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Eco-friendly intumescent coating provides advanced fire protection for steel and batteries
A new biomass-based intumescent coating offers multifunctional fire protection, reducing heat release and preventing thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries while safeguarding steel structures under extreme temperatures.
Fire protection is essential for applications ranging from steel structures to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). A recent study introduces a biomass-based intumescent coating that combines multifunctional properties, including flame retardancy, smoke suppression, wear resistance, and hydrophobicity, to address diverse fire scenarios.
The coating demonstrated remarkable performance during fire testing. When applied as a 1.5 mm thick layer to steel, it maintained the backside temperature below 150 °C during a 20-minute butane torch fire test, despite exposure to over 1100 °C. This temperature is significantly lower than the steel failure threshold. Cone calorimeter tests further revealed reductions of 89.9 % in peak heat release rate (pHRR) and 87.4 % in total heat release (THR), compared to control coatings.
Event Tip: EC Conference Frontiers in Fire Protective Coatings
With stricter regulations, rising sustainability requirements and modern construction methods, the field of fire-protective coatings is evolving rapidly.Join leading experts on 13 – 14 April 2026 in Copenhagen, Denmark, to discuss the latest scientific and technological advances, from bio-based flame-retardant systems and enhanced durability testing to next-generation intumescent technologies and digitalisation of certification and performance assessment processes.
Thermal runaway prevention in batteries
The coating also excelled in protecting lithium-ion batteries. It inhibited heat transfer between cells and maintained the backside temperature below 88.2 °C, with a surface heating rate as low as 0.072 °C/s. This delayed the propagation of thermal runaway, enhancing battery safety under extreme conditions.
Mechanistic analysis showed that the coating’s components react rapidly during combustion, forming a robust intumescent char that acts as an effective thermal barrier. This study highlights the potential of green, multifunctional intumescent coatings for advancing thermal safety in steel structures and energy systems.
Source: Xiao, F. et al., A versatile eco-friendly intumescent coating imparts excellent fire protective performance for steel structures and batteries. Progress in Organic Coatings, 109850 (2025).
