The National Fire Agency said on the 28th that, together with the Ministry of National Defense, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and others, it held the second defense-fire R&D technology council and decided to push in earnest to transfer technology for boron nitride nanotubes (BNNT), an advanced defense material, to the fire sector.
According to the National Fire Agency, boron nitride nanotubes are ultra-high heat-resistant materials that do not burn or melt and can retain their original form even at temperatures above 800 degrees. They are lightweight at the nano scale yet said to have excellent physical strength.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration plans to transfer seven related patents, including a method for purifying large-capacity, high-purity boron nitride nanotubes, to the fire sector.
The National Fire Agency will develop a "composite material-based thermal protection exterior coating technology" to prevent structural damage to fire robots and "next-generation turnout gear" with improved heat resistance and reduced weight. After research and development are completed, it will also support private corporations in commercializing the products.
The defense-fire R&D technology council was established to break down silos among government ministries. At the first meeting last year, it selected an unmanned surface vessel as a civil-military technology cooperation project.