NoFire: proving fire prevention in the real world
A blog by xxx, sharing the origin story of NoFire and its real-world potential in protecting vulnerable farmland from wildfires.
Pilot: Stop the spread
In rural and forest fires, time is always the enemy and water is not always available. In many scenarios, fighting flames when they have already spread is insufficient and risky.
At Arqueatec, the focus is placed on prevention, which is where the impact is greatest. NoFire, a flame retardant nanobiogel, is the result of this vision. It is a technology that came out of the lab to address real challenges in the field, matured through collaboration with the Frontier Tech Hub.
Far from being one-off events, fires repeat. They intensify and leave chain impacts ranging from environmental damage to economic loss and human risk. In many places, the traditional response relies on a critical resource: large volumes of water.
A question that arises in this context is, if the combat is reactive, how can we create a layer of protection that buys time or prevents the advance of the fire before it becomes uncontrollable?
A barrier, plus combat
NoFire is a nanobiogel formulated from sodium alginate, a biopolymer extracted from seaweed, and other components selected to form a material with key characteristics for operation in sensitive environments. The solution is biodegradable, non-toxic and produced by environmentally responsible processes.
Initial tests showed relevant performance on treated surfaces. Fabrics treated with NoFire do not combust when exposed to fire. NoFire extinguishes fires but also prevents them from spreading.
With support from the Frontier Tech Hub, Arqueatec mitigated uncertainties common to deep technologies, such as scaling, validating, and positioning, into a more objective strategy. As the greatest value of NoFire lies in prevention, this capacity was put to the test in a real scenario through a partnership with a rural producer, Vicente, whose sugarcane plantation suffered from arson after the harvest. In this setting, NoFire demonstrated its effectiveness as a preventive barrier.
Vicente spraying a patch of dried grass with NoFire
NoFire stands firm against the flames
Born in water, tested in fire
Interestingly, the origin of NoFire is not in fire itself, but in water. In 2019, the spill of more than 5,300 tons of crude oil on the Brazilian coast began the search for a material capable of cleaning the environment efficiently and with low impact. A response to a marine disaster ended up evolving into a technology capable of containing another type of crisis; fires.
As the material evolved, it became clear that it was a technology with applications beyond what was initially imagined. In 2021, this transition from the laboratory led to the creation of Arqueatec, founded by Professor Dr. Severino Alves Júnior and researcher Dr. José Yago.
Professor Severino, a faculty member at Federal University of Pernambuco (where NoFire was first developed), has long led research in materials science, bioinorganic chemistry, and luminescence. Alongside scientific rigor, his work has consistently emphasised a broader mission: encouraging students to look beyond the laboratory and engage with real-world challenges that can be addressed through science.
©Core Academy
“I have always sought to instill in my students a desire to solve everyday problems. My goal is to encourage them to look at the challenges around us and understand how we can help solve them through science”
For José Yago, the challenge was to shift from a purely scientific perspective to a more practical one. "I had the mindset of a scientist, but I realised I needed to understand how the market works. My main concern was figuring out the steps required to take the product from the lab bench to the shelf, ensuring it reached those who needed it most," says Yago.
Jose at the Federal University of Pernambuco laboratory
To operate on the front lines, science needs assurances. It is not enough for NoFire to have high performance, it must be safe and comply with the strictest standards. Therefore, we have consolidated fundamental milestones for real-world trust anf operation:
Technical Safety: Full compliance with NBR 17044/2022, ensuring the performance criteria required in fire protection.
Proven Sustainability: Ecotoxicological tests under the rigor of the European CLP regulation (EC 1272/2008) confirm that the product does not pose risks to the aquatic environment or ecosystems.
What lies ahead
With validated technology and technical milestones achieved, Arqueatec expands its focus to integrate NoFire into real fire management systems and expand its adoption by different actors, including fire departments, government agencies, and rural producers.
We believe we are changing the logic of the game by building layers of prevention that reduce dependence on water and return the most precious resource in any crisis: time.
Vicente overlooks his now protected sugarcane farm
If you’d like to dig in further…
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