A1 foam:
Non-combustible building foam for fire doors and windows as well as for the insulation of building-technology systems and three-dimensional molded parts

Project start / September 01, 2021

The installation and rectification of construction elements in buildings with heightened fire-protection requirements is laborious. Commercially available building foams are combustible and have therefore not been permitted in such applications up until now. In collaboration with industry partners, we are developing a non-combustible filling and assembly foam of building-material Class A1. We are thereby simplifying the installation of fire doors and windows as well as the sealing of breakthroughs in fire-protection walls. Furthermore, the new foam should enable customized solutions for fire-protection insulation, for example in the insulation of building technology and the filling of three-dimensional molded parts.

Last modified: September 01, 2021

The photo shows a cartridge from which a pale-gray foam is oozing, which is being used to seal a hole in a wall. — © IGP Chemie
The non-combustible mineral foam can be utilized in a wide variety of applications and can considerably simplify construction in compliance with stringent fire-protection requirements.

In building sections without special fire-protection requirements, filling and installation foams on the basis of polyurethane (PU) are currently used. PU foams are not suitable for fire-protection solutions, as they are classified as flame-retardant at best.

The company IGP Chemie GmbH has already developed a non-combustible 2-component mineral-based foam. This is not yet competitive in the construction sector, partly due to the fact that the foaming behavior and the associated thermal conductivity do not perform adequately. This is something we want to improve during the project.

The objective is for the non-combustible mineral foam to exhibit properties similar to those of a commercially available PU foam. It should be suitable for the rapid backfilling of window frames and door frames and for foaming out wall breakthroughs, joints and other cavities. When cured, it should be chemically harmless and just as easy to cut, saw, drill and sand as a PU foam. Particularly as regards its use as an insulation material for technical equipment, we also want to reduce its thermal conductivity. During development, we are, of course, also taking care to ensure that the new fire-protection foam complies with the limit values for emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

A further project objective is the development of a mobile dosing system with which 25 kg of material can be processed in a single operation. This would enable customized insulation for building-technology equipment to be produced quickly and with a precise fit. The dosing system is also advantageous with regard to the installation of fire doors and windows: It eliminates the need to discard the 600-ml disposable plastic cartridges currently in use, which would accumulate in large quantities on the construction sites.

Fire protection saves lives. Many buildings are therefore subject to stringent fire-protection requirements - particularly in places where large numbers of people congregate, such as daycare centers, schools, hospitals and administrative buildings. Fire protection also plays a major role in high-rise buildings with long escape routes. At the same time, in view of the climate crisis, buildings are increasingly being constructed using renewable raw materials. Simple and cost-effective fire-protection solutions are of benefit in all areas, including modern drywall construction incorporating wood and other sustainable building materials.

The development of a competitive filling and assembly foam of building-material Class A1 is technically very complex and cost-intensive. At the Fraunhofer WKI, we can draw on our technical expertise and many years of experience in the field of fire protection (development and testing) and the development of insulation materials based on renewable raw resources. With this project, we are providing an efficient contribution towards ensuring that the new A1 foam achieves even better insulation and that it can be easily processed on construction sites or in the production of molded insulating parts.

Economic advantages

If the project is successfully completed, it will be easier for the construction industry to implement stringent fire-protection specifications. Breakthroughs and cavities in fire-resistant and highly fire-retardant building components can be sealed quickly with the new non-combustible building foam. As a result of the time saved, manufacturers of fire doors and windows, as well as installation and drywall construction companies, would be able to provide their customers with more favorable offers.

Companies in the field of technical building equipment (German: TGA) could also benefit. With the fire-protection foam, they are provided with a simple possibility of furnishing diverse technical building equipment - such as heating, sanitary, electrical, ventilation or security systems - with fire-protected thermal and acoustic insulation.

Project results

Together with our project partners, we have succeeded in developing the non-combustible filling and installation foam (construction-material class A1). As a result, the installation of fire-resistant doors and windows and the sealing of openings in fire-resistant walls is simplified. In addition, prototypes for prefabricated insulation shells for insulating heating systems were produced as part of the project - an innovation for fire protection in construction that will be further developed for industrial applications in a follow-up project.

Project partners

IGP Chemie GmbH
GWK Kuhlmann GmbH
WF – formprojekt GmbH

Funding

Official project title: Entwicklung eines nichtbrennbaren A1-Schaums zur Herstellung von 3D-Schalendämmungen und zur Anwendung als Montage- oder Füllschaum für Brandschutztüren und -fenster sowie Wandöffnungen (Development of a non-combustible A1 foam for the production of 3D shell insulation and for utilization as an assembly or filling foam for fire-protection doors and windows as well as wall openings)

Funding body: German Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community (BMI)

Project management: German Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR)

Funding reference: SWD-10.08.18.7-21.17.2

Duration: 1.9.2021 to 15.2.2024

Research project

A1 foam:
Non-combustible building foam for fire doors and windows as well as for the insulation of building-technology systems and three-dimensional molded parts

Economic advantages

Project results

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Project partners

Funding

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Dr. Torsten Kolb

A1 foam: Non-combustible building foam for fire doors and windows as well as for the insulation of building-technology systems and three-dimensional molded parts

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Economic advantages

Project results

Project partners

Funding

A1 foam:
Non-combustible building foam for fire doors and windows as well as for the insulation of building-technology systems and three-dimensional molded parts