PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF FIRE-RETARDANT EMULSION PAINT USING LOCAL PIGMENTS AND EXTENDERS

The focus of the research was the formulation and evaluation of a fire-retardant emulsion paint using locally sourced materials, which is geared toward the enhancement of fire safety in building applications across Nigeria. While conventional emulsion paints are mostly used for their esthetic and protective qualities, they offer very minimal resistance to fire hazards. Due to the ever-growing need for passive fire protection, this study explored the integration of indigenous additives, such as genepor, kaolin, silicon emulsion, and ammonia, into a paint formulation designed to inhibit ignition and control flame spread. Two paint samples, a fire-retardant variant and a non-fire-retardant control, were produced. Both samples were subjected to a series of physical, chemical, and fire-resistance tests, including adhesion, opacity, pH, viscosity, density, drying time, moisture content, ignition time, and burning rate. It was observed that the fire-retardant paint exhibited significantly improved fire resistance, with an ignition time of 37 min and a burning rate of 0.264 cm/min, in contrast to the non-fire-retardant sample, which exhibited an ignition time of 2 min and a burning rate of 3.625 cm/min. The fire-retardant paint also met the Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) specifications for drying time and density, but its pH and opacity were slightly below the recommended benchmarks. These results demonstrate the feasibility of producing effective fire-retardant coatings from locally available materials, thereby providing a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to imported products