FAQ - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

    FAQ's  for  FX-100^® FIRE RETARDANT COATING

• 1. Application Method
• 2. Expansion Temperature

1. QUESTION: What is the preferred method for applying FX-100^® Coating to achieve a smooth finish?
ANSWER: If you are after a fine finish, use a high quality brush or smooth or short knap roller.  If there is too much area to cover for this method, a high quality finish can be achieved using  HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) spray equipment.  Also, the best finish is achieved by applying thin coats of 1-3 mils.  If the job requires more, then multiple coats should be applied.

2 QUESTION:  What is the temperature at which FX-100^® starts to expand?
ANSWER:  That is a question with many answers.  They vary from 130° F to over 500° F., depending on the situation.  This can be confusing, so what follows is an explanation which can hopefully be easily understood. :
First,  the technically correct answer is:
FX-100^® coating, when dry will begin to expand when the temperature WITHIN THE COATING ITSELF reaches 150° F - 170° F. in a FIRE situation.  However, if FX-100^® is exposed to a continuous elevated temperature, such as within an oven, the coating would expand if the temperature WITHIN THE COATING ITSELF is > 130° F.

The many possibilities of each situation cause the answers above to vary tremendously.  For instance, when the coating is on a 1/2 " thick steel beam, the steel will absorb heat away from the coating, acting as a "heat sink", and keep the temperature WITHIN THE COATING ITSELF much lower than the air temperature for quite some time.  This would change the APPARENT temperature at which the FX-100^® coating would react, when in fact it does not change at all.  The air temperature might rise * from room temperature to 500 F. in 60 seconds, yet if the FX-100^® is on the 1/2" steel beam, it might not expand, even when the air temperature is at the 500° F. mark, and climbing.  This is because the steel absorbs that heat energy AWAY from the coating surface, and causes the coating to heat up at a similar rate as the steel beam.  If after one minute, the air is at 500° F., but the steel beam is typically at 120° F., then, that will be the approximate temperature of the FX-100^® coating as well.  (Probably a bit hotter due to the characteristics of the coating.)  On another end of the spectrum, if FX-100^® is coated on a thin piece of aluminum foil, and exposed to the same temperature rise, the foil will not act as much of a "heat sink" at all.  In this case, the FX-100^® might begin expanding when the air temperature reaches 200° F. after about 15-20 seconds.  These scenarios are why the best technical answer is as noted above, referring to the temperature WITHIN THE COATING ITSELF.

Using the above information, you should be able to determine, in general terms, whether FX-100^® will expand at a LOW, MID, or HIGH temperature as outlined in these scenarios.

As an added note:  The difference between FX-100^®'s response to a temperature RISE, and its response to a CONTINUOUS  temperature (150° F. vs. 130° F.) is caused by the fact that FX-100^® has water trapped within the molecule of the polymer.  When heat is applied, the water exits the coating first, and that process prevents the expansion from taking place yet.  This step does not take much time,  but it serves to help cool down the surrounding area in the first stages of a fire as the water vapor is released into the air.  Once this water is out of the coating, it takes LESS HEAT to cause the FX-100^® to begin to expand.  When the FX-100^® is exposed to a CONTINUOS elevated temperature, the water slowly leaves the coating, and causes it to expand more easily,  That is whey it will expand if exposed to continuos temperatures as low as 130° F.

Flame Seal Products can make adjustments to the FX products to cause this expansion temperature to be somewhat higher, but only for industrial applications.

* This refers to a fire test called ASTM E-119, and its stipulated "time-temperature curve", which is the rate of temperature rise that simulates a cellulose fire (wood, fabric, etc. in a typical house or building fire) and its rate of growth.

CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED :