STEELPROST · INNOVATIVE FIRE PROTECTIVE COATINGS FOR STEEL STRUCTURES

Current methods to provide fire protection of light steel structures include the nowadays most efficient approach of intumescent paints, which are typically applied on-site on a mounted structure using brushes or spray guns. Such treatments are generally achieved through the preparation of the surface by grit/shot blasting, followed by the application of a primer, and followed by the application of several layers of intumescent coatings. This methodology has a number of drawbacks for a large community of end users, including: a)Drying times of intumescent coatings are very long, resulting in high cost associated to labour, site disruption, and space required for painting; b) As a consequence of those significant costs and burdens, the reality is that many end users, particularly SMEs, end up applying fewer layers than required, uneven or irregular layers, or none at all, breaching therefore current legislation, facing serious penalties and fees and endangering the security of their own installations. The STEELPROST project aims to provide a solution to current surface treatment limitations, by developing a second generation of fire-protective coatings that are: easier to paint on, covering a larger area faster, having improved adhesion and quick drying properties. This will be achieved through 3 core innovations: 1)Development of low cost fire-retardant agents using novel tin-based technology, based on nontoxic halogen-free additives ; 2)Combination of the above fire retardant agents with further nanoparticle additives to confer the paint outstanding adhesion to the metal, and increase abrasion and wear resistance properties; 3)Design and optimisation of a procedure for fast curing of the coating using existing heating source technologies such as infra-red (IR). The proposed technology is expected to reduce steelwork treatment cost in constructional projects on a 25% for on-site applications and 50% for off-site application.