EPOXY PRODUCTS IN RELATION TO FIRE

Here are some of the points regarding EPOXY PRODUCTS IN RELATION TO FIRE and are as follows:

1. Epoxy resin and hardeners are classified non-flammable because their flash points are greater than 200°F and they evaporate slowly. – Hence safe to use at site.
2. The hardener & resin components are non-flammable liquid, but may be corrosive or toxic at liquid stage. If the epoxy is mixed as per manufacturer’s specification and allowed to dry / cure,  it will a product which cannot be assigned a P or U waste code.
3. In general, epoxy products fully cured will be more heat & chemical resistant. The strength of epoxies is degraded at temperatures above 350 °F (177 °C).
4. Epoxies bonds the substrate in three ways:
1. Mechanically, because the bonding surfaces are roughened
2. By proximity, because the cured resins are physically so close to the bonding surfaces that they are hard to separate
3. Ionically, because the epoxy resins form ionic bonds at an atomic level with the bonding surfaces.

Hence, act as good system even at high temperature & chemicals attack.

5. Epoxies can be re-formulated as conductive or dissipative flooring / coating to avoid the accidents casing by the Electro static charges.
6. Study at NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION, WASHINGTON, DC 20555-0001 August 13, 2007:
1. PURPOSE: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this information notice (IN) to inform addressees of a fire protection issue raised by NRC inspectors at two nuclear power plants that involves the combustibility of epoxy floor coatings over the concrete floors in various plant areas.
2. GDC 3 states, in part, “Non-combustible and heat-resistant materials shall be used wherever practical throughout the unit, particularly in locations such as the containment and control room.” However, GDC 3 does not preclude the use of combustible materials. Examples of combustible materials found in nuclear power plants are electrical cable insulation and jackets, lubricants, hydraulic and control fluids, diesel generator fuel oils, charcoal and other filters, and flammable gases. In general, when such materials are properly managed, are accounted for in the plant design and operation, and are incorporated as integral components of the plant fire protection program, including the fire hazard analysis, they may be acceptable. NRC inspectors at two facilities raised an issue involving the fact that epoxy floor coating may or may not be considered combustible in the NRC-approved fire protection program depending on (1) the thickness with which the coating is applied, and (2) an independent laboratory testing of the flame spread rating for the specific epoxy floor coating. The inspectors found that although these licensees considered the epoxy floor coatings non-combustible, they had not evaluated and controlled the thickness with which the epoxy coating was applied on floors. When subsequent evaluation and testing by these licensees showed that the epoxy coating must be considered combustible, these licensees performed a fire hazards analysis that incorporated the combustible epoxy coating in accordance with their NRC-approved fire protection program.
3. CONCLUSION:  The problem of epoxy floor coatings that are considered combustible can be avoided by using a product with a low flame spread rating, applying it in accordance with the manufacturer’s/ vendor’s recommendations, and providing plant procedural controls for applying the coating to ensure it does not exceed recommended thickness. Coatings that are applied thicker than a manufacturer’s recommendations may exceed the listed flame spread rating.
4. For more details: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML0719/ML071920090.pdf