Innovative Polyelectrolyte Treatment to Flame-Retard Wood

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Wood Science
• Fire Safety Engineering

Background:

• Wood construction faces fire protection challenges, particularly flame spread in flooring.
• Current wood fire-retardancy methods include coating and bulk impregnation.
• There is a demand for sustainable and cost-effective fire-retardant solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) as a novel approach for wood fire retardancy.
• To chemically and thermally characterize polyethyleneimine and sodium phytate PECs.
• To evaluate the fire-retardant performance of selected PECs on yellow birch wood.

Main Methods:

• Characterization of polyethyleneimine and sodium phytate PECs.
• Surface impregnation of yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britt.) using reduced pressure.
• Evaluation of wood fire retardancy and water uptake after PEC treatment.

Main Results:

• Two promising PEC systems were identified through chemical and thermal characterization.
• Surface impregnation of yellow birch with selected PECs significantly improved fire retardancy.
• The treatment resulted in a low weight gain (2 wt.%) and did not increase water uptake.

Conclusions:

• Polyelectrolyte complexes offer a viable and eco-friendly strategy for enhancing wood fire retardancy.
• The developed PEC treatment is effective at low loadings without compromising wood's physical properties.
• This approach presents a promising alternative for improving the fire safety of wood materials.