Barrikade® - a fire resistant composite insulation material developed by TWI
Barrikade® is a patented heat-insulation material, consisting of inorganic vermiculite particles (aluminium iron-magnesium silicate) and a sodium silicate blended binder. Developed at TWI, the substance overcomes many of the heat transfer problems associated with traditional construction materials, and can be used as a coating to protect structures that may be affected by high temperatures.
The nature of the material is such that it can be produced in a number of thicknesses, adheres to most surfaces including metal, wood, and composites, can be moulded round complicated shapes and can be machined using simple hand tools.
Barrikade is fire resistant with no traceable toxic fumes, and it can withstand 1000°C on one face while the other face does not exceed 170°C after 70 minutes. Being lightweight, it is ideally suited as a core material for sandwich structures, and typical applications for the material are fire doors and panels in buildings and ships and heat shields.
One application that is being studied carefully is its use within military vehicles. Radiant heat is generated in the gun barrel and missile housing when a projectile is fired, and this can transmit a very strong infrared signature, allowing enemy forces to locate and target the tank which fired the missile. The use shielding of cloaking materials reduces the intensity of the signature since the heat is transmitted over a large area, and then migrates through the thickness, thus preventing accurate location of the weaponry. Barrikade offers many advantages as a cloaking material, together with the ability to be easily moulded and machined.
Barrikade has already found use in a number of other applications. Eurotube Ltd has encapsulated it's stainless steel solder baths (which operate up to 550°C) with Barikade, making use of its exceptional insulation properties, along with its ability to be easily moulded and machined. It is also being considered for use in catalytic converters for automotive exhausts.
Further information
FAQs- What is Barrikade?
- How is Barrikade made?
- Where can Barrikade be used? Industrial Members only
- Barrikade holds fire! (Connect, November/December 2002)
- Barrikade - tried and tested...now a commercial reality (Bulletin, September/October 2002) Industrial Members only
- New manufacturing role for Barrikade (Connect, November 2000)
- Defensive role for Barrikade (Connect, September 2000)
- Using Barrikade - the practical approach (Bulletin, July/August 2000) Industrial Members only
- The heat in the sandwich - homegrown fire resistant composite out-performs competitors (Bulletin, January/February 2000) Industrial Members only
- Heat insulation and fire resistance using composite materials
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Barrikade - new opportunity
TWI is reviewing its IP (intellectual property) portfolio and licensing strategy for Barrikade . . .