STABILIZED, CORROSION-INHIBITED FIRE RETARDANT COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS

PCT No. PCT/US96/13949 Sec. 371 Date Apr. 3, 1998 Sec. 102(e) Date Apr. 3, 1998 PCT Filed Aug. 19, 1996 PCT Pub. No. WO98/07472 PCT Pub. Date Feb. 26, 1998A gum-thickened fire retardant composition with improved stability and/or corrosion resistance contains a fire retardant salt, a gum thickener, an aqueous liquid carrier and at least one non-toxic water-soluble additive which is at least one carboxylic acid or salt thereof, having the structural formula wherein R is a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted carbon chain containing conjugated unsaturation, and X is hydrogen or a metal. The additive component is present in an amount effective to improve the stability of said composition and/or reduce the corrosivity of the composition to iron. Preferred compositions containing the combination of at least one compound in which R is a phenyl group, especially sodium benzoate, and at least one compound in which R is a carbon chain containing unconjugated unsaturation, especially sorbic acid.