Darlene F.

Velasco

STEM 12 A

Borax (sodium borate): A Viable Flame Retardant to Wood-based Houses

Introduction

Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the exothermic chemical process

of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes

like rusting or digestionare not included by this definition. The Philippines continues to

experience disastrous fires, often marking some of the worst fire incidents in history. Describing

the problem as deeply rooted in attitude, Vallejo said people need to learn to be aware and

conscious of the consequences of negligence that may lead to a disastrous fire.

From 2013 to 2017, the BFP recorded a total of 77,724 fire incidents, or an average of

15,545 fire incidents every year or 42 fire incidents a day. There are three most common causes

of fire in the Philippines. First, faulty electrical connections; Faulty electrical connections are by

far the most common cause of fire in the Philippines. This problem can come from old wiring,

improper connections, or sometimes due to an overload problem. Second is cigarette butts;

Families with smokers should be extra careful when it comes to disposing of cigarette butts. That

is because people sometimes neglect to put out the cigarette properly, and then put it in a trash

can or someplace where it causes a fire. And lastly, open flames from unattended stoves; It is

important to never leave any open stove unattended. And make sure to turn off the gas main after

cooking. This helps prevent any gas explosions or open flames that can start a house fire. Due to

high sensible temperature, every area across the country is fire-prone, especially the clustered
communities in both rural and urban areas, added, the materials built in the house mostly are

made of wood, the houses are very close to each other which leads the fire to rapidly scatter.

How can we prevent fire? There are many ways to prevent it, we already know some of

them. But we do not know when the fire will hit us. Fire safety is very important in the field of

fire fighting and fire prevention. The purpose of fire safety is to eliminate injuries. There are

many different forms of safety. There are also safety programs for firefighters. The main goals of

the safety program consist of preventing damage or loss of equipment, preventing human

suffering, casualties, injuries, and exposures to hazardous atmospheres and transmittable

diseases.

The researchers aim to help to minimize the probability of ignition whenever there is a

fire. And to find a better way to reduce fire using borax (sodium borate). The purpose of this

research was to find the best method of protecting a structure with many wooden components

from fire consumption testing borax, sodium bicarbonate, white birch and pine. To do so there

are four things which must be determined: first, the retardant which works the best with paint

and wood and has the highest average ignition time; second, which type of paint works best

when combined with retardants and has the highest average ignition time; third, which type of

wood works best with retardants and has the highest average ignition times; fourth determine

whether it is a better idea to use flame retardant wood to construct a home or to coat the home

with flame retardant paint based on a comparison of the ignition and extinguish times according

to The Asian Parent (2019).

Zenat A. Nagieb et al., (2011) Boron compounds reduce the flame spread of wood but

may have diverse effects on hygroscopicity. Wood treated with inorganic flame-retardant salts is

usually more hygro-scopic than untreated wood, particularly at high relative humidity. Increases
in the equilibrium moisture content of such treated wood will depend upon the type of chemical,

level of chemical retention, and size and species of the wood involved Many of your household

items and upholstered products are coated in fire retardant chemicals by manufactures when they

are produced. However, the effectiveness of the fire retardant chemicals will wear off with usage

and time. There are various solutions sold commercially that will increase flame control, but a

homemade fire retardant can be just as effective. Home-produced fire retardants can even be

made from natural ingredients to help reduce your exposure to potentially hazardous compounds

and chemicals.