Summary
Flame retardants (FSM) can make an important contribution to reducing the fire risk of wood and wood-based materials. Phosphorus-based flame retardants are often used for this purpose. However, phosphorus is subject to serious shortages and is mainly needed as a fertiliser. In order to save phosphorus in the flame retardant area, the use of synergistically acting multi-component systems, such as phosphorus-nitrogen (P-N) compounds, is therefore considered promising. An alternative approach is FSM based on renewable raw materials, whereby plant by-products or waste products can form the basis.
The project aimed to develop flame-retardant wood fibreboard (MDF) by combining conventional FSM containing P-N and FSM based on renewable raw materials as effectively as possible. The focus was on the application of FSM based on renewable raw materials in the manufacturing process.
Results:
It could be demonstrated that with a suitable combination of adhesive, FSM and dosing point, flame-retardant fibreboards can be produced with an FSM content of 10 mass percent, which meet the normative requirements for mechanical-physical material properties. However, the application of the FSM combination of melamine polyphosphate (MPP) and soluble wheat starch phosphate carbamate (LSPC) is not yet feasible on an industrial scale, since LSPC can only be produced in the required quality on a laboratory scale.
The correlation analyses carried out between thermal analysis (TGA) and small burner testing (cone calorimetry) showed, however, that it is possible to predict the fire properties of wood-based materials at an early stage of FSM development using TGA.
The findings of the project serve material research and wood fibre material manufacturers as a basis for deciding which combination of FSM type, FSM content, adhesive and dosing point in the defibration process offers the greatest potential for the production of flame-retardant fibre materials.
