Chinese company creates fabric for firefighters that can withstand 2,192°F heat

Chinese company Safmax unveiled new types of advanced fabrics at the second Public Security Tech Expo in Lianyungang in China, claiming the materials can endure extreme heat while remaining breathable, waterproof, and windproof, claims Interesting Engineering in an article published on 18 September.

Safmax claims its flame-retardant fabric can withstand temperatures up to 2,192°F (1,200°C) without deforming, shrinking, or melting. The material can be used in firefighting suits, fire blankets, and to isolate airflow during battery fires in new energy vehicles, reads the article.

Jiang Huangsen, Safmax's chief technology officer, said the company's nano-membrane material can be applied to ordinary fabric with a thickness just 1% of human hair. During a demonstration, water could not pass through the fabric while air flowed freely, making it both waterproof and breathable, according to the article.

According to Interesting Engineering's article, flame-retardant fabrics are usually made by adding inherently resistant fibres or treating flammable fabrics with chemicals. These treatments work by charring the fabric, releasing flame-suppressing gases, or creating an insulating layer.

Conventional firefighter garments combine multi-layered fabrics such as aramid fibres, moisture barriers, and quilted thermal layers for heat, flame, and moisture resistance.

Safmax presents the fabrics as a convenient and effective solution for extreme fire safety applications, building on developments in flame-retardant cotton and nano-membrane technologies, the article further read.