Ask the Expert Question-and-Answer Archive

by Ron Joseph

January, 2005

Ageing Of Intumescent Coatings

Q. Do coatings of intumescent paint age significantly with time and if so what is the lifetime of a typical coating?

I can't tell you about the life of an intumescent coating, since to some extent is depends on the resin system and exposure conditions. I haven't seen any articles that discuss aging, but that does not imply that such work has not been performed and published. My guess is that, depending on the resin system, coatings that are exposed to humid conditions will have a shorter life span, because the ingredients that provide the intumescence might leach out of the coating over a period of time.

Best wishes,

Ron Joseph