Abstract: This study uses expanded graphite (EG), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), fullerene (C60), and graphene (Gr) as fillers to study their performance as the flame retardancy, thermal stability, smoke suppression and water resistance in water-based intumescent coatings. The effect of carbon materials on the fire and smoke suppression performance in water-based intumescent coatings was studied. The carbon layer was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X- ray diffraction (XRD) and particle size distribution. The test results show that carbon materials can effectively improve the fireproof performance of water-based intumescent coatings. When heated for 300 s, the temperature of the back of the board coated with the fireproof coating is 50% lower than that of the steel plate without fireproof coating, and the fireproof coating with carbon materials have better heat insulation; SP-Gr has the largest expansion coefficient of the carbon layer, which is about twice that of no carbon material coating, and the coating with Gr added under high temperature heating has the largest carbon residual weight; the fire retardant coating with carbon material has a better smoke resistance effect. The density is reduced by more than 30%; the coating with Gr has the best water resistance. In this study, adding graphene to water-based fireproof coatings has the best performance.

Key words: waterborne intumescent coating, smoke suppression, coating, carbon material