A new fire-retardant construction material which can resist flames as hot as 1,300 degrees Celsius without disintegrating has been developed by researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China.
If used in walls, the material could provide extended protection against fire-induced collapse of reinforced concrete structures, winning more time for evacuation of the building, according to the researchers.
It can also be used to insulate older buildings, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported today.
The research team, led by Prof Yu Shuhong, came up with a composite aerogel with low thermal conductivity and excellent fire resistance.
The composite, synthesised from phenol-formaldehyde-resin and silica, can resist a high-temperature flame without disintegration, researcher Yu Zhilong said.
The composite, which is highly porous and resilient, displays better fire-resistance than current insulation materials such as expanded polystyrene and glass wool, according to the report.
The research results were published in Angewandte Chemie, a German academic journal, it said.
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