Investigation of novel fluorine-free firefighting foams based on hydroxysultaine surfactants: A molecular approach

The aim of the project is to develop high-performance fluorine-free firefighting foams (FfreeF) for tropical climates, by (1) incorporating in FfreeF the recently synthesised sulfobetaine surfactants, which display unusual properties of surface activity, stability, resistance and compatibility (2) measuring microscopic (surface packing), mesoscopic (dilational rheology) and macroscopic (fire suppression) properties of the novel formulations (3) combining measurements from small angle neutron with molecular dynamics simulations to gain atomic-level insights to synthesise a new generation of novel FfreeF.
Outcomes will include formulations of high-performance FfreeF for deployment in the tropical climate of Northern Australia, new IP, publications in high-impact journals, and the popularisation of ANSTO capabilities to the public on radio, in the national press and on www and TV.