Experimental study on nano-SiO2 particles regulating the performance of fluorine-free foam and its fire extinguishment effectiveness

IF 5.4 3区工程技术 Q2 ENERGY & FUELS

Thermal Science and Engineering Progress Pub Date : 2025-09-25 DOI:10.1016/j.tsep.2025.104148

Yunpeng Yang , Lilong Nie , Yongkang Guo , Zhuoxuan Li , Sicheng Xu , Linlin Yi , Kaiyuan Li

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

To address the environmental risks posed by PFOS-containing fire extinguishing agents, the development of highly efficient and environmentally friendly fluorine-free foam extinguishing agents has become a forefront research area in the firefighting community. In this study, a novel foam extinguishing agent was prepared using the nonionic silicone surfactant SiCare2238 and the amphoteric hydrocarbon surfactant LAMC as core components, with hydrophilic nano-SiO₂ particles (NPs) introduced to construct a gas–liquid-solid three-phase fluorine-free foam system. By regulating the NP concentration, the interactions of NPs and surfactants and the resulting effects on the foam performance were investigated. The results indicate that when the NP concentration is < 1 wt%, the charge interactions between particles and surfactants weaken the interfacial adsorption, leading to accelerated drainage and coarsening, thereby reducing the foam stability. In contrast, when the NP concentration is ≥ 1 wt%, the particles form a dense network in the Plateau borders, blocking the Plateau channels, resulting in a 47.4 % reduction in drainage within 30 min and a 30 % decrease in coarsening rate, significantly enhancing the foam stability. Moreover, the fire extinguishing and burn-back experiments demonstrated that the SN-7# system with 5 wt% NPs achieved a 90 % flame control time of 17 s and an extinguishing time of 26 s, outperforming the commercial AFFF and the NP-free SN-0#. The addition of NPs significantly enhances fire suppression efficiency, as they interact with surfactants in foam films and Plateau borders to form aggregated network structures, effectively delaying the drainage and coarsening, thereby improving the foam’s thermal stability and burn-back resistance. The findings of this study provide theoretical guidance for the development and application of NPs in fluorine-free foam extinguishing agents.

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纳米sio2颗粒对无氟泡沫材料性能及灭火效果的调控实验研究

针对含全氟辛烷磺酸灭火剂带来的环境风险，开发高效环保的无氟泡沫灭火剂已成为消防界的前沿研究领域。本研究以非离子型有机硅表面活性剂SiCare2238和两性烃类表面活性剂LAMC为核心组分，引入亲水纳米sio₂颗粒（NPs），构建气液固三相无氟泡沫体系，制备了新型泡沫灭火剂。通过调节NP浓度，研究了NP与表面活性剂的相互作用及其对泡沫性能的影响。结果表明，当NP浓度为1 wt%时，颗粒与表面活性剂之间的电荷相互作用削弱了界面吸附，导致排水加速和粗化，从而降低了泡沫的稳定性。当NP浓度≥1 wt%时，颗粒在高原边界形成密集网络，阻塞高原通道，30 min内排水量减少47.4%，粗化率降低30%，泡沫稳定性显著增强。此外，灭火和燃烧实验表明，5 wt% NPs的SN-7#系统实现了90%的火焰控制时间为17 s，灭火时间为26 s，优于商用AFFF和无np的SN-0#。NPs的加入显著提高了灭火效率，因为它们与泡沫膜和高原边界的表面活性剂相互作用，形成聚集的网络结构，有效地延缓了疏水和粗化，从而提高了泡沫的热稳定性和耐燃性。本研究结果为NPs在无氟泡沫灭火剂中的开发和应用提供了理论指导。

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来源期刊

Thermal Science and Engineering Progress Chemical Engineering-Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes

CiteScore

7.20

自引率

10.40%

发文量

327

审稿时长

41 days

期刊介绍： Thermal Science and Engineering Progress (TSEP) publishes original, high-quality research articles that span activities ranging from fundamental scientific research and discussion of the more controversial thermodynamic theories, to developments in thermal engineering that are in many instances examples of the way scientists and engineers are addressing the challenges facing a growing population – smart cities and global warming – maximising thermodynamic efficiencies and minimising all heat losses. It is intended that these will be of current relevance and interest to industry, academia and other practitioners. It is evident that many specialised journals in thermal and, to some extent, in fluid disciplines tend to focus on topics that can be classified as fundamental in nature, or are ‘applied’ and near-market. Thermal Science and Engineering Progress will bridge the gap between these two areas, allowing authors to make an easy choice, should they or a journal editor feel that their papers are ‘out of scope’ when considering other journals. The range of topics covered by Thermal Science and Engineering Progress addresses the rapid rate of development being made in thermal transfer processes as they affect traditional fields, and important growth in the topical research areas of aerospace, thermal biological and medical systems, electronics and nano-technologies, renewable energy systems, food production (including agriculture), and the need to minimise man-made thermal impacts on climate change. Review articles on appropriate topics for TSEP are encouraged, although until TSEP is fully established, these will be limited in number. Before submitting such articles, please contact one of the Editors, or a member of the Editorial Advisory Board with an outline of your proposal and your expertise in the area of your review.