Researchers at the California Institute of Technology and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory say they have discovered a polymer fuel additive that can reduce the intensity of post-accident jet fuel explosions without altering the fuel’s performance. The work, published in the October 2 issue of Science, describes how the polymer molecules form long chains known as “megasupramolecules,” which change the jet fuel’s flow behavior by reducing its tendency for “misting,” or forming tiny easily combustible droplets during impact, while still allowing it to be sprayed through fuel injectors under normal conditions.

During a crash, the supramolecules that otherwise remain coiled are activated by the sudden elongation of the fluid and stretch. That stretching allows them to inhibit the misting tendencies of fuel droplets. The next phase of the research lies in developing a method to mass produce the additive. “Above all, we hope these new polymers will save lives and minimize burns that result from post-impact fuel fires,” said Caltech professor of chemical engineering and lead researcher Dr. Julia Kornfield.