Request for Proposal
Alternative Thermo-Responsive Materials to Replace Expandable Graphite in Fire Protection Applications
Status: RFP is Closed
OPPORTUNITY:
Supplier agreement, Technology Licensing, Technology/Product Acquisition, Joint Development, Contract Development, Proof of Concept leading to scale-up to manufacturing
TIMELINE:
Phase 1 - Laboratory validation in Q2 – Q3 2022
Phase 2 - Technology selection of the best option(s) to commercialize in 2023
FINANCIALS:
- All financial and contractual terms to be discussed based on technology maturity level
- Proposals at idea stage & at laboratory scale – Potential funding to push proof of concepts towards higher TRL level
- Proposals at pilot scale – Potential direct financial support / capital investment to test and push the technology development to industrial level
- Proposals established in commercial/industrial scale – Potential direct testing and implementation into the end-application
SOLUTION PROVIDER HELP:
Program Manager: Meryem Pinar
Email: pinar@ninesigma.com
RFP was closed on
Jul 2022
RFP Title
Alternative Thermo-Responsive Materials to Replace Expandable Graphite in Fire Protection Applications
RFP Description
NineSigma representing a global materials manufacturing company, is seeking alternatives to expandable graphite in fire protection applications. The alternative thermo-responsive materials should expand rapidly, significantly, and irreversibly upon contact with temperatures above 130°C while generating strong mechanical pressure during expansion for efficient and reliable fire protection.
Background
In a continuously growing global market segment, NineSigma`s client would like to add new, affordable intumescent materials to its firestop product portfolio. Although passive fire protection by intumescence has been successfully commercialized for years, alternative technologies to expandable graphite have not been established. The latter is a good example of an intumescent material which has been around for years. To innovate beyond graphite, NineSigma`s client is seeking alternative, thermo-responsive materials.
Just like expandable graphite, the thermo-responsive materials of interest (mono-material, mixtures, or composite) should expand rapidly, significantly, and irreversibly in volume at a temperature around 130°C (or higher) and should be able to apply a mechanical strength to its surroundings. Since the alternative material will be used in fire protection applications, it has to be thermally and chemically stable over a long period of time while maintaining expansion properties. Also, the expansion ability should remain unaffected by environmental influences caused by humidity and common ambient temperatures until the moment of a fire outbreak.
Figure 1: The black material is an expandable material with a weight on top (left). When triggered (right), the material expands and lifts the weight vertically.
Key Success Criteria
The proposed solution should:
- Provide a volume expansion for fire protection applications
- Rapidly and irreversibly expand at a trigger temperature between around 130 °C and 300 °C
- Have a free expansion of min. ≈20 times in height (indicative factor)
- Be able to generate significant mechanical pressure when expanding
Nice-to have’s:
- Be storage stable in built-in / life-time situation for decades maintaining its properties at any time
- Once fully expanded: poor thermal conductivity (good thermal insulation) and thermal resistance when exposed to high temperatures
- Once fully expanded: good mechanical resistance against low to medium mechanical forces
Possible Approaches
The solution can be one of the following approaches, but not limited to:
- Novel intumescent materials
- Thermo expandable materials
- Trigger responsive materials
- Smart polymers
- Inorganic polymer composites
- Silicates
- Novel enhanced expandable graphite variations
Approaches not of Interest
The following approaches are NOT in scope of this project:
- Substances hazardous for human, animals, or environment
- Purely mechanical solutions larger than millimeter scale
- Vermiculite based materials/mixtures
- Standard expandable graphite materials
Preferred Collaboration Types
Items to be Submitted
Your response should address the following:
- Non-confidential description of proposed technology, materials and working principle
- Technical maturity of the approach (concept, prototype, ready to commercialize, ready to implement, commercialized)
- Availability of technical data to demonstrate the potential, cost, and its relevance in general (If applicable, material safety data sheet or assessment of safety / health / environmental risks)
- Pathway to commercial scale including timing, estimated budget, and capacity for manufacture (nice to have)
- Position on intellectual property
- Desired relationship with sponsor
- Team description and related experience
