Charmor is Perstorp's brand of micronized polyols used for producing high performance intumescent coatings.  The Charmor products serve as the carbon donor in intumescent coatings, which in conjunction with a blowing agent and acid source produce a char layer when exposed to fire.  This Char layer protects the underlying substrate, limiting structural damage and facilitating the evacuation of the impacted structures.

Overall, intumescent coatings work as follows:

  1. The thermoplastic coating film melts when exposed to the heat of fire, allowing further chemical reactions to take place in the soft matrix.
  2. The acid donor (ammonium polyphosphate) decomposes to form polyphosphoric acid.
  3. Polyphosphoric acid reacts with Charmor to form an inorganic/organic ester
  4. The blowing agent (melamine) releases gases causing the ester to create a foam that forms the insulating barrier which adheres to the substrate
  5. The ester decomposes to form a tough carbon matrix
 
Charmor Products