• PROJECT TITLE: NOvel ModificatiOn tReatments to improvE wood resistance against FIRE (NOMOREFIRE)
• PROJECT TEAM: René Alexander Herrera Díaz, PhD (leader), Anna Sandak, Jakub Sandak, Nežka Sajinčič, Faksawat Poohphajai 
• PERIOD: 01.01.2021 – 31.12.2022
• BUDGET: €3,000
• FINANCING: Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS), PHC Proteus program
• PARTNERS: InnoRenew CoE (Slovenia); Institute of Analytical Sciences and Physico-Chemistry for Environment and Materials – IPREM – at the University of Pau and Pays de l’Adour (France)

Forest-based industries need to develop products with improved properties to meet high standards and compete as environmentally friendly alternatives to aluminum, steel, concrete, plastic, gypsum and brick. Wood combustibility is a limiting factor that can be overcome by flame retardants that protect against initial fire, especially for interior products where low surface flammability is required (Euroclass B). Halogenated compounds and water-soluble inorganic salts are commonly incorporated into these protective treatments. Traditional fire retardants have drawbacks, however, including toxicity, volatility and chemical loss through leaching, which leads to poor fire performance and reduces safety margins during the use phase.

NOMOREFIRE aims to improve wood resistance against fire through innovative surface modification treatments that replace harmful elements with natural or renewable compounds with lower toxicity. NOMOREFIRE will explore efficient wood surface pre-treatments in order to improve the applied solutions’ retention and adhesion, extend service life and reduce final products’ environmental impact. Performance of the coating products synthesized with tannin, treated lignin and inorganic nanoparticles, as well as the effect of short-term thermomechanical densification and low-temperature plasma treatments, will be evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis, flame-fire standard measurements and correlation of quality parameters with analytical data from modern non-destructive methods, specifically hyperspectral imaging and spectroscopy.

InnoRenew CoE project activities

InnoRenew CoE will prepare and characterize wood samples, formulate protective products, work on wood surface pre-treatments, apply novel protective treatments and characterize wood pre-treatment–coating interactions. After evaluating the coatings’ thermal and fireproofing properties, InnoRenew CoE will make a comprehensive analysis of the whole process and product performance by modern, non-destructive methods and then exploit and disseminate results.