Fire-retardant materials are designed to burn slowly.
Fire-retardant materials should not be confused with fire-resistant materials. A fire resistant material is one which is designed to resist burning and withstand heat. An example of a fire-resistant material is one which is used in bunker gear worn by firefighters to protect them from the flames of a burning building.
In the United Kingdom, after two significant construction fires which resulted in a combined loss of £1,500 million, The Joint Code of Practice was introduced by the Fire Protection Association (FPA), the UK's national fire safety organisation, to prevent fires on buildings undergoing construction work. The Joint Code of Practice provides advice on how to prevent fires such as through the use of flame-retardant temporary protection materials: for example, some high quality floor protectors are designed to burn slowly and prevent the spread of fires.
Fire-retardant materials used in buildings
Iron
Mineral wool
Gypsum boards
Asbestos cement
Perlite boards
Corriboard
Calcium silicate
Sodium silicate
Potassium silicate
Treated lumber plywood
Treated vegetable fiber (e.g., cotton, jute, kenaf, hemp, flax, etc..) Fire-retardant treated wood Brick Concrete Cement render Intumescent paint Glass Magnesium oxide (MgO) Geobond asbestos substitute
Fire textiles
PBI
Aramid - para and meta
Flame retardant cotton
Coated nylon
Carbon foam (CFOAM) Melamine Modacrylic
Phasing-out
Many common brominated flame retardants are being phased-out by manufacturers.
See also
Fireproof
Non-flammable
References
External links
European Flame Retardants Association EFRA brings together and represents the leading organisations which manufacture, market or use flame retardants in Europe.