Boric acid has long been known to have a flame retardant effect. Therefore, wood can be made flame retardant by soaking boric acid in the wood.
But the effect is small. The reason is that it is difficult to soak boric acid into wood. This is because boric acid is inherently hardly soluble in water and dissolves at most only about 4%. Therefore, a large amount of water was needed to penetrate the wood, and it was thought that it was not suitable for practical use.
In order to overcome these problems, research has been conducted on methods of forcibly creating a high-concentration aqueous solution by applying pressure or decompression or mixing other components with the drug itself.
However, there is a drawback that it takes a long time to process if abundant repetition of pressurization and decompression is repeated, and it is not possible to overcome problems such as the fact that flame retardants mixed with other components do not penetrate wood in the first place.

So SOUFA we offer is trying to open up the future. SOUFA has the technology to dissolve up to 30% or more components in water at room temperature using only boric acid as the main raw material.
Very high concentration boric acid aqueous solution. Since it does not contain surfactants or other solvents, it has a very high permeability to wood, and can penetrate chemicals to the level of non-combustible wood without pressure and pressure reduction.

It is said that non-combustible wood currently in circulation has some disadvantages.
That is efflorescence and leaching. Efflorescence means that the wood surface becomes white.
And leaching is that the drug comes out on the wood surface and becomes sticky. Some materials seem to leach out like dew condensation, so there is a problem in using them as products. In general, non-combustible wood is coated by painting, but it still did not solve the problem.

Although boric acid is considered to be the main cause of efflorescence, efflorescence has not been observed in wood impregnated with SOUFA. Unlike ordinary non-combustible wood, it can be painted because it keeps the texture of wood.
There is no need to worry because ammonium phosphate, which is the cause of leaching, is not used.

The chemicals used as wood flame retardants are ammonium borate, phosphoric acid, and nitrocellulose resin coatings / inorganic phosphoric acid / melamine agents, acrylic resin coatings, hydrous borate / inorganic phosphate agents Drugs, etc.

However, companies that have obtained non-combustibility certification for these drugs have suffered from poor performance several years ago. Since then, the standards for certified noncombustible wood have become very strict, and new noncombustible certified wood has become quite difficult. From our research, it will be difficult to make wood non-combustible with chemical treatments other than SOUFA.
Most of the non-combustible woods currently on the market are products that have obtained non-combustible certification before the standards became strict.

We are currently conducting basic experiments to obtain noncombustibility certification.
As the verification values ​​for the test pass level are almost complete, preparations are underway to obtain a certification number.

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Compared to the nonflammability test of building materials, the combustion test of railways passes relatively easily because the standard is loose. If it is wood, it can be cleared just by applying soufa. We believe that it will reach that level with about two coats.

The other day, soufa passed the fire qualification test, but recognizes that the railway fire test is almost the same level.
It is a 45-degree Meckel burner method and was cleared by soufa application.
In this case, it could be passed with one coat, so depending on the material, it may not be necessary to apply as much.

Due to the recent boom in railways, the use of wood for interior decoration is increasing in commemorative express trains.
In the case of railways, post-treatment is considered to be sufficient because flame retardancy is not required as much as using non-combustible wood. soufa is a colorless, transparent, odorless aqueous solution that does not significantly affect the texture of wood, so it can maintain the same texture.
Boric acid, the main raw material of soufa, also has ant and antiseptic effects, so wood lasts longer.

The drawback is that it is water-soluble and cannot be used where it is exposed to water. So it is not suitable for exterior use, but interior use is fine. There is no railway that uses wood for the exterior. . .

The effect is semi-permanent because it does not volatilize with inorganic substances.

The effect is high as a fire countermeasure because the difference can be obtained only by painting.

Paper-based materials are also effective.

This is one impregnated in Japanese paper.

Excellent cost performance because it can be used in post-construction.
Incombustible wood is expensive because it must be manufactured at the factory each time.
Since soufa is an inorganic substance and does not volatilize, once installed, the effect lasts semipermanently.

It is easy because it can be treated by painting or spraying, and there is no toxicity so subsequent problems are also safe.

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Since the Itoigawa fire broke out in 2016, the safety of fires on wooden houses is being questioned. Many experts simply say they are not aware of flame protection, but they do not specify a solution.

We have constant consultations from several fittings shops.
It seems to be exploring variously because it is an industry with a history.

In such a situation, it is inevitable to use fireproof and non-combustible wooden materials.
There is also a need to make building materials such as columns and beams non-flammable, but since they are generally structures covered with fire-resistant boards, etc., the burning order will be delayed. Rather, it is urgently necessary to make non-combustible parts visible from everyday life.

Recently, as the number of Japanese-style rooms has decreased, the production volume of wooden fittings has been on a declining trend. Because it is visible wood. Japanese-style rooms have various wooden fittings. So are shoji, bran, and ranma.

The easiest thing to understand about non-combustible fittings is to use non-combustible wood for all raw materials. However, this is costly and the non-combustible wood becomes hard, which causes problems in workability. That is where post-processing is possible.

If flame resistance and fire resistance can be imparted to wooden fittings by post-processing, construction efficiency will not deteriorate. The material that can give non-combustibility to wooden fittings is soufa.
soufa is an aqueous solution of sodium polyborate with boric acid as the main raw material, which can be brushed, sprayed and roller coated on the wood surface.
Here is the experimental video.

It is highly effective on wood and shows a considerable difference in combustion just by painting. Soufa has a high effect on cellulosic materials and can be applied to shoji paper.

There is a company of wooden fittings in a company I have been dating, but it seems that the shipment volume is decreasing year by year as well. Therefore, we try to keep the price by adding some added value and dig up demand.

There are not many companies that sell flame retardants like ours, and these materials are generally exchanged between factories and companies. However, we offer a wide range of products, including end-users, for our mission of making nearby wood flame-retardant.

There was a consultation from a design office the other day. It is said that all wooden fittings used for interior decoration should be made non-combustible. When he was pointed out, he heard the specific method, but no clear answer was given.
The person who points out does not seem to understand well. However, he said that the fire was bad, so he would like to remove equipment that could cause such a fire as much as possible.

If a certification number is required, a certification number must be obtained for each material. That is, if it is a fitting, it is necessary to obtain a certification number as a fitting. This is so high that it cannot be obtained overnight and is fittings subject to noncombustibility certification in the first place? That is also a question.
If it is flameproof certified, it may be possible to acquire it in a relatively short time because the test level is lowered, but it is still assumed that it is a factory-produced product, and was there a flameproof certified category for fittings in the first place? And the question remains.

The request from the design office was that you wanted to work on site and give it a certification number, but that is very difficult.
Since there is no escape route if it is caught by the Building Standards Law, there are two options: use noncombustible certified products or avoid wooden products.

The post Non-combustible / non-combustible processing of wooden fittings and its manufacturing first appeared on SOUFA INC.Boric acid flameretardant& Termiticide.

Probably the only company that offers this type of wood flame retardant.
Manufacturers of non-combustible wood often develop chemicals for their products, so it seems that they do not basically sell chemicals only, which means that they lose their know-how.

Some manufacturers of non-combustible wood use flame-retardant manufacturers directly to make use of them, but since such information does not leak to the outside, it is quite difficult to obtain materials for flame retardants for wood. not.

There was a consultation from a lumber company the other day.
He is considering making non-combustible wood, but he is too opaque to understand what it is.

Our company basically does not manufacture incombustible wood in our company, so we recognize that providing a drug does not create a rivalry. Therefore, we provide drugs to each company.

In fact, in recent years, there have been more studies of application to other materials than wood.
Paper, pulp, building materials, resins, etc. We have begun offering products in various fields. Inquiries from the start of powder production have increased.

However, our company is originally specialized in flame retardant wood, so we have little knowledge about materials other than wood. Therefore, various tests will be conducted by companies.

Our main business is to sell flame retardants, so if you have any questions, please contact us.

The post 不燃木材用の薬液【soufa】入手方法 first appeared on SOUFA INC.Boric acid flameretardant& Termiticide.

Sofa is a boric acid termiticide. The boric acid system has long been shunned by industry associations, but its effectiveness has been recognized in recent years and the use of association-approved products has been spreading.
It has been pointed out that the termiticide on the internal structure of a general termite repellent has an ineffective effect when used in a wooden house because it has a strong odor and the effect is short, about 5 years.

In the case of boric acid termiticides, the effect is semi-permanent because it does not evaporate unlike organic matter. Boric acid is mainly used in Hawaii where termites are heavily damaged.
It is said that once installed, it stays in the internal structure, so it is more effective than existing termiticides.
Also, the toxicity of boric acid is about the same as that of salt, so there is no effect on the human body unless overdose. This is also a difference from existing termiticides. There is no smell, so it is a material that is easy for installers.

And our company, which handles boric acid termites, says that we do not recommend the installation of 1m from the base. The base surface is generally treated on the premise that termites enter from the ground, but wooden houses that are actually damaged by termites also suffer from beams and columns on the second floor.
For this reason, it is recommended that all structures be treated with boric acid.

No impregnation is required. The termite test conducted at our company has been tested with a chemical amount of about 150 g / m2, and the effect is sufficiently achieved with that amount.
Therefore, by constructing soufa at the stage when the structure is up, the house will be highly effective against termites in the future.
Please consider it.

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It depends on the type of Christmas decoration, but any decoration that can absorb moisture, such as paper or cotton, can be flame retardant.
By the way, flame retardant does not mean that it does not burn at all.
Even if the fire is on, the fire extinguishes if the source of the fire goes away, or refers to the state with the ability to not spread further. So you may burn or smoke.
In some cases, a flame may come out. Just then digest naturally.

Materials that can provide these properties are called flame retardants. It is mainly used in the chemical field, and is used by mixing plastics and the like.
Therefore, the degree of flame retardancy of familiar plastic products is quite high now.

If you try to burn your computer, it will not burn easily.
Smartphones also do not burn easily.
Plastics are often made from petroleum-derived components, but they are still developed to be difficult to burn.

However, the toxicity of this “flame retardant” has become a problem in recent years.
The most widely used flame retardants in the world are composed of halogen-based elements. Bromine and chlorine. Have you ever heard the word PVC?
That is vinyl chloride, vinyl containing chlorine. Vinyl is flammable by itself, but it is difficult to burn when chlorine is mixed. However, there is a concern that halogen-based elements alone are highly toxic and generate dioxins when burned.
Therefore, dehalogenation is progressing in the industry.

soufa does not contain any halogens. The main component is boric acid, and the characteristic test of soufa alone is also conducted. Experiments with daphnia, carp, mouse, etc. This has proven to be almost non-toxic.
It is okay if you think that it is about salt. Since boric acid is an inorganic substance and does not volatilize, it is possible to work in a closed environment. It evaporates after the spraying operation, but it does not affect the human body because “water” only evaporates.

We believe that it can be effective not only for Christmas decorations, but also for flame-proof, non-flammable and flame-retardant decorations for Halloween, New Year decorations, Valentine’s Day, Hinamatsuri, etc.

I hope it will be useful in various places in the future.

The post I want to make the Christmas decorations flameproof, nonflammable, and flame retardant! Could it be solved with SOUFA? first appeared on SOUFA INC.Boric acid flameretardant& Termiticide.

Naturally, it is non-halogen and does not contain phosphorus or heavy metals.

Construction is easy because it is simply painted, sprayed or soaked.
Since there is no certified non-combustible wood fiberboard, we expect future development.

Here is a video of construction on wood.

The post Wood fiber and wood fiber flame retardant / incombustible / flame / fire protection   first appeared on SOUFA INC.Boric acid flameretardant& Termiticide.

This term depends on the industry used.
The materials are basically the same, and the effects refer to similar things.

A good general one is a flame retardant. Used in the chemical field and many other cases.
The term flame retardant is common in various standards for measuring the degree of combustion, and measures the level of flame retardancy.

On the other hand, non-combustible is a special kind of Japanese building materials.
The burning levels of building materials include flame retardant, semi-incombustible, and non-combustible. Therefore, the chemical used to obtain this noncombustibility certification is sometimes called noncombustible.
It is recognized that when manufacturing noncombustible wood, it is often referred to as wood noncombustible liquid.
However, drug manufacturers generally refer to them as flame retardants for wood. There are also flame retardants for plastic and paper.
The difference in recognition here is the word “flame retardant”. When a drug maker describes it as a flame retardant, it does not specify the effect up or down, but when a non-combustible wood maker hears the word flame retardant, it feels strange. The reason is that “flame retardant” is the lowest non-combustible performance at the burning level of building materials.
For this reason, when we ask our company, “It is a flame retardant for wood,” we often get asked, “Can you make non-combustible wood?”

I will explain it, but if there are too many, it is difficult to correct the perception, so if it is clear that it is an inquiry from the construction industry, we will say “non-combustible liquid / non-combustible agent”.

In conclusion, there is no problem recognizing that they are the same.

The post Flame retardant? Flame retardants? Is the effect different if you say it differently? first appeared on SOUFA INC.Boric acid flameretardant& Termiticide.

Let me explain why we called it nonflammable liquid.
The use of wood is mainly intended for architectural uses. There are various restrictions in architecture, and there are often restrictions that burning objects should not be used.
If there is a restriction that flammable materials must not be used, wood will be recognized as flammable and cannot be used in principle.
However, there are exceptional cases where use is permitted. That is what is called “noncombustible material”.
Materials that have non-combustibility properties approved by the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism are recognized as “non-combustibles” and there is no legal restriction on their use in various places.

And the sorting category at that time is as follows.

・ Non-combustible material
・ Semi-combustible materials
・ Flame retardant material

It is the material with the highest level from the top. In this way, building materials use the term “non-combustible” to indicate the incombustibility, so flame retardants for wood are often called “non-combustible liquids” that make non-combustible wood.

However, we recently describe soufa as “flame retardant”.
This is because, in recent years, inquiries about other chemicals, etc., rather than wood-based products, have been increasing in volume, and according to that standard, it is commonly called “flame retardant”.

For example, there is a test called UL94 in the combustion test applied to plastics.
According to this, “flame retardancy” is to be evaluated according to the degree of combustion.
In addition, other than the building materials in Japan, the system is evaluated as “flame retardant”.
That is why our company describes it as a soufa flame retardant.

Then there are a few problems.
That is when we are meeting with a company that manufactures non-combustible wood. When talking with the person in charge of the company that supplies drugs from our company, it seems that it does not feel right to say “flame retardant”.
This is because the term “flame retardant” is considered to be inferior to “non-flammable” in non-combustible wood, so the term “flame retardant” seems to catch on.
Therefore, when discussing with non-combustible wood manufacturers, we use “non-combustible liquid” as much as possible. That is easier to talk to.

But … When talking with manufacturers who are building “building materials” instead of non-combustible wood, the term “flame retardant” is used to make the conversation go smoothly. What is this difference?
I think building materials manufacturers are in the same position because they are developing products for the purpose of clearing the nonflammability test in Japan, but the story goes on for some reason. It may be because we are dealing with other flame retardants, and if we consider overseas exports, we will conduct a “flame retardant test”, so there may be no sense of incompatibility with the term “flame retardant” Yeah.

Although it is a detailed story, it is a word that I recently noticed, so I will write it instead of a memorandum.

The post Boron flame retardant soufa and flame retardant first appeared on SOUFA INC.Boric acid flameretardant& Termiticide.

As many new impregnated woods will be used at the New National Stadium, non-combustible wood is likely to gain more and more attention.

The government has issued guidelines to stimulate the use of wood for the Tokyo Olympics … but the site and ideals are far from being able to keep up with the development and relaxation of laws, and in fact the use of wood is quite limited. there is.

The most frequent inquiries to our company are “Can I get nonflammable certification just by painting on wood?”
This is a question that is often asked because of the lack of understanding of non-combustible certified wood, but at present it is unlikely that non-combustible certified will be granted at the site and application.

Non-combustibility certification is given to products manufactured in factories, and there is no permission for products that are considered to have variable quality such as on-site construction.

There seems to be some paints that have been designated as “Non-flammable just by painting” on some products, but we are skeptical of those products.

As long as the law is confirmed, it will not be a certified product by on-site application, and it is unlikely that simply applying it to wood will have the effect of passing the certification standard “corn calorimeter test”. Conversely, if the performance really comes up to the point of application, it is a revolutionary invention and it should be more widely spread in the market.

As far as we know, these products are considered to be the same raw materials as ordinary wood flame retardants, so there will be no value that passes the nonflammability test when applied.
In that case, if the construction is confirmed by any chance using that product, if there is any problem, it may be necessary to prove the certified product. This is quite risky and should be considered and adopted.

Conversely speaking, this is a product that is in such high demand, so I would like paint manufacturers to develop paints that can be certified simply by painting.

The other day, I visited Mr. Yasujima (Kanazawa City), which manufactures decompression and pressure equipment for the production of noncombustible wood. We have no plans to introduce the equipment at the moment, but I learned from many companies that we need to know about it because we are contacted by many companies regarding the production of non-combustible wood.
When I talked to the person in charge, it seems that there are certainly many inquiries. However, there seemed to be many problems with the actual production of non-combustible wood and obtaining a certification number, and you said that it was difficult.

Obtaining a completely new certification for non-combustible wood seems to be difficult, and the rigor of certification after the problem of insufficient performance of non-combustible wood seems to be very tolerated.
We are struggling to find noncombustible wood certification, as is the case with our company.

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