Material softens and protects against explosions.

Press Release Summary:



Firexx Fortification(TM) is made with layers of ultra-light soft alloy mesh ellipsoids that protect structure against high explosives. Protection is achieved by absorbing massive destructive energy of high explosives and disrupting coherence of blast waves. Panels can be fabricated to any shape and covered with aesthetic facade material. Lightweight material weighs 2.3 lb/cu ft yet can be used where heavy hardening materials often are not practical.



Original Press Release:


REVOLUTIONARY MATERIAL 'SOFTENS' STRUCTURES TO PROTECT AGAINST EXPLOSIONS


Since Man first sought shelter from caves, he has been protecting himself from mortal threats by surrounding himself with walls of rock, concrete, steel or other very hard materials. Now, a break-through material invention called Firexx provides the same level of protection against the most horrific modern threat - explosions - by essentially "softening" rather than "hardening" structures.

Firexx Fortification(TM) is a system made with layers of ultra-light soft alloy mesh ellipsoids that protects structure against high explosives. This protection is achieved not by deflecting the energy away with hard surfaces, but by absorbing the massive destructive energy of High Explosives and fundamentally disrupting the coherence of the blast waves. "I think of it somewhat equivalent of turning the coherence of a laser beam into the safe incandescent light of a light bulb," said Charles S. Crawford in Mc Lean, Virginia, U.S. Representative for the manufacturer.

Firexx Fortification(TM) often can provide equivalent protection to 'hardening' techniques, yet with hundreds of times less load weight, 4 to 6 times less material thickness, weeks or months less installation time. and at a fraction of the overall cost of reinforced concrete.

"One doesn't have to understand the physics. It doesn't really matter how Firexx works -- just that it protects structures and saves lives. Firexx(TM) is one of those historic inventions that comes along from time to time that fundamentally challenges conventional wisdom, " continues Crawford.

Firexx Fortification's(TM) effectiveness in blast mitigation has been demonstrated in many scientific experiments. For example, in 1997 scientists at the U.S. Army's Aberdeen Proving Ground scientists detonated the equivalent to 45 pounds of TNT at just 10 feet from a Firexx Fortification(TM) pad that was a mere 8 inches thick. The engineers concluded that flow through blast pressures were reduced by the material by as much as 94% percent from the front side of the pad to the exit on the back side (what engineers call 'flow through' blast pressures). 'We believe this test data is scalable to almost any explosive threat level. In fact, Firexx Fortification(TM) systems have been constructed by some government customers to protect against conventional weapons threats of potentially that use thousands of pounds of TNT," said Crawford.

Firexx Fortification(TM) panels can be fabricated to any shape and can be covered with an aesthetic facade material when necessary. Because the system is so lightweight (<2.3 lbs/cu ft for the ellipsoids), it can be used where heavy, bulky conventional hardening materials often are not practical -- such as for retrofitting existing structures. Barrier walls can be constructed of pre-fabricated panels can be installed rapidly in the field, and are re-deployable when the threat level reduces. Firexx Fortification(TM) also manufactures letter bomb, package bomb and light weight explosives transport boxes.

Firexx(TM) is manufactured at the company's headquarters in Saudi Arabia. However, the material can be manufactured in almost any location and can be easily installed using local labor. So efficient is the production process, Firexx even has a manufacturing line contained in a semi-trailer for immediate field deployment.

The basic alloy material also has other uses. For instance, when a liquid or gas fuel tank of any size - automobiles, to airplanes, to ships or petrochemical tank farms - are filled with Firexx ellipsoids it is impossible for the fuel vapors to ignite and cause an explosion. "Due to the principles of physics involved in the design of the material, Flames simply cannot travel through Firexx whether the material is in an ellipsoid form or sheet mesh form," said Crawford.

Firexx(TM) is the invention of Ghaleb Al-Hamad, a scientist and prominent businessman in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. To date, more than 90 patents have been granted worldwide. 'We see the market as largely military, of course. Yet in these times other critical structures all over the world, such as petrochemical plants, utility facilities, bridges, tunnels and lots of other structures are being reviewed for their survivability against terrorist bombings, " said Crawford.

"The practical and cost advantages of this material are important, but most importantly this is a wonderful invention that can save many, many lives," he said.

All Topics