Phenol thermosetting plastic, a lifesaver
At ICOM Composites we follow a Danish tradition of placing a wooden witch on top of a bonfire – this takes place in mid-June and the tradition is known as Sankt Hans.
According the usual legend and tradition the witch will be burned off and flies back to Bloksbjerg.
The witch is burnt to a cinder when the embers of the fire are extinguished.
However, ICOM recycles the same witch year after year. We are talking about a real recycling witch, who has now been on fire since Sankt Hans 2014!
How is this possible?
The short answer is that ICOM´’s witch is built in phenolic thermosetting plastic and does not burn,
despite the fact that “she” has been subjected to intense heat and flames.
The witch is produced from phenol, plywood and infusion mats.
This clearly shows the unique properties and advantages of using phenolic thermosetting plastics when requirements for fire properties are required.
Fire tests with Phonol confirms minimal flame and smoke development.
In 2020 the RISE institute in Sweden carried out a number of interesting fire tests which show that a phenol laminate carbonizes when it is exposed to an open flame.
This means that flame spread and smoke evolution are virtually non-existent when the material is exposed to fire.
When the phenol laminate is applied to fire-retardant paint there is virtually no smoke development and the product transforms into a fantastic fire-retardant – a potential lifesaver!
Phenol and vinyl ester therefore show an additional property that is much sought after.
Applications include commercial shipbuilding, where weight, construction options, strength and fire properties play a crucial role in material selection.
In buildings, especially cladding, the choice of the composite material phenol is crucial for life-saving safety in the event of a fire.
For more details on the choice of phenolic materials available, please contact ICOM
Hexion becomes Bakelite Synthetics
If you receive phenol from ICOM, you probably know the name, Hexion.
Going forward, we’ll turn to a new name as Hexion changes its name to Bakelite Synthetics.
The name change does not entail any changes, as production, delivery and product quality remain unchanged.
Other news
Phenol hærdeplast som livredder
Information about significant price increases and raw material shortages!