699575069"
Categories: Fire protection Flame retardants Fire suppression agents Wildland fire suppression
Aerial firefighting
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