T. Su Wy",subyakto,"hata et al., IMPROVEMENT OF THE FIRE RETARDANCY OF STRANDBOARD BY SURFACE-TREATMENT WITH MELAMINE AND BORIC OR PHOSPHORIC-ACIDS, Mokuzai Gakkaishi, 43(1), 1997, pp. 75-81
An effective and simple method of providing fire retardant properties
to wood-based materials was developed by the surface coating and subse
quent hot pressing of melamine containing fire retardants. The fire re
tardants were mixtures of trimethylol melamine and phosphoric acid (TM
P) or boric acid (TMB), and those of trimethylol melamine, dicyandiami
de, and phosphoric acid (TMDP) or boric acid (TMDB). All chemical form
ulations improved the fire retardant performance of strandboards. Both
TMB and TMP treatments caused remarkable delays of ignition times whe
n coated at 200 g/m(2); however, TMB was more efficient in protecting
samples from burning through at the lowest level of treatment. The add
ition of dicyandiamide was effective in delaying the burning through t
ime for phosphoric acid; however, it improved the fire retardancy in t
he early stage of combustion for boric acid. The TMB and TMDB treated
strandboards formed uniform charred layers on the surfaces, and the ho
mogeneity of the charred layers contributed to homogenous heat distrib
ution resulting in better fire retardant properties. Much information
on heat distribution and fire retardancy during the testing was obtain
ed from a thermographic analysis.