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Intumescent SealsMaterials Used in Intumescent SealsIntumescent seals are the kind of materials which expand several times more than its original size when exposed to high temperatures. They provide a passive protection from fires by resisting, delaying and isolating a fire and the accompanying smoke and fumes. Passive because they don’t actually put out or extinguish the fire, they just stop the fire right there on its track. Intumescent seals also work perfectly in tandem with a doorgard and fire exit doors. Intumescent materials are widely used in fire safety equipment like fire and smoke seals or intumescent seals. With the intumescent seals flame retardant and smoke stopping capabilities it enables the fire, rescue, and emergency services personnel to carry out their jobs with less hazard and in a more controlled environment. It also helps lessen the damage to the building and its contents by preventing fire from spreading rapidly to the unaffected areas. There are 3 recognized types of intumescent materials used as intumescent seals and intumescent strips: Hydrated Sodium Silicate – hydrated sodium silicate based intumescent seals produces a tough foam that doesn’t crack when it is exposed to temperatures of 100 degrees or even higher. Seals based on this kind of intumescent material can be used in places where it can be exposed to a lot of atmospheric agents because it is protected by an epoxy resin and a PVC sleeve. The life span of this kind of intumescent material is approximately 50 years. Exfoliating Graphite – this is the most commonly used among the three intumescent materials. This black material which is composed mostly or graphite has different forms and reacts superbly well under extreme temperatures by expanding in different directions to fill the gaps. It also has other advantages over the other intumescent material because it is fully stable even in water and in air. This means that the exfoliating graphite can be cut according to your desired size without worrying about the accumulation of moisture or atmospheric conditions. It is also has a pressure forming material that is very durable and extremely resistant to aging. Mono-ammonium Phosphate – this material has a low pressure but high volume expansion of its intumescent material, which is usually referred to by experts as mono-ammonium phosphates. The foam produced by the mono-ammonium phosphate based intumescent materials when it is exposed to high temperatures has good insulation properties. Some application for this product includes door seals and intumescent strips. Intumescent fire and smoke seals based on mono-ammonium phosphate can be made to be totally resistant to atmospheric influence and moisture and has excellent resistance to aging. If you are planning to use any of three kind of intumescent material, make sure that you take into consideration these following consumer tips: 1. The stile detail if the doors are involved comes in pairs. Plain meeting stile seals are fitted differently from rebated meeting stiles.
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