Transparent and Colored Flame-Retardant Coatings from Renewable Resources
Our research focuses on developing transparent and colored flame-retardant coatings suitable for solid wood, veneer-based materials such as molded veneer components, laminated veneer lumber, and plywood, as well as other wood-based products used in interior construction. Both the binder and the flame-retardant additive are designed to contain at least 50 percent renewable raw materials and must not contain salt-based additives. Our goal is to enable wood furniture and construction products coated with this technology to achieve a “flame-retardant” classification.
Synthesizing the Binder from Bio-Based Building Blocks
The binder system is based on established and novel bio-based monomers, including saccharides. Using these binders, we develop formulations that provide effective fire protection. We are investigating alkoxyamines and alkoxyimides, a class of compounds that has already proven successful as flame retardants in plastics, for their suitability in wood coatings. At the same time, we are researching pathways to synthesize these compounds from renewable feedstocks. An additional advantage is that alkoxyamines and alkoxyimides require lower concentrations than intumescent coatings and many other conventional flame-retardant solutions.
Our flame-retardant coating is designed to generate no formaldehyde emissions and to have no adverse effects on indoor air quality. In terms of chemical resistance, abrasion resistance, and scratch resistance, we aim to achieve performance comparable to established products used for furniture and interior construction.
We test our innovative coating on commonly used softwoods such as spruce, pine, and larch, as well as hardwood species including beech and poplar. The latter are becoming increasingly important due to climate-driven changes in forest composition.
