# US 10,369,394 B2 · Use of high molecular weight acrylic polymers in fire fighting foams > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,369,394 B2 - Document ID: US10369394B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/775,607 - Filed: 2014-03-14 - Published: 2016-01-28 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-14 - Assignees: Tyco Fire Products LP - Applicants: Tyco Fire Products LP - Inventors: Martina E. Bowen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10369394B2 ## CPC - A62D 1/0071: {Foams} - A62D 1/0035: {Aqueous solutions} - A62D 1/0042: {"Wet" water, i.e. containing surfactant} - A62D: CHEMICAL MEANS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES OR FOR COMBATING OR PROTECTING AGAINST HARMFUL CHEMICAL AGENTS; CHEMICAL MATERIALS FOR USE IN BREATHING APPARATUS ## Abstract Aqueous firefighting composition concentrates are provided that contain an effective amount of a high molecular weight water soluble anionic acrylic polymer, an effective amount of at least one high molecular weight polysaccharide gum; and an effective amount of at least one surfactant. In the present context, a high molecular weight water-soluble anionic acrylic polymer is a polymer with an average molecular weight Mw of at least one million (1000 kDa). The combination of the acrylic polymer and the gum provide a concentrate that generates foam with highly desirable firefighting properties, including high foam expansion ratio, long burnback time, and slow drainage time while avoiding problems with previous gum-containing foam concentrates, such as high viscosity and component separation upon storage. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aqueous firefighting foam concentrate comprising: 0.1% to 18% by weight of a water soluble anionic acrylic polymer having an average molecular weight of 1000 to 2000 kDa; 0.2 to 7% by weight of at least two types of polysaccharide gums in total; and 1 to 25% by weight of at least one surfactant. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The concentrate according to claim 1 wherein said surfactant is a non-fluorinated surfactant and said composition is substantially free of any organofluorine compounds. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The concentrate according to claim 1, wherein said polymer is a polyacrylamidomethylpropane sulfonic acid having an average molecular weight of about 1,800 to 2000 kDa. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The concentrate according to claim 3, wherein the concentrate comprises about 2% by weight of a galactomannan gum and about 2% by weight of a xanthan gum. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The concentrate according to claim 1, wherein said polymer is polyacrylamidomethylpropane sulfonic acid. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The concentrate according to claim 1, further comprising a solvent. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The concentrate according to claim 6 wherein said solvent is selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, and butylcarbitol. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The concentrate according to claim 1, wherein one of said polysaccharide gums is a galactomannan gum. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The concentrate according to claim 1, wherein one of said polysaccharide gums is a xanthan gum. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The concentrate according to claim 1, comprising at least one galactomannan gum and at least one xanthan gum. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The concentrate according to claim 1, wherein said at least one surfactant is selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactants, zwitterionic surfactants and nonionic surfactants. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A firefighting foam comprising a concentrate according to claim 1 and water. ### Claim 13 An aqueous firefighting foam concentrate comprising: 1 to 5 wt. % of a water soluble polyacrylamidomethylpropane sulfonic acid having an average molecular weight of 1000 to 2000 kDa; 2 to 5 wt. % polysaccharide gum, which includes galactomannan gum and xanthan gum; 1-10 wt % anionic surfactant; 5-20 wt % alkylpolyglycoside surfactant; and 5-25 wt % zwitterionic surfactant. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The concentrate of claim 13, wherein the anionic surfactant comprises alkyl sulfate; the zwitterionic surfactant comprises alkyl iminodialkanoate; and the alkylpolyglycoside surfactant, comprises C8-C10 alkyl polyglycoside. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The concentrate of claim 13, wherein the concentrate further solvent selected from the group consisting of comprises glycols, glycol ethers and combinations thereof. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The concentrate of claim 15, wherein the concentrate comprises solvent selected from the group consisting of diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, and/or butylcarbitol. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The concentrate of claim 13, wherein the polyacrylamidomethylpropane sulfonic acid has an average molecular weight of at least about 1,500 kDa. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The concentrate of claim 13, wherein the concentrate comprises about 2 wt. % of the galactomannan gum and about 2 wt. % of the xanthan gum. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The concentrate of claim 13, comprising 2 to 4 wt. % of the water soluble polyacrylamidomethylpropane sulfonic acid, which has an average molecular weight of at least 1500 kDa. ### Claim 20 An aqueous firefighting foam concentrate comprising: 1 to 5 wt. % of a water soluble polyacrylamidomethylpropane sulfonic acid having an average molecular weight of at least about 1500 kDa; 2 to 5 wt. % polysaccharide gum, which includes at least one galactomannan gum and at least one xanthan gum; 1-10 wt % anionic surfactant, which comprises alkyl sulfate; 5-20 wt % alkylpolyglycoside surfactant; 5-25 wt % zwitterionic surfactant, which comprises alkyl iminodialkanoate; and 5-20 wt % solvent selected from the group consisting of diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, and/or butylcarbitol.