Engineers from UNSW Sydney have developed a new fire-retardant paint to protect homes from extreme fire conditions.
The paint, commercially branded as FSA FIRECOAT, is the first of its kind to successfully achieve the Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) 40 standard test, which means it can withstand higher levels of radiant heat and ember attack during a bushfire.
UNSW engineers, in partnership with Flame Security International, spent nearly five years formulating the paint to ensure that it incorporates the best fire-retardant properties.
They came up with a type of intumescent paint, which means it is designed to expand as a result of heat exposure, UNSW said in a media release.
The specific chemicals in the paint also produce a thick layer of char, which offers an insulating barrier and effectively deflects the heat from the fire away.
“The special additives we include in the paint mix formula promote the growth of the char, which is the important insulating element. The char is what helps the substrate, that is your house or your building, stay protected from the fire,” said Professor Guan Yeoh, from the UNSW’s School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering.
“In the rigorous tests, you can see this char being created, but at the end, you can just wipe it away and the wood underneath has virtually no damage.”
Professor Yeoh is the director of the ARC Training Centre for Fire Retardant Materials and Safety Technologies at UNSW. He led the team of engineers developing the project, which received $3 million in funding from the Australian government’s Cooperative Research Centres Projects grant program.
FSA FIRECOAT does not need any special equipment to apply it, which means it can be brushed or sprayed onto a wide variety of surfaces, including existing render, timber, aluminium, steel, concrete, plasterboard, and brick, just like normal paint.
Due to the carbon ingredient, the product is only available in grey, but any standard-coloured topcoat can be applied without affecting the fire-retardant properties.
Flame Security International secured an initial order from Bunnings for the delivery of 80,000 litres of FSA FIRECOAT.
“The release of this fully accredited BAL-40-rated fire retardant paint, we believe, will better protect buildings and other assets from direct exposure to flames and extreme radiant heat,” said Tony Overstead, CEO of Flame Security International.
“This will make a significant difference not only to the cost of building in affected areas but also the potential risks to life and property.”
FSA FIRECOAT has passed all six of the stringent Australian standard testing, marking the first time any paint has achieved the BAL-40 rating.
