Fire Safety Science Digital Archive

Solid pyrotechnically generated aerosol particles for fire suppression are strongly hygroscopic and potentially corrosive to metal surfaces in humid conditions. A pyrotechnic aerosol generator was designed to reduce the hygroscopy and potential corrosion, based on an in-situ coating on the surfaces of the aerosols by octadecylamine. Surface structures of the aerosol particles were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope. The results showed that the surfaces of the solid aerosol particles were coated effectively. The in-situ coating on aerosol particles decreased their hygroscopy and corrosion to copper and could not influence fire suppression efficiency of pyrotechnically generating aerosol fire suppressants.