In building sections without special fire-protection requirements, filling and installation foams on the basis of polyurethane (PU) are currently used. PU foams are not suitable for fire-protection solutions, as they are classified as flame-retardant at best.
The company IGP Chemie GmbH has already developed a non-combustible 2-component mineral-based foam. This is not yet competitive in the construction sector, partly due to the fact that the foaming behavior and the associated thermal conductivity do not perform adequately. This is something we want to improve during the project.
The objective is for the non-combustible mineral foam to exhibit properties similar to those of a commercially available PU foam. It should be suitable for the rapid backfilling of window frames and door frames and for foaming out wall breakthroughs, joints and other cavities. When cured, it should be chemically harmless and just as easy to cut, saw, drill and sand as a PU foam. Particularly as regards its use as an insulation material for technical equipment, we also want to reduce its thermal conductivity. During development, we are, of course, also taking care to ensure that the new fire-protection foam complies with the limit values for emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
A further project objective is the development of a mobile dosing system with which 25 kg of material can be processed in a single operation. This would enable customized insulation for building-technology equipment to be produced quickly and with a precise fit. The dosing system is also advantageous with regard to the installation of fire doors and windows: It eliminates the need to discard the 600-ml disposable plastic cartridges currently in use, which would accumulate in large quantities on the construction sites.