FIRE RESISTANT BARRIER HAVING CHEMICAL BARRIER LAYER
Disclosed is an FR barrier that may be used to enhance the fire resistance characteristics of a product, and an associated method for forming such an FR barrier. The FR barrier includes a chemical barrier layer and an FR nonwoven fiber batt. The chemical barrier layer improves the FR characteristics of the FR nonwoven fiber batt, often by depriving flame of oxygen, while the FR nonwoven fiber batt may shield a combustible layer of a product from direct contact with flame. The chemical barrier layer is often applied to the distal side surface of the FR nonwoven fiber batt.
1 . A fire resistant (“FR”) barrier, comprising:
a nonwoven fiber batt having a first side surface and a second side surface, said nonwoven fiber batt formed from a homogeneous fiber blend comprising FR fibers and carrier fibers; and
a chemical barrier having FR characteristics, wherein said chemical barrier is applied to said first side surface of said nonwoven fiber batt.
2 . An FR barrier as in claim 1 , wherein said homogeneous fiber blend further comprises binder fibers.
3 . An FR barrier as in claim 2 , wherein said carrier fibers comprise polyester carrier fibers and said binder fibers comprise polyester binder fibers.
4 . An FR barrier as in claim 1 , wherein said nonwoven fiber batt further comprises resin operable to adhere said fibers of said homogenous fiber blend.
5 . An FR barrier as in claim 1 , wherein said chemical barrier comprises oxygen depleting chemicals.
6 . An FR barrier as in claim 1 , wherein said chemical barrier comprises phosphorus-based FR chemicals.
7 . An FR barrier as in claim 1 , wherein said chemical barrier comprises multipolyphosphate.
8 . An FR barrier as in claim 1 , wherein said FR fibers are operable to neither melt nor flow when in contact with heat or flame.
9 . An FR barrier as in claim 1 , wherein said FR fibers comprise inherently FR fibers.
10 . An FR barrier as in claim 9 , wherein said inherently FR fibers comprise durable FR rayon or Visil® fibers.
11 . An FR barrier as in claim 1 , wherein said FR fibers comprise non-inherently FR fibers treated with a fire retardant chemical.
12 . An FR barrier as in claim 11 , wherein said non-inherently FR fibers comprise cellulosic fibers selected from the group consisting of rayon, cotton, jute, shoddy, wool, and silk.
13 . A product incorporating the FR barrier of claim 1 , said product having a combustible layer, wherein said second side surface of said nonwoven fiber batt is disposed in proximity to the combustible layer.
14 . A product as in claim 13 , wherein said product is selected from the group consisting of mattresses, bed clothing, upholstered cushions, and automotive firewalls.
15 . A method for forming a fire resistant (“FR”) barrier, comprising:
forming a homogeneous blend of fibers comprising FR fibers and carrier fibers;
forming a nonwoven fiber batt from said homogeneous blend of fibers, wherein said nonwoven fiber batt has a first side surface and a second side surface; and
applying a chemical barrier having FR characteristics to said first side surface of said nonwoven fiber batt.
16 . A method as in claim 15 , wherein applying the chemical barrier comprises spraying oxygen depleting chemicals onto the first side surface.
17 . A method as in claim 15 , wherein applying the chemical barrier comprises foaming oxygen depleting chemicals onto the first side surface.
18 . A method as in claim 15 , wherein said homogeneous blend of fibers further comprises binder fibers, and forming the nonwoven fiber batt comprises thermally bonding the binder fibers to the FR fibers, the carrier fibers, and to each other.
19 . A method as in claim 15 , further comprising treating non-inherently FR fibers with a fire retardant chemical to form the FR fibers.
20 . A method as in claim 15 , wherein said FR barrier is used with a product having a combustible layer, said method further comprising disposing said second side surface of said nonwoven fiber batt in proximity to the combustible layer of the product.