Explore the inner workings of the main component of Tenmat’s Advanced Passive Fire Protection Solutions and Materials – intumescent.

Passive Fire Protection – one of the main practices used to protect our developing communities. But why is passive fire protection important when it comes to protecting lives and properties? Whether you are developing a façade or a Type-VA multifamily structure, construction professionals are faced with a common life safety hazard – unprotected openings. When openings are left unprotected, they act as a “match to gasoline” in the acceleration of a fire outbreak.

To combat against these issues, building code officials have identified and implemented code regulations to reinstate the integrity of these unprotected openings with proper fire-resistance rated materials and solutions. In today’s construction industry, a wide range of materials are available to architects, developers, and contractors. However, we are going to focus on a technology that exceeds the expectations of passive fire protection: intumescent materials. So, let’s start with the No.1 question regarding this technology – what is an intumescent?

Introducing Intumescents.

An intumescent is a specialized material that reacts to heat or fire by rapidly expanding. Depending on the application’s requirements, it can expand up to 30 times its original size. The expansion pressure can be customized for specific uses or even modified to crush plastic pipework if desired. Once fully expanded, the intumescent forms a durable, solid char that effectively blocks the spread of fire, heat, and smoke for extended periods.

With its ability to activate when demanded, intumescents are integrated into some of the most complex applications, including ventilated rainscreen systems, through-penetration openings in walls and ceilings, and other high-risk spaces. This adaptability permits intumescents to becoming an essential component in modern fire protection.

Implementing and Installing Intumescents.

Over the last several decades, intumescents have been utilized across various industries and building types to reinforce life safety measures. Some of the most common applications include:

• Fire-Rated Ceiling/Floor Assemblies
• Fire-Rated Walls
• Fire-Rated Doors
• Plastic Pipes and Ducting
• Electrical and Mechanical Penetrations
• Structural Steel Protection

As a result of this adaptability, intumescent materials provide a reliable solution for construction professionals seeking to properly seal and reinforce unprotected openings. With its on-demand expansion, intumescents can be seamlessly integrated into fire-resistance, firestopping, and fireblocking systems, ensuring compliance with stringent building code regulations while maintaining the integrity of the building’s design.

Owning to its versatility, intumescents are specified across a diverse range of structures, from high-rise commercial buildings and industrial facilities to residential complexes and higher education institutions. Their versatility, combined with proven fire protection performance, makes them a critical component in safeguarding lives and property against fire hazards in the modern-day landscape.

Tenmat and Its Technology

Here at Tenmat, intumescent is the core component in all of our advanced passive fire protection solutions and materials. By incorporating this form of technology, Tenmat has the capability to develop high-performance solutions and materials, designed to meet the most rigorous and demanding applications. From formulating intumescent fire blocks to dome-shaped intumescent covers, Tenmat’s Advanced Intumescent Materials and Solutions showcase the benefits of reactive passive fire protection solutions, as opposed to a proactive solution.

For example, traditional firestopping products, such as mineral wool and sheet rock, are limited in movement – which is optimal in the scenario where the firestop does not need to change composure before AND during a fire. However, when installed in an opening that requires movement, such as a ventilated air cavity, traditional firestopping solutions pose negative effects.

To illustrate, let’s talk about a ventilated air cavity. With traditional mineral wool, its application would block off a portion of the air cavity – completely diminishing the benefits of a ventilated rainscreen. In the installation of intumescent fireblocking, such as specifying Tenmat’s FF102/50 Fire Block, the solution would be flushed with the cavity wall until an active fire, where the intumescent will then expand and solidify across the opening.  With this ability, Tenmat’s FF102/50 allows the cavity to maintain optimal performance and blocks the cavity when necessary. However, this is only one of the many scenarios on why Tenmat chooses intumescent as its main component in its Advanced Solutions and Materials.

Conclusion

As modern building codes continue to evolve, the demand for reliable, high-performance passive fire protection solutions continues to rise. Intumescents, with its unique ability to expand and adapt, plays a critical role in meeting these evolving safety standards. Its versatility allows it to effectively reinforce the integrity of both common and complex openings in our infrastructure, ensuring that flames, smoke, and heat are contained when it matters most.

As architects and construction professionals strive to design safer, more resilient buildings, intumescents will remain a cornerstone of passive fire protection. Whether used in high-rise developments, healthcare facilities, or K12 infrastructures, advanced intumescent materials and solutions, such as Tenmat’s, provides an unmatched combination of adaptability and performance. When it comes to passive fire protection, choose solutions, who have been tried and tested – specify Tenmat.