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A Bio-resourced and Superhydrophobic Dry Water Extinguishing Agent for Pool Fire Based on Phytic Acid and Silicon

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Abstract

A new non-toxic, clean, and effective dry water (DW) nanomaterial is synthesized, and its extinguishing performance is characterized for pool fire. The nanomaterial reaches up to 93% water content due to its special core–shell structure. Phytic acid (PA) is used to functionalize DW to obtain DW/PA because of its biocompatibility and phosphorus-rich properties. The results of the Fourier transform infrared, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermal gravity analyzer, and optical microscope successfully verify the preparation of DW/PA samples. The DW/PA samples are cylindrical particles with a length of 100–200 μm and have excellent fluidity, with a repose angle of about 29°. The centrifugation and water loss rate tests indicate that the samples have appropriate mechanical stability and are suitable for storage in closed spaces. The extinguishing efficiency of DW/PA samples is characterized using a fire-extinguishing experiment designed by international standards. The average extinguishing time and consumption of DW/PA samples are reduced by 77.08% and 77.67%, respectively, comparing with commercial ABC dry powder-extinguishing agents. Moreover, fire-extinguishing efficiency is positively correlated with PA content. According to experimental results and established theories, the extinguishing mechanism of DW/PA samples is discussed and divided into three parts: chemical inhibition, the cooling effect, and the asphyxiation effect.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science of China (No. 51576183), the National Key R&D Program of China (No. 2016YFC0801505), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China (No. WK2320000041).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Fire Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, Anhui, People’s Republic of China

    Haoran Jiang, Yong Jiang, Rujia Fan & Xianli Zhu

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  1. Haoran Jiang
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  2. Yong Jiang
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  3. Rujia Fan
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  4. Xianli Zhu
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Correspondence to Yong Jiang.

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Jiang, H., Jiang, Y., Fan, R. et al. A Bio-resourced and Superhydrophobic Dry Water Extinguishing Agent for Pool Fire Based on Phytic Acid and Silicon. Fire Technol 60, 1203–1224 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10694-021-01192-0

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