International. A new layer that protects business jets from fire was developed by Switzerland's Empa Institute and is being used by local aviation company Jet Aviation. This new coating could also be used in textiles and wood-based furniture and architectural systems.
Researcher Sabyasachi Gaan said that this new coating is more environmentally friendly than the one used so far - chlorinated and brominated chemicals can be dispensed with and achieves the flame-retarding effect purely due to its especially heavy molecular weight, which gives it another advantage: the flame retardant material makes it not evaporate, so the refurbished jet is not full of unpleasant odors.
The Empa team also managed to ensure the coveted time-saving aspect of handling the expensive machines: the new development of flame retardant material should only be applied once – rather than several layers on top of each other – which saves hours of work and drying time, and allows the new jet to roll on the runway several days before. The project was co-financed by the CTI and launched in 2012 within the framework of special measures to counter the strength of the Swiss franc. Meanwhile, the research work has been completed and the method is patent pending.
