Let's see if we can find the recipe to make this stuff.
DISCLAIMER: Follow this guide at your own risk.
It's mono ammonium phosphate and I think glycol and perhaps a couple other wetting agents. It creates generate carbon dioxide and ammonia gas quickly, CO2 without the pressure instead the heat aerosolized it. Should be good for Class A and B fires. This is what I found so far.
One potential recipe.
Monobasic sodium phosphate, dibasic ammonium phosphate, borax, boric acid, poly oxyalkylated alkyl phosphoric acid ester and water.
A composition for fire-resisting and fire-extinguishing comprising monobasic sodium phosphate, dibasic ammonium phosphate, borax, boric acid, poly oxyalkylated alkyl phosphoric acid ester and water in a ratio of about 1: about 1˜5: about 0.3˜1.5: about 0.3˜1.5: about 0.3˜1.5: about 10˜20 by weight, respectively.
- The composition of claim 1, the ratio is about 1: about 3.76: about 0.6: about 0.8: about 0.6: about 13.24 by weight, respectively.
OR safer: According to many experimentations, the present inventors have found that a composition comprising monobasic sodium phosphate, dibasic ammonium phosphate, borax, boric acid, poly oxyalkylated alkyl phosphoric acid ester and water has excellent efficiencies of resisting fire and suppressing fire rapidly, and outstanding heat-resisting property, pro-environment characteristic, etc.
https://www.google.com/patents/US7560041
But some ideas die hard. Today, a Thailand company produces the Elide Fire Extinguishing Ball, a 5.8-inch (14.7-centimeter), 3.3-pound (1.5-kilogram) sphere that customers throw or roll into fire. After 3-10 seconds of exposure to flame, the ball explodes loudly (120 decibels) and scatters extinguishing agents, including FUREX 770, a dry chemical containing mono ammonium phosphate. The ball can put out small Class A and some small Class B fires over an 86-108 square-foot (8-10 square-meter) indoor area, and its loud bang can serve as an alarm [sources: Caldic Deutschland; Elide; YG Yangın Güvenliği].
Malaysia's Linnovate Technology offers the SOTERIA Throwable Fire Extinguisher, a 1.3-pound (600-gram) plastic resin bottle that withstands everyday pressures but shatters when dropped from 3 feet (1 meter), releasing organic and inorganic salts. These react with fire to generate carbon dioxide and ammonia gas, which disperse and extinguish the fire, as well as foam, which suffocates the fuel. It retails for $69.99 (at the time of publication) and douses Class A and B fires [sources: Lim; Linnovate].
Bonex, a Malaysian company headquartered in Japan, divides its throwable products according to fire fuel type. Its $85 SAT119 (named for the Japanese fire rescue number) resembles SOTERIA in form but handles only Class A fires. According to one store, it contains 16.9 fluid ounces (500 milliliters) of ammonium phosphate dibasic (a soluble ammonium phosphate salt used as an environmentally friendly flame retardant) http://amzn.to/1NfliBO , and ammonium bicarbonate (a white powder found in baking powders and fire extinguishers). When exposed to fire, it emits carbon dioxide and ammonia gas. Bonex also makes FR911 FLAMEOUT for handling Class A, B and C fires [sources: Bonex; Japan Trend Shop; NJDHSS; Santa Cruz Biotechnology].
All three products contain nontoxic, eco-friendly chemicals and boast a five-year shelf life, according to manufacturers [sources: Bonex; Elide]. Regarding their legality in the Unites States, Linnovate CEO Leon Lim said, "SOTERIA Throwable has been exported to many countries and has always been classified as a non-dangerous good." WILL NOT put out burning oil, open fires, or flames in advanced stages
The Satto 119 Eco throwable fire extinguisher is a grenade of flame eradication whose results are almost immediate. Breakable plastic, which poses no risk to the thrower or standers by, comprises its container composition and a solution of 500 ml of ammonium phosphate dibasic and ammonium bicarbonate awaits the chance to suffocate fires inside. The liquid has an extinguishing capacity that is 10 times that of water, while remaining nontoxic and safe for use even by the very young and the very old. Whether or not the very stupid can handle it remains in debate.
Source Ash, Michael and Irene Ash. "Handbook of Green Chemicals." Synapse Information Resources. June 2004.Bonex. "Fire Extinguisher Products." (May 7, 2014) http://www.bonex-asean.com/Burke, Robert. "Fire Protection: Systems and Response." CRC Press. 2007.Caldic Deutschland. "Certificate of Analysis Furex 770 - Ster Fire Ball." Aug. 5, 2010. (May 7, 2014) http://www.sterfireball.com/assets/files/certificate_of_analysis_furex_770.pdfElide Fire Ball Pro. (May 7, 2014) http://www.elidefire.com/Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Fire Extinguisher." (May 7, 2014) http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/207830/fire-extinguisherEngber, Daniel. "How Big is a '10-Alarm Fire'?" Slate. May 4, 2006. (May 15, 2014) http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2006/05/how_big_is_a_10alarm_fire.htmlEuropean Parliament. "Directive 1999/45/EC." May 31, 1999. (May 7, 2014) http://europa.eu/!Vu86QR"The Gas Age." New York: Progressive Age Publishing. Vol. XXXIII: January to June 1914.Kovel, Ralph and Terry. "Fire Grenades Were Used in Past to Put Out Flames." King Features Syndicate/Chicago Tribune. Sep. 3, 1995. (May 7, 2014) http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1995-09-03/news/9509030084_1_grenades-extinguish-fireLim, Leon, CEO and Founder of Linnovate Technology Sdn Bhd. Personal correspondence. May 6-7, 2014.Linnovate Technology. "Product Introduction: All-New SOTERIA Throwable Fire Extinguisher." (May 9, 2014) http://soteriafire.com/Linnovate Technology. "SOTERIA Fire Extinguisher FAQ." (May 9, 2014) http://soteriafire.com/Linnovate Technology. "SOTERIA Throwable Fire Extinguisher." (May 7, 2014) http://soteriafire.com/products/soteria-throwable.htmlNew Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. "Ammonium Bicarbonate." March 2001. (May 7, 2014) http://nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb/documents/fs/0088.pdfOccupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). "Flammable and Combustible Liquids (29 CFR 1910.106)." Office of Training and Education. (May 7, 2014) https://www.osha.gov/dte/library/flammable_liquids/flammable_liquids.htmlSanta Cruz Biotechnology. "Ammonium Phosphate Dibasic." (May 7, 2014) http://www.scbt.com/datasheet-202947-ammonium-phosphate-dibasic.htmlU.S. Fire Administration. "Fire Extinguishers." May 6, 2010. (May 9, 2014) http://www.usfa.fema.gov/citizens/home_fire_prev/extinguishers.shtmYG Yangın Güvenliği LTD. "The Outstanding Feature of Fire Extinguisher Ball." 2011. (May 7, 2014) http://www.bestfireball.com/EN/features.html