Dr. Nguyen Thuy Quynh (Photo: VNA)
Within the framework of an independent research project, funded by the L'Oréal-UNESCO Foundation for Women in Science, Dr. Nguyen Thuy Quynh has successfully manufactured a fireproof material that can be used to cover the walls of houses, creating a protective outer shell as well as filling the gaps on the exterior of the house.
Not only having the effect of preventing fire and increasing the efficiency of insulation for houses, this coating is also sustainable for the environment, because it is made from industrial and construction waste.
It is expected that this new material will be available on the Australian market within about a year.
Dr. Nguyen Thuy Quynh said that Australia is greatly affected by climate change, with the frequency and severity of forest fires increasing, causing major threats to people's lives, environment and houses.
Although they are devastating, forest fires are often fast-moving and in most cases the structures the fire impacts only have to deal with the heat and flames for a short time.
This is the reason why she came up with the idea of manufacturing an additional coating on buildings that can help prolong the time of resistance until the fire has passed.
Dr. Nguyen Thuy Quynh added that in order to ensure fireproof safety for houses, it is important to consider the safety level of each type of material used and the suscepti bility of the whole building to catch fire when different materials in different textures are combined.
Dr. Nguyen Thuy Quynh, 38, went to Australia as a PhD student in civil construction at the University of Melbourne in 2011, after she graduated from Hanoi University of Science and Technology.
Currently, Dr. Nguyen Thuy Quynh is the leader of a research group on fireproof materials and advanced construction systems at RMIT University./.