Scientists have created fire-resistant wood, for this it is covered with a special solution

The new type of coating can also be used for other flammable materials such as

textiles, polyurethane foam, as well as for parts printed on a 3D printer.

According to the National Fire Protection Associationprotection, fires cause billions of dollars in damage each year. The authors of the new work decided to help cope with this problem, their approach was to make building materials less flammable.

The head of the study is Thomas Kolibaba, this is Dr.philosophy, who developed the new coating. He stated that the solution created by his team can be sprayed or applied to a house to protect it from fires.

On the right is wood coated with mortar, on the left is ordinary

Coating can reduce spreadflames and smoke production, and will also help limit damage and allow more time for evacuation. Unlike most modern fire retardants, the ingredients in our solution are environmentally friendly and cheaper

Thomas Kolibaba, PhD and head of the study

After several unsuccessful attempts to createsolution, Kolibaba came up with a successful algorithm. He dipped the plywood into an aqueous solution containing the positively charged polymer polyethylene imine (PEI), the monomer hydroxyethyl methacrylate phosphate (HMP), and a photoinitiator known as TPO. The plywood was then exposed to ultraviolet light for several minutes. This caused TPO to convert HMP into a negatively charged polymer, and then, in combination with PEI, a polyelectrolyte complex was formed.

The coating turned out to be transparent and only a few micrometers thick. It did not change the appearance of the wood and only slightly increased its weight. 

In laboratory tests, treated woodwhen exposed to fire, it reduced the amount of heat and quickly formed a surface layer of coal, which protects against the penetration of fire inside. Also, the amount of smoke decreased by 56%. The authors suggest that their coating will also be waterproof, as well as antifungal.

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