Specialty chemicals group LANXESS has successfully opened up new applications for its construction material Bayfomox that displays exceptional flame-retardant properties. As a result, it can now also be applied to components in the form of a spray foam coating. This in turn means the outstanding fire endurance properties the material displays in a wide range of molded-foam parts can now be applied in thin layers to flammable or fire-sensitive substrates. Compared with conventional intumescent coatings, this reactive, dual-component polyurethane system delivers better heat insulation in addition to sound-absorbing properties.

Working with Haan-based FluidSystems GmbH & Co. KG, LANXESS succeeded in adapting the tried-and-tested Bayfomox system used for molded-foam parts and other applications in the construction industry and in making it suitable for spray foam processing. The coatings offer a wide range of benefits:

• Less material needs to be used compared with molded-foam technology, as it is possible to create thinner layers.
• Rapid processing, as no lengthy drying process is required following application of the reactive coating.
• No lengthy waiting period before use, as the coating hardens and is fully functional after just a few minutes.
• Excellent adhesion to a range of substrates, including metal and wood.

Otto Mauerer, Business Development Phosphorous Chemicals in the Functional Chemicals business unit, explains: "Bayfomox can be processed and made ready for use faster than most conventional intumescent coatings. That means it offers economic benefits, particularly if protection is to be applied to existing components or equipment."

Small, manageable spraying machines also mean coatings can be applied easily on-site. The Bayfomox spray foam system is ideal for providing lasting protection to vulnerable components and equipment. Its mechanical and acoustic properties are easy to control, and it is available in grades ranging from hard to soft to meet different requirements.

Flame-retardant coatings that expand to form a protective layer in the event of fire have been in use for decades and are known as intumescent coatings. When exposed to fire or heat, these coatings form a flame-retardant, high-insulation carbon char layer that protects the material underneath from the effects of fire and heat.

Bayfomox from LANXESS is a dual component polyurethane raw material system that has become particularly well established in the construction industry. It can be used to manufacture intumescent molded-foam parts with outstanding fire resistance for applications in the field of preventive fire protection. The elastic polyurethane molded-foam parts adapt to irregularities, can easily be installed without the need for specialist tools and, although plastic, display exceptional resistance to fire. Bayfomox has been tested and approved by the Deutsches Institut für Bautechnik (German Institute for Civil Engineering). The material contains no halogens, asbestos, fibers, plasticizers or solvents.

The Functional Chemicals business unit belongs to the Performance Chemicals segment of LANXESS, which achieved total sales in 2009 of EUR 1,530 million.