A SOLUTION TO SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION IN LINSEED OIL FORMULATIONS

Linseed oil, a common ingredient in varnishes and oil-based house pain ts, has an affinity for combining with oxygen. When the oil oxidizes i n air, sufficient heat is liberated to ignite whatever was used to app ly the linseed oil formulation. Studies reproducing fires that have th e capability of destroying homes and buildings and which have been cap tured on film demonstrate this phenomenon. Although linseed oil has ex cellent drying oil qualities, unfortunately it causes fires to occur i n materials (particularly fabrics) with which it comes in contact. Thi s process of spontaneous combustion has been known to fire investigato rs for almost 200 years. The author has created a chemical solution wh ich eliminates spontaneous combustion and causes the applicators used for linseed oil formulations to become flame retardant. Previous publi cations have espoused changes in the concentrations of the oleic oil, linoleic and linolenic acids. Recommendations have also been made to c reate viable warnings and instructions placing the user on notice of t he inherent dangers of spontaneous combustion. The author's patented s olution to the problem eliminates any additional processing of the lin seed oil and the use of warnings for either temporary or permanent sto rage of the applicators. This solution is applicable to all varnish an d oil-based house paint formulations containing linseed oil. (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Limited