Water that isn't wet?

[JeeberD]

This stuff sounds crazy. My mind just doesn't comprehend this. A liquid that isn't wet? Wacky...

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Water-Like Substance Extinguishes Flames; Causes No Water Damage

A new chemical concocted by scientists looks and acts just like water except for one characteristic... it doesn't get things wet.

During Tuesday's Good Morning America, a representative of Tyco Fire and Security displayed the amazing properties of the chemical that's called "Sapphire."

The chemical has all the firefighting properties of water, yet it will not cause the damage to items that is usually associated with water.

As part of a demonstration, Pelton submerged several items into a tank of Sapphire that was on the Good Morning America set. Books did not get wet. Electronics were not be destroyed. Items that were submerged in the liquid were dried in a matter of seconds, and showed no ill effects according to Charles Gibson, Diane Sawyer and other members of the Good Morning America staff who saw items plunged into it.

The Sapphire is intended to become part of fire suppression systems in buildings. It would automatically be sprayed out of a building's sprinkler system when a fire is detected.

Dave Pelton/Tyco Fire and Security: "This material would protect various artifacts, collections. You could use it in museums, libraries, places of cultural property."

There was a substance that had similar properties produced in the past, but that fire suppression liquid was damaging the ozone layer. The new substance by Tyco is supposed to be environmentally safe.

[ice4277]

That's weird. Science is getting to the point where some inventions/discoveries are like things you would have found in a wacky science fiction story 30 years ago.

[Miller Time]

makes you wonder what the next 20 years in science will have in store.

[cthomer5000]

that's some crazy shit.

[Vince]

Was anyone else's first reaction to think about some way to get a hold of this stuff, because they couldn't believe it?

That's crazy stuff.

[JeeberD]

I just want to watch the GMA video and see the book getting dunked. I wonder if they have that segment archived on thier site?

[sterlingice]

Very cool stuff.

SI

[Easy Mac]

If I drink it, will my thirst be quenched?

[JeeberD]

It probably would. Permanently.

[hukarez]

Why does the word 'expensive' pop up in my head...

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by hukarez

Why does the word 'expensive' pop up in my head...

Well, yeah. I'm sure it costs a lot to develop an alternative to water. But think of the cost saved if you use this for your computer fire protection instead of some of the other methods.

SI

[Mr. Wednesday]

Anyone who knows any chemistry at all knows that the only thing that stuff has in common with water is that they're both liquid at room temperature. The density, boiling point, heat of vaporization, heat capacity, etc. is all a lot different from water. It's actually a five-carbon fully fluorinated ketone that looks like this:

CF3-CF2-O-CF-CF3
	  |
	  CF3

Edit: It replaces stuff like Halon, that accomplishes pretty much the same thing (in a very different way) but eats ozone.

[Critch]

Originally Posted by Easy Mac

If I drink it, will my thirst be quenched?

And once you'd drank it you'd be able to sit back and happily pee yourself cos it wouldn't make your pants wet. If this catches on we may never have to go to the restroom for number ones ever again.

[tucker342]

that's very amazing

[IMetTrentGreen]

let get cracking on cancer next

[BigJohn&TheLions]

Originally Posted by IMetTrentGreen

let get cracking on cancer next

Cancer? HA HA HA! We've got even better things up our sleeves!

A gas alternative that is made of people.

An artificial chewing gum that has real cranberry flavor.

An episode of Saturday Night Live that will make people laugh.

A light that travels at 3/4 the speed of light.

A honest politician.

And a pill that makes erections possible even with a picture of Mike Ditka on the box.

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by Mr. Wednesday

Anyone who knows any chemistry at all knows that the only thing that stuff has in common with water is that they're both liquid at room temperature. The density, boiling point, heat of vaporization, heat capacity, etc. is all a lot different from water. It's actually a five-carbon fully fluorinated ketone that looks like this:

CF3-CF2-O-CF-CF3
	 |
	 CF3

Edit: It replaces stuff like Halon, that accomplishes pretty much the same thing (in a very different way) but eats ozone.

The forumla you just drew is an ether, I thought. (an oxygen single-bonded to two carbons)

And I think the article was kind of dumbing things down - it's obviously not a water, just a liquid that has the property of putting out fires. I don't think they're trying to make it seem like water in any other way.

[korme]

Science is not my strong point.

**slowly backs out of thread**

[Mr. Wednesday]

Originally Posted by RPI-Fan

The forumla you just drew is an ether, I thought. (an oxygen single-bonded to two carbons)

You're going to make me pull out all my organic stuff.

OK, so I know the stuff is actually a ketone, which means either I drew it wrong or an ether is something else.

Checking Wikipedia, it looks like I drew it wrong. I'll need to go back to 3M's site and look up the name again so I can figure out how to draw it right.

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by Mr. Wednesday

You're going to make me pull out all my organic stuff.

OK, so I know the stuff is actually a ketone, which means either I drew it wrong or an ether is something else.

Checking Wikipedia, it looks like I drew it wrong. I'll need to go back to 3M's site and look up the name again so I can figure out how to draw it right.

Organic Chemistry was by far the hardest course I ever took in College. Thermodynamics and Electromagnetics were easy by comparison. Something happened though, after a full semester of struggling. All of the sudden, it all clicked for me. I understood not just that you could calculate the angles of molecular bonds, but why you could calculate them actually made sense to me. Because I aced the final, I managed an average over 50% for the semester. That earned me a B, and the third highest grade in the class.

However, now 15 years departed from that epiphany, I am clueless with regard to identifying either an ether or a ketone.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Glengoyne

Organic Chemistry was by far the hardest course I ever took in College. Thermodynamics and Electromagnetics were easy by comparison.

What godforsaken major required all of the triumvirate of evil that is Organic Chem, Thermo, and EM?

SI

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

What godforsaken major required all of the triumvirate of evil that is Organic Chem, Thermo, and EM?

SI

Electrical Engineering.

[ISiddiqui]

Holy Crap... that's amazing!

[Mr. Wednesday]

That's a serious EE curriculum... I'm pretty sure the one at my school, the double-E's didn't need organic or thermo.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Mr. Wednesday

That's a serious EE curriculum... I'm pretty sure the one at my school, the double-E's didn't need organic or thermo.

Same here. I know there were some CivE's and MechE's who took both Thermo and EM but they were crazy.

SI

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by Mr. Wednesday

That's a serious EE curriculum... I'm pretty sure the one at my school, the double-E's didn't need organic or thermo.

The one I could have avoided was Organic Chemistry. I took it because I prefered it to the alternative of a second semester of Chemistry. I also excelled in the section of Oraganic Chemistry that was part of my High School chemistry curriculum. Strangely enough I know a guy who couldn't pass Thermodynamics(thermogodamnics as he called it), and he ended up with a Bachelor of Arts in Electrical Engineering.