How Stanford engineers are developing a new fire-protecting gel

( KRON ) — Stanford University engineers are developing a gel that helps protect houses and other buildings from wildfires. Surprisingly, engineers say the powder found in disposable diapers helped inspire the research.

The research , published on Wednesday, shows that the new gels last longer and are “significantly” more effective than other commercial gels.

Eric Appel, Associate Professor from Stanford’s School of Engineering and the paper’s author, has been working on this gel for over two years. He says current water-enhancing gels dry out in 45 minutes under typical wildfire conditions, and his gels outlast current products on the market.

“We’ve developed a gel that would have a broader application window – you can spray it further in advance of the fire and still get the benefit of the protection – and it will work better when the fire comes,” Appel said.

Similar to diaper powder, when mixed with water and heat, the powder swells into a gelatinous substance, creating a thick, wet shield as a fire retardant. However, due to a fire’s high temperatures, researchers said the gels often evaporate pretty quickly.

Stanford engineers have now found a way to better retain water through a uniquely-created gel.

“We have discovered a unique phenomenon where a soft, squishy hydrogel seamlessly transitions into a robust aerogel shield under heat, offering enhanced and long-lasting wildfire protection,” said the study’s lead author, Changxin “Lyla” Dong.

Dong says this environmentally conscious breakthrough “surpasses current commercial solutions, offering a superior and scalable defense against wildfires.”

Dong and colleagues said they experimented with the gel by putting it on a piece of plywood and hand-torching it. According to research, their most effective gel “lasted for more than 7 minutes before the board began to char.”

In 2019, Appel and his colleagues used these same gels as a vehicle to hold wildland fire retardants on vegetation for months at a time. Appel claims the gel is both safe to people and their surrounding environment.

With “additional optimization,” Appel and his colleagues hope to develop pilot-scale applications that can eventually be used to help critical infrastructure experiencing a fire.

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