INVESTIGATION OF UNIQUE ORGANOMETALLIC COMPOUNDS AS POTENTIAL FIRE EXTINGUISHANTS

A study was performed to determine the feasibility of using volatile halogenated organooxymetallic compounds for extinguishing diffusion flames. Because these compounds decompose thermally, yielding halogenated liquids and gases as well as the respective metal oxides, it was postulated that they would function as fire extinguishing agents when deployed into a region filled with flames. A rapidly moving cloud of gas phase nucleated particulates, having a very high surface to mass ratio, together with the attending halogenated species would have a degree of flame penetration not available in gaseous or liquid agents alone. Organooxymetallics having branched fluorinated ligands are more volatile than straight chain or unfluorinated analogs. The 1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 3-hexafluoro-2-propoxy ligand was investigated utilizing a special diffusion burner designed for this research. Experimental difficulties were encountered in burner design and operation. Considering this, it appears that compounds as tetrakis 1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 3-hexafluoro-2-propoxy silicon and 1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 3-hexafluoro-2-propanol are as effective as bromotrifluoromethane in extinguishing small propane-air diffusion flames. (Author)