Fire fighting foam containing one or more surfactants and one or more additional components

Abstract

The present invention relates to fire-fighting foam compositions (e.g., concentrates, compositions for forming foam, and solutions) comprising a combination of surfactants (e.g., anionic surfactants and amphoteric surfactants) and one or more additional components (e.g., polyethylene glycol (PEG), glycerol, and / or sugar components).

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 539,432, filed September 20, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] Invention Field

[0004] The present invention relates to fire-fighting foam compositions (e.g., concentrates, compositions for forming foam, and solutions) comprising a combination of surfactants (e.g., anionic surfactants and amphoteric surfactants) and one or more additional components (e.g., polyethylene glycol (PEG), glycerol, and / or sugar components). Background of the Invention

[0006] Water-based firefighting foams are used to extinguish Class A fires involving common combustible materials, such as wood, cloth, paper, rubber, and many plastics. Effective Class A firefighting foams are known, including fluorine-free foams.

[0007] Water-based firefighting foams are also used to extinguish Class B fires (fires caused by flammable liquids). These firefighting foams include aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) and alcohol-resistant aqueous film-forming foams (AR-AFFF). Effective Class B firefighting foams, including fluorine-free foams, have also been developed.

[0008] Despite the development of effective Type A and Type B bubbles, there are still opportunities to improve and / or provide alternative Type A and / or Type B bubbles.

[0009] For example, firefighting foam concentrates are typically tested for foaming performance to determine their suitability for use with different water sources, including fresh water, saline water (such as seawater, including seawater with high total suspended solids content), and municipal water. The aim is to obtain foam that exhibits acceptable performance when used with different water sources to provide flexibility in application.

[0010] It is desirable to obtain fire-fighting foams suitable for a variety of fire types (i.e., Class A and / or Class B) and a variety of water sources (i.e., fresh water, salt water, and municipal water), which will provide favorable options for applications in this field. Invention Overview

[0012] In various aspects, the present invention relates to fire-fighting foam concentrates comprising: at least one anionic surfactant; at least one amphoteric surfactant; and one or more other components (e.g., one or more components such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) and / or glycerol (propylene-1,2,3-triol)). For example, aspects of the invention relate to foam compositions containing glycerol that provide improved properties, such as improved resistance to backfire.

[0013] Various aspects of the present invention relate to fire-fighting foam concentrates comprising: at least one anionic surfactant; at least one amphoteric surfactant; and polyethylene glycol (PEG).

[0014] Various other aspects of the invention relate to fire-fighting foam concentrates comprising: at least one anionic surfactant; at least one amphoteric surfactant; and glycerol (propane-1,2,3-triol), wherein glycerol constitutes at least about 5% by weight, at least about 8% by weight, or at least about 10% by weight of the concentrate composition.

[0015] Other aspects of the invention relate to fire-fighting foam concentrates comprising: at least one anionic surfactant; at least one amphoteric surfactant; the composition further comprising: polyethylene glycol, and / or glycerin, and / or a sugar component, wherein the composition is free of any sulfobetaine surfactant.

[0016] Various other aspects of the invention relate to fire-fighting foam solutions that contain any concentrates described herein (e.g., solutions containing at least or about 0.5 wt%, 1 wt%, 1.5 wt%, 2 wt%, 3 wt%, 4 wt%, 5 wt%, or 6 wt% of the foam concentrates described herein).

[0017] Other themes and features will be partly obvious and partly described below. Brief description of the attached diagram

[0019] Figures 1 to 4 Test results are provided, showing the foam-stabilizing effects of brown sugar and glycerin. Invention Details

[0021] According to the present invention, certain combinations of surfactants (e.g., anionic and amphoteric surfactants) and one or more other components can provide fire-fighting foam compositions exhibiting advantageous properties. Typically, the one or more other components comprise PEG and / or glycerol (propyl-1,2,3-triol).

[0022] For example, aspects of the present invention relate to foam compositions comprising a combination of anionic surfactants and amphoteric surfactants with PEG, wherein the anionic surfactants include alkyl sulfate surfactants and the amphoteric surfactants include amine oxides, betaines, and propionate surfactants. According to these and other embodiments, the compositions may also comprise glycerol alone, or comprise glycerol and PEG. Other embodiments relate to foam compositions comprising the surfactant combinations described herein, as well as PEG and a sugar component (e.g., xylose).

[0023] These and other aspects of the invention have been found to provide improved performance in terms of foam quality when used with brine (e.g., seawater), improved wettability associated with Class A fire materials (e.g., according to USDA Forest Service (USFS) specification number 5100-307b), and improved performance associated with Class B fires. For example, the foams of the invention have been found to exhibit improved spreadability on liquid fuels, including foams that provide a positive or neutral spread factor. A tensiometer using ASTM method D1331 can be used to measure the surface tension of the compositions of the invention and the fuels, which can be used to calculate the spread factor. For example, certain compositions of the invention provide surface tension results for a 3% synthetic fluorine-free foam (SFFF) solution as shown in the data in the table below.

[0024]

[0025] Therefore, in some embodiments, the 3% SFFF foam of the present invention provides a surface tension (mN / m) of about 22 to about 28, an IFT of about 0.1 to about 0.25 with aviation fuel oil, and a spread factor of 1 to 3.

[0026] Various embodiments of the present invention are applicable to combating and extinguishing gasoline and aviation fuel oil spill fires as defined in MIL-PRF-32725.

[0027] Therefore, the foam compositions of the present invention typically contain one or more surfactants, foam stabilizer components, and one or more additional components.

[0028] surfactants

[0029] As described above, according to the present invention, certain combinations of surfactants with other foam components have been found to provide a variety of advantageous properties. Specifically, certain combinations of anionic surfactants and amphoteric surfactants of different concentrations and proportions have been found to provide and / or contribute to foams with one or more performance advantages.

[0030] Anionic surfactants

[0031] Suitable anionic surfactants typically include sulfate surfactants, sulfonate surfactants, and combinations thereof.

[0032] Suitable sulfate surfactants include branched and / or straight-chain alkoxylated (e.g., ethoxylated) sulfate ester surfactants and their salts, and sulfate amine surfactants.

[0033] For example, suitable alkyl sulfate surfactants include C8-C22, C8-C16, C8-C12, and C10-C12 alkyl sulfate surfactants and their salts. Suitable salts include ammonium salts, alkali metal (e.g., sodium) salts, and alkaline earth metal (e.g., magnesium) salts. Other suitable salts include amine salts and ethanolamine salts (e.g., triethanolamine (TEA) salts).

[0034] In some embodiments, the anionic surfactant comprises at least one alkyl sulfate surfactant having a carbon straight chain with a length of 8 carbon atoms (octyl), 10 carbon atoms (decyl), or 12 carbon atoms (lauryl).

[0035] In various embodiments, the anionic surfactant comprises dodecyl sulfate or a salt thereof (e.g., TEA dodecyl sulfate). In other embodiments, the anionic surfactant comprises octyl sulfate or a salt thereof (e.g., sodium octyl sulfate). In some embodiments, the anionic surfactant comprises both dodecyl sulfate or a salt thereof and octyl sulfate or a salt thereof. Other examples of suitable sulfate surfactants include decyl sulfate, hexadecyl sulfate, and combinations thereof.

[0036] Other suitable anionic surfactants include C8-C22, C8-C16, C8-C12, and C10-16 sulfonate surfactants. Further examples include various embodiments comprising one or more C14-C16 sulfonate surfactants.

[0037] Based on fire-fighting foam concentrate, the total proportion of anionic surfactants is typically at least about 4% by weight, at least about 6% by weight, or at least about 8% by weight. According to these and other embodiments, the total proportion of anionic surfactants is typically about 4% by weight to about 12% by weight, about 6% by weight to about 10% by weight, or about 7% by weight to about 9% by weight.

[0038] Additionally, based on the weight of the fire-fighting foam concentrate, one or more anionic surfactants may be present in a total proportion of at least about 2% by weight, at least about 4% by weight, or at least about 5% by weight. According to these and other embodiments, based on the weight of the foam concentrate, the total proportion of one or more anionic surfactants is typically about 2% by weight to about 7% by weight, about 2% by weight to about 6% by weight, or about 3% by weight to about 6% by weight.

[0039] When multiple anionic surfactants are present, a first anionic surfactant and a second anionic surfactant may be present, and the weight ratio between them (first anionic surfactant: second anionic surfactant) is about 1:5 to about 5:1, about 1:4 to about 4:1, about 1:3 to about 3:1, or about 1:2 to about 2:1.

[0040] Amphoteric surfactants

[0041] Suitable amphoteric surfactants include propionate surfactants, betaine surfactants, sulfobetaine surfactants, amine oxide surfactants, and their salts.

[0042] Suitable propionate surfactants include C6-C14 alkyl-iminodipropionate surfactants and their salts. For example, suitable propionate surfactants include sodium octyliminodipropionate surfactant. Other suitable propionate surfactants include alkyl amphoteric propionate surfactants.

[0043] Suitable betaine surfactants include C8-C22 betaine surfactants. For example, suitable betaine surfactants include lauramidopropyl betaine, cocamidopropyl betaine, and combinations thereof.

[0044] Suitable sulfobetaine surfactants include C8-C22 sulfobetaine surfactants.

[0045] Furthermore, according to the present invention, while some embodiments may include sulfobetaine surfactants, other embodiments do not. Therefore, various embodiments of the present invention relate to compositions that are substantially free of or completely free of sulfobetaine surfactants.

[0046] Based on the fire-fighting foam concentrate, the total proportion of amphoteric surfactants is typically at least about 10% by weight, at least about 14% by weight, or at least about 18% by weight. According to these and other embodiments, the total proportion of anionic surfactants is typically about 10% by weight to about 30% by weight, about 14% by weight to about 26% by weight, or about 18% by weight to about 22% by weight.

[0047] Additionally, based on the weight of the fire-fighting foam concentrate, one or more amphoteric surfactants may be present in a total proportion of at least about 4 wt%, at least about 6 wt%, or at least about 8 wt%. According to these and other embodiments, based on the weight of the foam concentrate, the total proportion of one or more amphoteric surfactants is typically about 4 wt% to about 14 wt%, about 6 wt% to about 12 wt%, or about 8 wt% to about 10 wt%.

[0048] When multiple amphoteric surfactants are present, a first amphoteric surfactant and a second amphoteric surfactant may be present, and the weight ratio between them (first amphoteric surfactant: second amphoteric surfactant) is about 1:5 to about 5:1, about 1:4 to about 4:1, about 1:3 to about 3:1, or about 1:2 to about 2:1.

[0049] In summary, the weight ratio between one or more amphoteric surfactants and one or more anionic surfactants is typically about 1:5 to about 5:1, about 1:4 to about 4:1, about 1:3 to about 3:1, or about 1:2 to 3:1 (e.g., about 2.5:1).

[0050] Additional components

[0051] As described above, the foam compositions of the present invention comprise one or more other (i.e., additional) components believed to provide or impart advantageous foam properties. Typically, one or more additional components may comprise PEG and / or glycerol (propyl-1,2,3-triol) and / or sugar components. According to some such embodiments, the additional components comprise polyethylene glycol (PEG). In other such embodiments, the additional components comprise glycerol.

[0052] Although referred to as “additional components” in this article, it should be understood that both PEG and glycerol can be used as organic solvents and are also referred to as organic solvents.

[0053] Suitable polyethylene glycols include high molecular weight PEG and low molecular weight PEG. Suitable high molecular weight PEGs include PEG20000, PEG 30000, and PEG 35000. Suitable low molecular weight PEGs include PEG 200 to 1500.

[0054] In some embodiments, the foam composition contains two or more additional components (organic solvents). For example, in some embodiments, the composition contains suitable PEG and glycerin. In some other embodiments, the composition may contain butyl carbitol and polyethylene glycol.

[0055] Typically, the total proportion of the additional solvent components is at least about 2% by weight, at least about 5% by weight, or at least about 10% by weight.

[0056] For example, in some embodiments, the total proportion of the additional solvent components is about 2% to about 20% by weight, about 2% to about 15% by weight, or about 5% to about 15% by weight.

[0057] As described above, according to the present invention, a sugar component may also be included as an additional component.

[0058] Suitable sugars include white sugar, caramelized sugar, monosaccharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides, and combinations thereof.

[0059] Examples of caramelized sugars include brown sugar (such as dark brown sugar).

[0060] Suitable monosaccharides include d-xylose, dextrose, glucose, fructose, galactose, and combinations thereof.

[0061] Suitable disaccharides include sucrose.

[0062] According to various implementation schemes, foam stabilizers include a variety of sugar components, such as brown sugar and xylose, or brown sugar and dextrose, or brown sugar and fructose.

[0063] Based on the fire-fighting foam concentrate, the sugar component is typically present at a concentration of at least about 10% by weight, at least about 15% by weight, or at least about 20% by weight. According to some embodiments, the sugar component is typically present at a concentration of about 10% by weight to about 30% by weight, about 10% by weight to about 25% by weight, or about 15% by weight to about 25% by weight.

[0064] As described above, according to the present invention, in various embodiments, the additional components include glycerol (propane-1,2,3-triol) and sugar components. The presence of glycerol (propane-1,2,3-triol) and / or sugar is currently considered to provide improved foaming properties. Figures 1 to 4 Evidence is presented regarding the foam-stabilizing effects of brown sugar and glycerin.

[0065] Typically, when glycerol is added, it is present in a concentration of at least about 5% by weight, at least about 8% by weight, at least about 10% by weight, or at least about 12% by weight. According to these and other embodiments, glycerol is typically present in a concentration of about 5% by weight to about 30% by weight, about 8% by weight to about 25% by weight, about 8% by weight to about 20% by weight, about 10% by weight to about 20% by weight, or about 12% by weight to about 18% by weight (e.g., about 15% by weight).

[0066] Further according to the above embodiments and various other embodiments, the sugar component and glycerol are generally present in a weight ratio of about 1:5 to about 5:1, about 1:4 to about 4:1 or about 1:3 to about 3:1.

[0067] Other components that may be included in the compositions of the present invention include pH-adjusting components, which include acidic compositions. These may include phosphoric acid and / or acetic acid.

[0068] Along with polyethylene glycol and / or glycerol (propylene-1,2,3-triol), a variety of other organic solvents can be introduced into the compositions of the present invention. Suitable organic solvents include alkyl glycols, polyols, and glycol ethers. Exemplary alkyl glycols include propylene glycol, butyl glycol, neopentyl glycol, hexanediol, ethylene glycol, 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol, and combinations thereof. According to some embodiments, the organic solvent is an alkyl glycol selected from propylene glycol, butyl glycol, ethylene glycol, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the organic solvent comprises butyl glycol.

[0069] Further according to the present invention, the organic solvent may be a glycol ether. Suitable glycol ethers include propylene, n-butyl glycol ether, dipropylene glycol n-propyl ether, dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether, propylene glycol n-butyl ether (PNB), propylene glycol n-propyl ether, tripropylene glycol n-butyl ether, propylene glycol phenyl ether, dipropylene glycol phenyl ether, dipropylene glycol dimethyl ether, propylene glycol methyl ether, propylene glycol methyl ether acetate, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether acetate, tripropylene glycol methyl ether, ethylene glycol hexyl ether; diethylene glycol hexyl ether; ethylene glycol propyl ether; diethylene glycol phenyl ether, ethylene glycol phenyl ether, poly(oxy-1,2-ethylenediyl), α-phenyl-ω-hydroxy, diethylene glycol ethyl ether, diethylene glycol n-butyl ether, ethylene glycol n-butyl ether, butyl carbitol, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the glycol ether is selected from propylene glycol, n-butyl glycol ether, butyl glycol, butyl carbitol, and combinations thereof.

[0070] In various embodiments, the organic solvent is selected from alcohols, glycols (e.g., ethylene glycols), glycol ethers, and combinations thereof.

[0071] Specifically, in some embodiments, the composition comprises one, two, or three glycol and / or glycol ether solvents. In various embodiments, the composition comprises a glycol solvent and a glycol ether solvent. In various other embodiments, the composition comprises multiple glycol ether solvents (e.g., two or three glycol ether solvents).

[0072] In various embodiments, one or more organic solvents are selected from propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, butyl carbitol, propylene glycol n-butyl ether (PnB), butyl ethylene glycol, hexanediol, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the organic solvent comprises butyl carbitol.

[0073] In various other embodiments, one or more organic solvents may include one or more of propylene glycol, hexanediol, butyl carbitol, propylene glycol n-butyl ether (PnB), and / or butyl ethylene glycol. In some embodiments, one or more organic solvents comprise hexanediol and butyl carbitol. In other embodiments, one or more organic solvents comprise propylene glycol and butyl carbitol. In still other embodiments, one or more organic solvents comprise butyl carbitol and propylene glycol n-butyl ether (PnB). As a further example, one or more organic solvents may comprise butyl carbitol and butyl ethylene glycol.

[0074] In some embodiments, the foam composition contains one, two, or three organic solvents. For example, in some embodiments, the organic solvents include butyl carbitol and polyethylene glycol.

[0075] Typically, the total proportion of any of the above-mentioned additional solvents is at least about 2% by weight, at least about 5% by weight, or at least about 10% by weight.

[0076] For example, in some embodiments, the total proportion of any of the above-mentioned additional organic solvents is about 2% to about 20% by weight, about 2% to about 15% by weight, or about 5% to about 15% by weight.

[0077] foam solution

[0078] Typically, the foam solution of the present invention contains at least or about 0.5% by weight, 1% by weight, 1.5% by weight, 2% by weight, 3% by weight, 4% by weight, 5% by weight, or 6% by weight of foam concentrate. That is, the foam solution is typically prepared by diluting the foam concentrate with water at a dilution ratio of 1:99 to 6:94 (concentrate:water). Here, test results regarding foam reports such as 1% or 2% refer to the concentration of concentrate in the solution (i.e., the dilution ratio of the concentrate).

[0079] Foam

[0080] The compositions of the present invention are typically in the form of concentrates and are provided in equipment suitable for generating foam. Suitable foam generating equipment includes aspirating foam generating devices, foam chambers of non-aspirating foam generating devices, and spray systems, particularly for various spray systems, including multi-head spray systems.

[0081] Typically, the foam of the present invention is prepared by aspirating the foam solution of the present invention. Advantageously, the foam of the present invention is suitable for use with low-expansion foam generating equipment as well as medium-expansion and high-expansion foam discharging devices.

[0082] The foam of the present invention exhibits one or more advantageous properties and / or provides one or more efficiencies when in use.

[0083] One advantage of the foam of this invention is that it provides improved performance when used with seawater. Test results for the foam composition are shown below.

[0084]

[0085] Therefore, when used with seawater, the foam of the present invention can provide extinguishing time of about 30 to about 50 seconds, about 35 to about 45 seconds, or about 35 to 40 seconds when any one or all of the above tests are performed (e.g., 1% in Jet A, 1.5% in Jet A, 3% in Jet A, and / or 3% dry chemicals in Jet A).

[0086] Alternatively or concurrently, when used with seawater, the foam of the present invention can provide a burn resistance time result of about 400 to about 500 seconds, or about 450 to about 500 seconds, when any one or all of the above tests are performed (e.g., 1% in Jet A, 1.5% in Jet A, 3% in Jet A, and / or 3% dry chemicals in Jet A).

[0087] According to USFS Standard 5100-307b, the foams of this invention also frequently provide improved spread parameters on liquid fuels to provide a positive or neutral spread factor and wettability for Class A materials. EN 1568 and ASTM methods can be used to quantify this property.

[0088] It is currently believed that the foams of the present invention at least meet (if not exceed) performance standards known in the art, including, for example, military specifications (i.e., Mil-F-24385 and Mil-PRF-32725), ICAO (e.g., Class A, Class B, and Class C performance), LASTFIRE, FM, UL 162 land-based operating standards, and / or marine operating standards. For example, it has been observed that the compositions of the present invention provide advantageous performance when testing performance related to aviation fuels (including Jet-A and Jet-A1).

[0089] Firefighting methods

[0090] The compositions and foams of the present invention are suitable for methods of resisting and / or extinguishing Class B fires, wherein the composition or foam composition is applied directly or indirectly to a Class B flame or to fuel preceding a potentially advancing Class B flame front.

[0091] Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention are currently considered suitable for use as Class A foams. Class A foams improve direct water suppression and mopping effects and can be used for both aerial and ground operations. Certain embodiments of the present invention are also considered suitable for use as Class A / B foams, particularly fluorine-free Class A / B foams. Class A / B foams can be used in a variety of applications, including structural and residential fires; wildfires; conventional facility protection; Class A hazards (common combustible materials such as wood, cloth, paper, rubber, and many plastics); Class B hazards, which are non-fuel-deep (e.g., vehicle fires); and foam training exercises. Therefore, various embodiments of the present invention relate to fire-fighting foam concentrates suitable for forming Class A and / or Class A / B foams, and foams produced from these concentrates.

[0092] More generally, the foam compositions of the present invention are particularly suitable for fire prevention, fire suppression and extinguishing, steam suppression and surface wetting.

[0093] Example

[0094] To further illustrate the present invention, the following non-limiting embodiments are provided.

[0095] Example 1

[0096] The following table lists the composition of the foam concentrate (e.g., film-forming solution) of the present invention.

[0097] Formulation 1 :

[0098]

[0099] Formulation 2 :

[0100]

[0101] The following table summarizes the freshwater combustion performance of the compositions of the present invention:

[0102]

[0103] Example 2

[0104] Compositions that can be prepared according to the present invention are described below.

[0105]

[0106] Suitable solvents for the above formulations include glycol solvents and glycerol.

[0107] Implementation plan:

[0108] For further explanation, other and preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below.

[0109] Implementation scheme 1 is a fire-fighting foam concentrate, said concentrate comprising: at least one anionic surfactant; at least one amphoteric surfactant; and polyethylene glycol (PEG).

[0110] Embodiment 2 is a composition as described in Embodiment 1, wherein the concentrate comprises PEG 20000, PEG 30000, PEG 35000 or a combination thereof.

[0111] Embodiment 3 is a composition as described in Embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the concentrate further comprises glycerol (propane-1,2,3-triol).

[0112] Embodiment 4 is a composition as described in Embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the concentrate further comprises a sugar component.

[0113] Embodiment 5 is a fire-fighting foam concentrate comprising: at least one anionic surfactant; at least one amphoteric surfactant; and glycerol (propane-1,2,3-triol), wherein glycerol constitutes at least about 5% by weight, at least about 8% by weight, or at least about 10% by weight of the concentrate composition.

[0114] Implementation Scheme 6 is a fire-fighting foam concentrate, said concentrate comprising: at least one anionic surfactant; at least one amphoteric surfactant; the composition further comprising polyethylene glycol, and / or glycerin, and / or sugar components, wherein the composition does not contain any sulfobetaine surfactant.

[0115] Embodiment 7 is a composition as described in any of the preceding embodiments, wherein at least one anionic surfactant comprises a branched and / or straight-chain alkoxylated sulfate surfactant or a salt thereof, or an ammonium sulfate surfactant.

[0116] Embodiment 8 is a composition as described in any of the preceding embodiments, wherein at least one anionic surfactant comprises a C8-C22, C8-C16, C8-C12 or C10-C12 alkyl sulfate surfactant or a salt thereof.

[0117] Embodiment 9 is a composition as described in any of the preceding embodiments, wherein at least one anionic surfactant comprises at least one alkyl sulfate surfactant having a carbon straight chain having a length of at least 8 carbon atoms.

[0118] Embodiment 10 is a composition as described in any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the total proportion of the anionic surfactant is at least about 4% by weight, at least about 6% by weight, at least about 8% by weight, about 4% by weight to about 12% by weight, about 6% by weight to about 10% by weight, or about 7% by weight to about 9% by weight.

[0119] Embodiment 11 is a composition as described in any of the preceding embodiments, wherein at least one amphoteric surfactant is selected from propionic acid ester surfactants, betaine surfactants, amine oxide surfactants, and their salts and combinations thereof.

[0120] Embodiment 12 is a composition as described in Embodiment 11, wherein at least one amphoteric surfactant comprises a C6-C14 alkyl-iminodipropionate surfactant or a salt thereof.

[0121] Embodiment 13 is a composition as described in Embodiment 11, wherein at least one amphoteric surfactant comprises a C8-C22 betaine surfactant or a salt thereof.

[0122] Embodiment 14 is a composition as described in any of the preceding embodiments, wherein at least one amphoteric surfactant is present at a concentration of at least about 10% by weight, at least about 14% by weight, at least about 18% by weight, about 10% by weight to about 30% by weight, about 14% by weight to about 26% by weight, or about 18% by weight to about 22% by weight.

[0123] Embodiment 15 is a composition as described in any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the weight ratio between at least one anionic surfactant and at least one amphoteric surfactant is about 1:5 to about 5:1, about 1:4 to about 4:1, about 1:3 to about 3:1, about 1:2 to about 3:1, or about 2.5:1.

[0124] Embodiment 16 is a composition as described in any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the sugar component comprises white sugar, caramelized sugar, monosaccharide, disaccharide, polysaccharide, or a combination thereof.

[0125] Embodiment 17 is the composition as described in Embodiment 16, wherein the sugar component comprises caramelized brown sugar.

[0126] Embodiment 18 is a composition as described in Embodiment 16, wherein the sugar component comprises monosaccharides selected from the group consisting of d-xylose, dextrose, glucose, fructose, galactose, and combinations thereof.

[0127] Embodiment 19 is a composition as described in any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the sugar component is present at a concentration of at least about 10% by weight, at least about 15%, at least about 20%, about 10% by weight to about 30% by weight, about 10% by weight to about 25% by weight, or about 15% by weight to about 25% by weight.

[0128] Embodiment 20 is a composition as described in any of the preceding embodiments, wherein glycerol (propane-1,2,3-triol) is present in proportions of at least about 8% by weight, at least about 10% by weight, at least about 12% by weight, about 8% by weight to about 20% by weight, about 10% by weight to about 20% by weight, about 12% by weight to about 18% by weight, or about 15% by weight.

[0129] Embodiment 21 is a composition as described in any of the preceding embodiments, wherein the sugar component and glycerol are present in a weight ratio of about 1:5 to about 5:1, about 1:4 to about 4:1, or about 1:3 to about 3:1.

[0130] Embodiment 22 is a composition according to any one of the foregoing embodiments, wherein the composition contains no or substantially no sulfobetaine surfactant.

[0131] Implementation scheme 23 is a fire-fighting foam solution containing any concentrate as described in the preceding embodiments, wherein the solution contains at least or about 0.5% by weight, 1% by weight, 1.5% by weight, 2% by weight, 3% by weight, 4% by weight, 5% by weight, or 6% by weight of foam concentrate.

[0132] This document provides exemplary embodiments to make this disclosure sufficient and to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand the scope of the invention. Numerous specific details, such as examples of specific components, methods, etc., are described herein to provide a full understanding of the disclosed embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these specific details are not essential, that these exemplary embodiments may be implemented in many different forms, and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure. In some exemplary embodiments, well-known methods and well-known techniques are not described in detail.

[0133] When introducing elements of the invention or one or more preferred embodiments thereof, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “described” mean one or more elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to indicate inclusion and that additional elements different from the listed elements may be present. Unless the order of execution is explicitly specified, the steps, processes, and operations of the methods described herein should not be construed as requiring performance in the specific order discussed or described. It should also be understood that additional or alternative steps may be used.

[0134] While terms such as "first," "second," and "third" may be used herein to describe various elements, components, etc., these elements, components, etc., should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be used merely to distinguish one element, component, etc., from others. Unless otherwise expressly stated herein, the use of terms such as "first," "second," and other numerical terms does not imply order or sequence. Therefore, without departing from the teachings of the exemplary embodiments, a first element or component may be referred to as a second element or component.

[0135] In view of the above, it can be seen that multiple objectives of the present invention have been achieved, and other advantageous results have been obtained.

[0136] Various changes may be made to the foregoing without departing from the scope of the invention, meaning that all content contained herein should be understood as illustrative rather than restrictive.

[0137] Although the invention has been described in detail, it will be apparent that modifications and alterations may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A fire-fighting foam concentrate, said concentrate comprising: At least one anionic surfactant; At least one amphoteric surfactant; and Polyethylene glycol (PEG).

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the concentrate comprises PEG 20000, PEG 30000, PEG 35000, or a combination thereof.

3. The composition of claim 1 or 2, wherein the concentrate further comprises glycerol (propane-1,2,3-triol).

4. The composition of claim 1 or 2, wherein the concentrate further comprises a sugar component.

5. A fire-fighting foam concentrate, said concentrate comprising: At least one anionic surfactant; At least one amphoteric surfactant; and Glycerin (propyl-1,2,3-triol), wherein glycerin constitutes at least about 5% by weight, at least about 8% by weight, or at least about 10% by weight of the concentrate composition.

6. A fire-fighting foam concentrate, said concentrate comprising: At least one anionic surfactant; At least one amphoteric surfactant; The composition also contains: polyethylene glycol, and / or glycerin, and / or a sugar component. The composition does not contain any sulfobetaine surfactants.

7. The composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one anionic surfactant comprises a branched and / or straight-chain alkoxylated sulfate surfactant or a salt thereof, or an ammonium sulfate surfactant.

8. The composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one anionic surfactant comprises a C8-C22, C8-C16, C8-C12 or C10-C12 alkyl sulfate surfactant or a salt thereof.

9. The composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one anionic surfactant comprises at least one alkyl sulfate surfactant having a carbon straight chain having a length of at least 8 carbon atoms.

10. The composition of any of the preceding claims, wherein the total proportion of the anionic surfactant is at least about 4% by weight, at least about 6% by weight, at least about 8% by weight, about 4% by weight to about 12% by weight, about 6% by weight to about 10% by weight, or about 7% by weight to about 9% by weight.

11. The composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one amphoteric surfactant is selected from propionic acid ester surfactants, betaine surfactants, amine oxide surfactants, and their salts and combinations thereof.

12. The composition of claim 11, wherein at least one amphoteric surfactant comprises a C6-C14 alkyl-iminodipropionate surfactant or a salt thereof.

13. The composition of claim 11, wherein at least one amphoteric surfactant comprises a C8-C22 betaine surfactant or a salt thereof.

14. The composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one amphoteric surfactant is present at a concentration of at least about 10% by weight, at least about 14% by weight, at least about 18% by weight, about 10% by weight to about 30% by weight, about 14% by weight to about 26% by weight, or about 18% by weight to about 22% by weight.

15. The composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the weight ratio between at least one anionic surfactant and at least one amphoteric surfactant is about 1:5 to about 5:1, about 1:4 to about 4:1, about 1:3 to about 3:1, about 1:2 to about 3:1, or about 2.5:

1.

16. The composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sugar component comprises white sugar, caramelized sugar, monosaccharide, disaccharide, polysaccharide, or a combination thereof.

17. The composition of claim 16, wherein the sugar component comprises caramelized brown sugar.

18. The composition of claim 16, wherein the sugar component comprises monosaccharides selected from the group consisting of d-xylose, dextrose, glucose, fructose, galactose, and combinations thereof.

19. The composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sugar component is present at a concentration of at least about 10% by weight, at least about 15%, at least about 20%, about 10% by weight to about 30% by weight, about 10% by weight to about 25% by weight, or about 15% by weight to about 25% by weight.

20. The composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein glycerol (propane-1,2,3-triol) is present in proportions of at least about 8% by weight, at least about 10% by weight, at least about 12% by weight, about 8% by weight to about 20% by weight, about 10% by weight to about 20% by weight, about 12% by weight to about 18% by weight, or about 15% by weight.

21. The composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sugar component and glycerol are present in a weight ratio of about 1:5 to about 5:1, about 1:4 to about 4:1, or about 1:3 to about 3:

1.

22. The composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the composition is free of or substantially free of any sulfobetaine surfactant.

23. A fire-fighting foam solution comprising any concentrate as described in the preceding claims, wherein the solution contains at least or about 0.5% by weight, 1% by weight, 1.5% by weight, 2% by weight, 3% by weight, 4% by weight, 5% by weight, or 6% by weight of foam concentrate.

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