National Crime Records Bureau’s (NCRB) report on Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India, 2015 stated that 17,700 people died that year of fire accidents. Every monsoon, an inconvenience would come in the form of leaks and seepage in houses, leading to dampness which sometimes results in illnesses.

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) had announced CASPOL (Ceramic Polymer Hybrid) in 2015, a water-based fire-retardant with thermal-pooling properties. The emulsion, which can either be sprayed or spread using a brush against a surface, contains no toxic material and is eco-friendly. One litre of CASPOL can cover upto 1.5 sq.m. This solution was to initially protect launch vehicles and proved quite effective.

Recently, having been developed by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), it has been reported that ISRO successfully carried out a test, and has deemed it ready for civilian use.

“It confers excellent flame retardant, waterproofing and thermal control properties to substrates ranging from masonry surfaces, textiles, paper, thatched leaves, wood et al, to advanced materials like insulation foam pads,” said a senior official from VSSC.

This invention has many applications, ranging from protecting places vulnerable to fire like malls, auditoriums, railway stations and other public spaces, to protecting civilian homes from fire accidents. Other than it’s fire-retardant quality, it’s waterproofing can be used in buildings to seal microcracks to prevent seepage and leakage.
All that is left now is for ISRO to find the right industrial partner to commercialize the product, enabling public access to CASPOL.