Intumescent coating compositions

Abstract

A coating system comprising: (1) a liquid intumescent coating composition comprising a resin system comprising at least one polymeric component, at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomeric component, and at least one intumescent ingredient, the coating composition being curable to a solid state by free radical polymerisation, and (2) a reinforcement structure. The reinforcement structure may comprise any of mesh, fabric and/or tape. The reinforcement structure preferably comprises an inorganic fabric, and may be installed by application of a suitable adhesive binder.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fire resistant steel structure comprising:
 (1) a steel substrate;   (2) a reinforcement structure positioned on said steel substrate; and   (3) a liquid intumescent coating composition applied to said substrate, said liquid intumescent coating composition comprising a resin system comprising at least one polymeric component, at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomeric component, at least one intumescent ingredient and a chemical initiator for initiating a reaction to cure the coating composition to a solid state by free radical polymerization.   
     
     
         2 . The fire resistant steel structure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement structure comprises at least one of mesh, fabric and tape. 
     
     
         3 . The fire resistant steel structure as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the reinforcement structure comprises an inorganic fabric. 
     
     
         4 . The fire resistant steel structure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement structure is woven or knitted. 
     
     
         5 . The fire resistant steel structure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement structure comprises at least one inorganic material. 
     
     
         6 . The fire resistant steel structure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement structure comprises any of the following, either alone or in combination: galvinized steel wire mesh, glass and silica. 
     
     
         7 . The fire resistant steel structure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement structure comprises organic material. 
     
     
         8 . The fire resistant steel structure as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the reinforcement structure comprises any of the following either alone or in combination: carbon fibre and aramid fibre. 
     
     
         9 . The fire resistant steel structure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement structure is provided between two different layers of the coating composition. 
     
     
         10 . The fire resistant steel structure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the intumescent coating composition is applied to the solid steel substrate and the total thickness of the cured intumescent coating composition is in the range from 0.25 mm to 20 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The fire resistant steel structure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the said at least one polymeric component comprises solid thermoplastic resin. 
     
     
         12 . The fire resistant steel structure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one polymeric component comprises at least one homopolymer, copolymer and/or terpolymer of a methacrylate resin. 
     
     
         13 . The fire resistant steel structure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one polymeric component comprises a meth(acrylate) copolymer. 
     
     
         14 . The fire resistant steel structure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one polymeric component comprises the reaction product of at least one styrene or vinyl toluene together with at least one of any of the following: methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, n-butyl methacrylate, isobutyl methacrylate, t-butyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxy ethyl methacrylate 2-hydroxy propyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, n-butyl acrylate, isobutyl acrylate, t-butyl acrylate, 2 hydroxy ethyl acrylate, 2-hydroxy propyl acrylate and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate. 
     
     
         15 . The fire resistant steel structure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one polymeric component comprises the reaction product of one or more diene together with at least one of any of the following: styrene, vinyl toluene, vinyl chloride, vinyl acrylate, vinylidine chloride, and vinyl versatate esters. 
     
     
         16 . The fire resistant steel structure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the ethylenically unsaturated monomeric component has at least one of a methacrylate or acrylate functionality. 
     
     
         17 . The fire resistant steel structure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the ethylenically unsaturated monomeric component comprises any of the following either alone or in combination: methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, n-butyl methacrylate, isobutyl methacrylate, t-butyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxy ethyl methacrylate 2-hydroxy propyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, n-butyl acrylate, isobutyl acrylate, t-butyl acrylate, 2 hydroxy ethyl acrylate, 2-hydroxy propyl acrylate and 2-ethylhexyl acrylate. 
     
     
         18 . The fire resistant steel structure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the resin system constitutes from 20% to 60% of the coating composition. 
     
     
         19 . The fire resistant steel structure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one intumescent ingredient comprises an acid source, a carbon source and a gas source. 
     
     
         20 . The fire resistant steel structure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the chemical initiator is selected from AZO compounds or organic peroxides. 
     
     
         21 . The fire resistant steel structure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the chemical initiator is selected from diacyl peroxides, ketone peroxides, peroxyesters, dialkyl peroxides, hydroperoxides, and peroxyketals. 
     
     
         22 . The fire resistant steel structure as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement structure comprising a series of rows of interlocking fibers oriented such that said rows of fibers intersect each other at approximately 90°.