Alcohol-Resistant Aqueous Film-Forming Foam Concentrates

Alcohol-Resistant Aqueous Film-Forming Foam Concentrates

BIOEX AR-AFFF foams, or Alcohol-Resistant Aqueous Film-Forming Foams, offer effective vapor suppression and extinguishment for Class B fires involving hydrocarbons and polar solvents. These foams are essential when dealing with water-miscible fuels, such as alcohols and acetones, as polar solvents and alcohols can compromise the foam blanket produced by standard Class B hydrocarbon fire foams. AR-AFFF foams are crucial in high-risk facilities within the oil and gas, chemical industries, including refineries, ships, tank farms, pharmaceutical plants, and processing areas.

AR-AFFF foams are designed for rapid extinguishment of large-scale Class B fires. Unlike standard foams, AR-AFFF agents contain polymers that create a protective film between the burning surface and the foam blanket. This film blocks oxygen from reaching the fuel, seals the fuel surface, and prevents the release of vapors. It also resists breakdown by alcohols in burning liquids, with the water in the foam providing a cooling effect for quicker fire suppression. BIOEX AR-AFFF foams are noted for their excellent burnback resistance.

Polymers in AR-AFFF formulations generally increase foam viscosity, making it "pseudoplastic" or "shear-thinning," though the viscosity decreases as the foam flows. BIOEX introduces FILMOPOL 1N, a Newtonian (liquid) AR-AFFF that works at a 1% concentration for both water-miscible and water-immiscible fuel fires.

BIOEX’s high-performance synthetic AR-AFFF foam can be applied using a range of firefighting equipment, suitable for high, medium, and low expansion applications on burning spills. BIOEX AFFF-ARC foams meet international standards relevant to your industry and risk level, including EN 1568, UL 162, NFPA, LASTFIRE, and IMO.

In response to concerns about fluorosurfactants, BIOEX uses safer C6 surfactants (short-chain) to minimize environmental and health impacts compared to PFOS and PFOA. The use of PFOS and PFOA is globally restricted due to their environmental persistence, bioaccumulative nature, and toxicity.