Fire Mask Catalyst Protection Material: Molecular Sieve

In a fire, dense smoke and toxic gases are two major "invisible killers" that threaten lives. The core function of a fire mask is to convert deadly toxic gases into safe gases through the synergistic effect of catalytic conversion and adsorption by XINTAO molecular sieves, thus gaining valuable time for escape.

I. Fire Mask

A fire mask, also known as a filtering fire escape respirator, is mandatory escape equipment in public places (such as shopping malls, hotels, and office buildings). Its core design includes three protective modules:

1. Thermal radiation protection layer: Made of flame-retardant cotton fabric hood, coated with aluminum foil film on the surface, it can withstand high-temperature radiation above 1000℃, preventing head burns;

2. Wide-view window: Transparent polycarbonate material ensures a clear field of vision for the escapee, while the aluminum foil reflective markings facilitate rescue personnel positioning;

3. Composite filtration system: The filter canister integrates a catalyst, XINTAO molecular sieve, and ultra-fine fiber smoke filter layer, which can efficiently filter more than 20 types of toxic gases in a fire, such as carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen cyanide (HCN), and hydrogen chloride (HCl).

II. Catalyst

The catalyst is the core functional material of the fire mask, and its mechanism of action is as follows:

Catalyst: The catalyst (a type of catalyst, mainly composed of manganese oxide and copper oxide) converts CO into non-toxic CO₂ through catalytic action. The reaction equation is: 2CO + O₂ → 2CO₂.

Molecular sieve: The catalytic activity of the catalyst is easily affected by moisture. Experiments show that when the ambient humidity exceeds 60%, a water film easily forms on the catalyst surface, leading to a decrease in CO oxidation efficiency of more than 40%. Therefore, controlling the humidity inside the filter canister is a core issue in ensuring the continuous effectiveness of the catalyst. 

III. Molecular Sieves

4A cylindrical molecular sieve (chemical formula: Na₂O·Al₂O₃·2SiO₂·9/2H₂O) is a synthetic alkali metal aluminosilicate crystal. Its unique structure gives it three core advantages:

1. Precise Pore Size Control:

In fire masks, 4A molecular sieves selectively adsorb water vapor from the air, stabilizing the relative humidity inside the filter canister at below 40%, ensuring the catalyst surface remains dry and maintaining catalytic activity.

2. High Adsorption Capacity:

Each gram of 4A molecular sieve can adsorb approximately 0.2 grams of water vapor (at 25℃ and 80% relative humidity), which is 3 times the adsorption capacity of traditional desiccants (such as silica gel). The cylindrical structure design increases the contact area between the molecular sieve and the air, increasing the moisture adsorption rate by 50%. Even in high-temperature and high-humidity environments (such as a fire scene), it can continuously operate for more than 30 minutes, meeting the escape time requirements.

3. Chemical Stability:

4A molecular sieve is an inorganic crystalline material, resistant to high temperatures (can withstand temperatures above 600℃), acids and bases, and does not release harmful substances, meeting the safety requirements of fire masks for "single-use and no secondary pollution".

IV. Synergistic Effect of Molecular Sieves and Catalysts

In fire masks, 4A molecular sieves and catalysts form an "adsorption-catalysis" closed-loop system:

Pre-treatment stage: Air first passes through the molecular sieve layer, where water is selectively adsorbed, and dry air enters the catalyst layer;

Catalytic reaction stage: CO in the dry air is oxidized to CO₂ on the catalyst surface, while activated carbon adsorbs other toxic gases;

Continuous protection stage: The molecular sieve continuously adsorbs the water vapor generated by the reaction (CO oxidation produces H₂O), preventing catalyst "poisoning".