Around the world, organic thermal insulation materials have repeatedly caused fire accidents in recent years, and the root causes are quite clear.
Commonly‑used organic insulation materials such as EPS and XPS boards can only withstand a maximum temperature of around 80 °C. With flame‑retardant additives, their temperature resistance can rise to roughly 200 °C. By comparison, the flame temperature of an ordinary lighter exceeds 280 °C. Once organic insulation materials are heated to their critical temperature, degradation and decomposition reactions will occur. Dripping molten residues can quickly ignite other combustible materials nearby. Large volumes of flammable gas are generated and react with oxygen in the air to sustain combustion.
Most organic insulation materials contain flame retardants, yet they cannot achieve complete combustion under thermal decomposition. This process produces massive volumes of toxic and harmful flue gas, including carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitric oxide, hydrogen cyanide and hydrogen bromide. This explains why fires involving organic insulation materials are always accompanied by dense toxic smoke, which frequently leads to casualties.
Given their inherent combustion‑related drawbacks, organic insulation materials are facing increasing usage restrictions for buildings with dense occupancy, such as residential buildings, public transit facilities and commercial premises. Consequently, inorganic thermal insulation materials featuring superior fire‑resistance, long‑term durability and cost‑effectiveness have gained growing market acceptance in recent years.
Our composite magnesium silicate insulation material and aerogel thermal insulation material are both non‑combustible inorganic products, achieving fire‑resistance Class A per GB 8624‑2012. They feature high temperature tolerance and non‑combustible properties. Even under direct flame exposure, they release no toxic or hazardous fumes, effectively eliminating potential fire risks.
These materials are widely suitable for thermal preservation, cold insulation and anti‑condensation projects for piping systems. They can also replace organic alternatives such as polystyrene, phenolic foam and polyurethane, serving as thermal insulation, cold‑retention and sound‑absorbing materials in building applications.
To conclude, fires triggered by organic building insulation materials keep occurring in real‑world scenarios. Scenes of billowing smoke and raging flames are deeply alarming. Fire‑safety performance is of vital importance for insulation materials. Large‑scale adoption of high‑fire‑safety inorganic thermal‑insulation materials and components has become an inevitable industry trend.
