Aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) is a water based foam that was historically comprised of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS)-based surfactants. AFFF has been used by the military since the 1970s for fire suppression in ships, shore fixed systems, aircraft hangars and to extinguish liquid fuel fires in aircraft rescue and fire fighting (ARFF) vehicles. In FY20, Congress mandated that PFAS be eliminated from AFFF by FY25. In this technical session, presentations provided details on the performance of PFAS-free alternatives including research on recently-developed novel surfactants at the laboratory scale as well as commercially available products currently being tested comparatively in live-fire large scale tests. In addition, research on engineering solutions for improving foam quality were presented and the fundamental understanding of foam performance, with a focus on foam stability and the interaction of foams and bubbles with fuels, was highlighted.

Session Chair: Mr. Noah Lieb, Jensen Hughes

Introduction by Session Chair

Mr. Noah Lieb, Jensen Hughes

Keynote Address: PFAS-Free AFFF Alternatives - Status Update, Products, Standards, Capabilities/Limitations and Implementation

Mr. Jerry Back, Jensen Hughes

Progress in Enhancing Mil-Spec Performance of Mature PFAS-Free Foams

Dr. Satya Chauhan, Battelle Memorial Institute

Fluorine Free Foams Required Properties for MIL-F-24385

Dr. T.S. Sudarshan

Fundamentals of Surfactant Transport in Firefighting Foams

Dr. Cari Dutcher, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Understanding Synergism in Siloxane Surfactant Mixtures at the Molecular, Solution, and Foam Level for Improved Firefighting Performance

Ms. Katie Hinnant, Naval Research Laboratory

Fluorine-free Aqueous Firefighting Foam Prototypes Based on Ionic Liquids

Dr. Jaspreet Dhau, Molekule