Fiber from coconut husks
Coir is the fibrous material recovered from coconut husks. It forms the base of this coated-mat prototype.
THE COIR MAT
A new purpose for coconut coir.
A coconut coir mat treated with a flame-retardant coating containing chitosan, ammonium polyphosphate (APP), and citric acid. Developed with ranger input and laboratory testing at KMUTT.
Lab-tested at KMUTT · Adopted by a local community for small-fire use
Why coconut coir?
A ground-based format
The mat was developed for placement on the ground, exploring its potential to slow ground-level fire spread.
Shaped by feedback
The change in material followed feedback on the earlier cloth prototype and its suitability for field conditions.
Coating design and laboratory testing
The coating is intended to promote a protective char layer when exposed to heat. At KMUTT, coated coconut coir mats were tested with different chitosan-to-APP ratios to compare their flame-retardant performance.
A closer look at the prototype
ROOTED IN THE REAL WORLD
Research beyond
the laboratory.
The terrain. The people. The practical questions.
Explore what we learned at Khun Khan.