Research database

In Europe, annual fire losses reach 80 billion €, meaning more than 1% of EU GDP, 4000 people die and another 80000 suffer terrible burns. The use of fire retarding intumescent coatings play an important role in Fire Safety being this subsector mainly comprised by SMEs. Nowadays, a variety of fire intumescent coatings is available presenting diverse drawbacks such as: poor behaviour when ageing, poor liquid stability, heat blocking and smoke suppressant properties. Intumescent coatings are obtained by high loadings of reactive components which upon burning swell up creating a protective char layer. HEFEST project aims at developing new intumescent paints and varnishes by means of nanocomposite structures and nanofillers (hybrid organic-inorganic systems, carbon nanotubes…) obtaining halogen-free flame retardants as active intumescent components reactive from nanoscale, with the following advantages: •High durability during service-life (Fire resistance losses