Hydrogel-to-Aerogel Transitions in Polymer-Particle Hydrogels Expand the Wildfire Defense Window
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arXiv
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| Auteurs principaux: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Publié: |
2025
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| _version_ | 1866908381801873408 |
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| author | Dong, Changxin Sen, Samya Ru, Zhennan Kolli, Athena Appel, Paxton S. Fan, Jonathan Appel, Eric A. |
| author_facet | Dong, Changxin Sen, Samya Ru, Zhennan Kolli, Athena Appel, Paxton S. Fan, Jonathan Appel, Eric A. |
| contents | The 2025 Los Angeles wildfires caused widespread urban destruction and displacement, and severe economic losses, highlighting the urgent need for better fire retardants. Current fire suppression strategies rely heavily on water, chemical fire retardants, and water-enhancing gels, which use superabsorbent polymers to retain water and adhere to substrates, offering extended fire protection compared to water alone. However, their effectiveness is limited by evaporation and degradation under extreme heat and wind conditions. This study investigates the thermal properties, evaporation dynamics, and fire retardancy mechanisms of a novel polymer-particle (PP) hydrogel with aerogel-forming capabilities. The boiling-induced water vapor expansion and bubble nucleation drive the transformation of the hydrogel into a highly porous, foam-like fire-retardant coating upon rapid heat desiccation, enhancing thermal insulation. By evaluating the retardancy window across different evaporation stages under high heat and wind conditions, this study aims to determine the duration, effectiveness, and governing physical mechanisms of this unique retardant system. These findings provide a framework for designing the next generation of fire retardants with optimized thermal stability and extended protection for wildfire mitigation. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2503_14923 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Hydrogel-to-Aerogel Transitions in Polymer-Particle Hydrogels Expand the Wildfire Defense Window Dong, Changxin Sen, Samya Ru, Zhennan Kolli, Athena Appel, Paxton S. Fan, Jonathan Appel, Eric A. Materials Science Soft Condensed Matter The 2025 Los Angeles wildfires caused widespread urban destruction and displacement, and severe economic losses, highlighting the urgent need for better fire retardants. Current fire suppression strategies rely heavily on water, chemical fire retardants, and water-enhancing gels, which use superabsorbent polymers to retain water and adhere to substrates, offering extended fire protection compared to water alone. However, their effectiveness is limited by evaporation and degradation under extreme heat and wind conditions. This study investigates the thermal properties, evaporation dynamics, and fire retardancy mechanisms of a novel polymer-particle (PP) hydrogel with aerogel-forming capabilities. The boiling-induced water vapor expansion and bubble nucleation drive the transformation of the hydrogel into a highly porous, foam-like fire-retardant coating upon rapid heat desiccation, enhancing thermal insulation. By evaluating the retardancy window across different evaporation stages under high heat and wind conditions, this study aims to determine the duration, effectiveness, and governing physical mechanisms of this unique retardant system. These findings provide a framework for designing the next generation of fire retardants with optimized thermal stability and extended protection for wildfire mitigation. |
| title | Hydrogel-to-Aerogel Transitions in Polymer-Particle Hydrogels Expand the Wildfire Defense Window |
| topic | Materials Science Soft Condensed Matter |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.14923 |