Researchers at Stanford University claim to have developed a gel capable of protecting homes in fire areas. Usage is quite simple: before the fire reaches the site, the product must be sprayed on homes or other infrastructure to prevent fires displace residents of the region or cause more serious accidents.
The new study was published in scientific magazine Advanced Materials.
Gels that prevent the spread of fire are not uncommon; in fact, they are often used by stuntmen in movies to prevent burns in scenes involving fire. One of the great advantages of the new gel is its durability, since the current options available on the market only last up to 45 minutes; after that, they dry out and are no longer effective.
“Under typical wildfire conditions, current water-enhancing gels dry within 45 minutes. We developed a gel that would have a wider application window — you can spray more of it before the fire and still get the benefit of protection — and will work better when the fire arrives,” Eric Appel, one of the study’s lead authors and associate professor of materials science and engineering at Stanford University, said in a press release.
How does the gel work?
The gels that help prevent the spread of fire are actually a polymer absorbent that, when mixed with water, turns into a gelatinous, moist substance that adheres to surfaces. Due to the high temperatures in the areas of forest fire which can reach 100 degrees Celsius, the gels currently available do not last very long and dry in just a few minutes.
The difference is that, in addition to water and a cellulose-based polymer, the new gel contains particles of silica . This creates a soft, spongy layer over the surface where it is applied and forms a type of ‘shield’ of protection against fire.
Scientists explain that the new product gains a solid structure of aerogel when exposed to high temperatures, unlike other versions that dry quickly. The process occurs as follows: when the fire reaches the gel, all the water evaporates and the cellulose present in the mixture burns, but the silica particles form an insulating foam that distributes the heat across its entire surface.
Also called “solid smoke”, aerogel is a material known for being extremely light, solid and porous; it is no wonder that it has gained fame as the lightest solid material in the world.
In the tests, scientists used a blowtorch to burn wood chips coated in the new gel at temperatures that significantly exceeded the average wildfire temperature. The new formulation provided seven minutes of protection before the wood began to char, compared with only 90 seconds of protection from current options.
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This content was originally published in Scientists create new gel capable of preventing houses from catching fire in fires on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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