PHOSPHORUS-NITROGEN ALTERNATIVE TO PFC FOAM

An alternative to aqueous film forming foams containing fluorine for firefighting foams for flammable liquid fires is a mist of aqueous ethyleneamine polyphosphate solution or fumed silica doped ethyleneamine polyphosphate solution. The method consists of spraying a mist of such solutions into a flammable liquid fire to suppress the flames and cool the fire. The mist approach also suppresses flames of wood fires. An alternate approach is to add ethyleneamine polyphosphate or fumed silica doped ethyleneamine polyphosphate to a fluorine free foam to form a flame retarded foam that is able to smother a flammable liquid fire.