OREANDA-NEWS. The fire performance of Palusol(r) fire protection panels has recently been given the top A1 rating for construction products under European DIN EN 13501-1, which means that Palusol is now classified as a "non-combustible" construction material across Europe. The certificate was issued by the accredited Testing, Monitoring and Certification Body of the Technical University of Munich.

The key element in the assessment is the SBI (Single Burning Item) test stipulated by the EU Construction Products Directive in which the material is exposed to the thermal attack by a single burning item . The specimen is placed in a corner under a smoke hood and its reaction to flames, e.g. heat and smoke generation, is recorded and used to rate the product in fire protection classes A1 (non-combustible) to F (highly flammable).

The Palusol fire protection panels, which are non-homogeneous in structure, are composed of sodium silicate and glass fibers coated with epoxy resin to protect against external environmental effects. They provide passive fire protection, for example in fire protection doors, fire-resistant glazing, safety cabinets and firewalls. The A1 classification gives Palusol access to any safety applications in construction and transport, and makes it easier for BASF's customers to use Palusol in structural components sold outside of Germany.

"For construction materials in applications marketed across Europe, the requirement to provide European certification based on one harmonized process rather than several national fire protection classifications is becoming increasingly common", explains Andreas Bolz, Business Manager at BASF. "Palusol's top rating in construction material class A1 now makes it easier for many customers to plan and develop new applications, which in some cases are complex structural component systems. They can also make savings in terms of costly and expensive tests on finished parts."