Stephen R Rodgers

US Patent:

56039905, Feb 18, 1997

Filed:

Sep 29, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/535993

Inventors:

Vincent D. McGinniss - Sunbury OH
Richard J. Dick - Columbus OH
Robert E. Russell - Newark OH
Stephen D. Rodgers - Bowie MD

Assignee:

Battelle Memorial Institute - Columbus OH

International Classification:

B05D 136
B05D 300

US Classification:

4273933

Abstract:

An intumescent coating system and method therefor is disclosed for thermally protecting a substrate having a surface exposed to a flame environment. The coating system of the present invention is provided as having a having a first component which forms a rigid carbonific char foam having toughness and rigidity, and a second component which forms an insulative carbonific char foam having a density about half the density of the rigid carbonific foam to give insulation properties. The two foam components may be separately provided in a laminate-type arrangement as, respectively, an inner coating layer coated and cured on the surface of the substrate to form an inner film layer, and an outer coating layer coated and cured on the inner film layer to form an outer film layer. Alternatively, the two foams may be provided as being formed from components blended to comprise a single coating layer which is coated and cured on the surface of the substrate to form a film layer. In providing two foam components, one protecting the substrate from breakthrough and direct exposure to the flame environment, and the other insulating the substrate to protect it from conductive, radiant, and/or convective heating by the flame environment, the present invention affords a capability to offer flame retardancy at film thicknesses of less than 50 mils.