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Author
Dalmau Bueren, Gemma
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The aim of this thesis is to increase the intumescence of alkali silicate-based coatings by adding inorganic ingredients that expand upon heat.
Ingredients based on the same material as the coating was synthesized and subjected to thermal tests to determine their expansion. In addition, the effect of various parameters, such as the molar ratio between different components of the sample, the curing time, the particle size, the type of silicate used, and the effect of incorporating additives during formulation, were studied when synthesizing the particles. The results of this study have established that the particles with the highest intumescence are those composed of Na2Si3O7, fumed silica, and 10% CaCO3, with a molar ratio of 3.38 between SiO2 and Na2O and a particle size of 300-850 μm.
Furthermore, it has been shown that adding kaolin and CaCO3 to sodium silicate-based coatings increases their melting temperature, thus improving their fire resistance. The particles with the highest intumescence have been incorporated into these coatings with the aim of subjecting them to thermal tests and evaluating their expansion and fire protection.
Finally, SEM has been used to characterize both the ingredients and the coatings to investigate their microstructure and study their morphology before and after expansion.
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