Influence of Ammonium Polyphosphates and 2,4,6-Triamino-1,3,5-Triazine on the Mechanical-Physical Properties of Polyurethane and Alkali-Activated Materials

Abstract

In building constructions, the tendency towards an ever-better material directs us to composite materials. In this work, we prepared an organic-organic and organic-inorganic composite material by incorporating fire retardants, ammonium polyphosphates, and 2,4,6-triamino-1,3,5-triazine, into a polyurethane network and an aluminosilicate network (ASN) of alkali-activated material. Polyurethane foams (PUR) are well-known materials that, due to their properties, such as low weight-to-strength ratio, low electrical and thermal conductivity, flexibility, and relatively simple preparation process, are used in various industries, also in the construction industry, e.g., for thermal insulation of windows and doors or fixing and sealing joinery. Opposite, the ASN of alkali-activated metakaolin, successfully paves the way for new applications, such as high-temperature protection. In this paper, these interactive properties of prepared composites are studied using thermal testing and mechanical analysis. It was found that inhibitors significantly increase the fire resistance of PUR systems while they slightly reduce the mechanical properties. Incorporating polymer flame retardant into ASN in building products, such as façade panels, can decrease the mechanical properties but can offer the non-flammable building envelope not get heated from burning surroundings, i.e., not becoming a convection heat source, but rather represent a fire-distinguisher for flammable materials.