Preparation and characterization of typical potassium salt dry water and its fire extinguishing performance

To develop an efficient and environmentally friendly fire extinguishing agent, hydrophobic SiO 2 and deionized water were dispersed in a high-speed disperser for a period to form dry water. Cold-curing resin and potassium salts were then added to modify it. The microstructure was characterized using SEM, TEM, XRD, and EDS. The fire extinguishing efficiency of different dry waters on wood pile fires was tested using thermocouples and infrared thermal imaging cameras. Results indicate that cold-set resin colloids interconnect to form a network structure, enhancing the dry water’s structural strength and improving its pressure resistance. Thermocouple tests on wood pile fires revealed all four dry water formulations effectively extinguished flames, with CH 3 COOK dry water demonstrating optimal performance. This suggests multiple extinguishing mechanisms: external SiO 2 isolates oxygen, internal solution evaporation absorbs heat, and KOH decomposition products react with flame radicals. CH 3 COOK dry water holds promise as an efficient, eco-friendly fire suppressant.