Tuesday, April 13, 2004

When "Water" Isn't Wet

NEW YORK CITY-April 13, 2004 — A new chemical concocted by scientists at the Tyco's Fire and Security Division looks and acts just like water except for one thing... it doesn't get things wet.



Click Here for More WPVI.com Bizarre News

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.



Charles Gibson/Good Morning America: "It looks like water, but it's not."

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.

(Copyright 2004 by WPVI-TV 6 and ABC News. All rights reserved.)



Send all complaints to: specialshawn@bellsouth.net

No comments: