Multifunctional Smoke- and Gas-Suppressant Systems for Polyurethane Foams

Although many different smoke suppressants and fire retardants for polyurethane foams have been reported, these often increase the evolution of toxic gas on burning. Even where this is not so, as in the case of ‘char-formers’, on which we have reported previously, no previous claim has been made for a system which successfully combines suppression of both smoke and toxic gas. This paper shows that new, multifunctional additive systems comprising a char-forming smoke-and-toxic-gas (STG) suppressant together with a combustion-rate-reducing component and a char-stabilising component can lead to dramatic reductions in evolved toxic gases, particularly carbon monoxide, early in the burning process. As a result, substantial improvements in safety can result from the lengthening of escape times.