In regular jet engines, fuel is mixed with compressed air to form a fine mist that is then ignited with an electric spark, producing forward thrust. Unfortunately, that same mist easily combusts in the event of a crash, when it escapes from the combustion chamber. To keep that from happening, a team led by Prof. Julia Kornfield developed a polymer that can be added to jet fuel without affecting its performance or energy capacity. This polymer consists of long molecular chains known as a "megasupramolecules," which are joined end-to-end via Velcro-like chemical connectors at the end of each one. These connectors pull apart to let the megasupramolecules separate, as the fuel/polymer mix is expelled from a fuel injection nozzle. This lets the fuel work as it normally does, temporarily forming into droplets that make up a mist. If that mist isn't ignited immediately, however, the connectors reconnect with one another as the droplets meet, causing the mist to coalesce back into a less flammable concentration. (Source: Gizmag. October 2 2015)