Experimental Study on Thermosensitive Hydrogel Used to Extinguish Class A Fire

Area of Science:

• Polymer Science
• Fire Safety Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• Hydrogels enhance water's firefighting properties by increasing viscosity and wettability.
• Thermosensitive hydrogels offer tunable properties for specialized applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• Synthesize and characterize a novel thermosensitive hydrogel for effective class A fire suppression.
• Evaluate the hydrogel's fire extinguishing performance and compare it to existing agents.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a thermosensitive hydrogel using methylcellulose, sodium polyacrylate, and magnesium chloride.
• Characterization of hydrogel structure, surface activity, and viscosity.
• Small-scale and large-scale fire extinguishing experiments.

Main Results:

• The hydrogel exhibited a phase transition between 50 °C and 80 °C, increasing viscosity and reducing surface tension.
• Optimal fire extinguishing performance was observed at a 6 wt% hydrogel concentration.
• Large-scale tests showed superior performance compared to commercial water-based agents, with high re-ignition prevention.

Conclusions:

• The synthesized thermosensitive hydrogel is a highly effective agent for suppressing class A fires.
• Its unique properties, including temperature-dependent viscosity changes, contribute to its superior performance.
• The hydrogel presents a promising alternative to conventional firefighting agents.