The Elements of Innovation Discovered
The Elements of Innovation Discovered
Metal Tech News - January 16, 2025
Vorbeck Materials has incorporated Graphite One material into an effective firefighting foam that is free of forever chemicals.
While Graphite One Inc.'s primary focus is on establishing an all-American supply chain that will provide automakers with an alternative to China for the graphite anode material for electric vehicle batteries, the mining and tech company is also supporting the development of graphite-enhanced fire suppressant foam that safeguards firefighters in the U.S. military and across the nation.
While the current firefighting foams used by the U.S. military are highly effective, they contain polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), cancer-causing "forever chemicals" that risk the health of firefighters and the environment.
With the U.S. Department of Defense looking for a less toxic and highly effective alternative to PFAS for putting out fires, its Defense Logistics Agency awarded Graphite One a $4.7 million grant in 2023 to develop graphite-enhanced fires suppressant foams.
"Currently, the firefighting foams contain PFAS, which is carcinogenic, so we are looking for alternatives that perform similarly to the older products," said Graphite One Senior Vice President of Operations Mike Schaffner.
To complete the DOD-backed mission, Graphite One partnered with Vorbeck Materials Corp., a defense contractor that specializes in developing advanced graphite and graphene applications.
"Vorbeck's role is to develop new chemistries and new formulations to come up with a fluorine-free, PFAS free, environmentally-friendly, highly effective firefighting foam," said Vorbeck Materials CEO John Lettow.
Utilizing material sourced from Graphite One's Graphite Creek mine project in Alaska, Vorbeck has developed a fire suppressant foam that is now going through extensive military testing.
"Our goal is to have a formulation that will perform at a very high-level, and can go through military-standard certification," Lettow added.
The Navy is particularly interested in a safer and higher-performing firefighting foam.
"They have some of some of the most hazardous environments," the Vorbeck CEO explained. "You have airplanes that need jet fuel and are carrying a large amount of ordinance and a very confined space where there's no escape from the fire, so you have to be able to fight those fires very effectively and you have to be able to make that area safe."
Lettow's comments were part of a recent DLA video titled "Revolutionizing Firefighting with Graphite Technology," a good sign that the foam developed by Graphite One and Vorbeck is showing promise for meeting the Defense Department's standards.
While the graphite-enhanced foam is being developed for the military, this safer formula is also expected to safeguard civilian firefighters across the nation.
"Any foam that is healthy and safe for us, that's a good thing," said John Zour, captain of Howard County Fire and Rescue Operations in Maryland. "We also want it to be super effective."
Vorbeck Materials Director of Research and Development Kate Redmond said the ore provided by Graphite One is serving as an environmentally benign alternative to PFAS to improve firefighting foam quality and performance.
Zour and his team confirmed the effectiveness during recent testing in Maryland.
The benefits of a fire suppressant foam that is free of forever chemicals go beyond safeguarding military and civilian firefighters.
"This project really affects all of us – in our drinking water and the chemicals in our bodies – and so it maintains the health and safety of the firefighters, the service members, and the general population and environment," said Lettow.
For Graphite One, the DOD-backed firefighting foam project adds another potential societal benefit for future ore mined from its world-class Graphite Creek deposit in Alaska.
"This DLA contract underscores the importance of graphite for innovative technology applications beyond the renewable energy markets – an important part of Graphite One's advanced graphite materials strategy," Graphite One President and CEO said upon the 2023 start of the graphite fire suppressant foam project.
A feasibility study that provides details of Graphite One's all-American mine-to-EV batteries supply chain is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.
With more than 16 years of covering mining, Shane is renowned for his insights and and in-depth analysis of mining, mineral exploration and technology metals.
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