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I am a chemist, as some of you may know.  From my viewpoint, putting explosion inhibiting materials in the gas tank of an airplane is inherently unsafe,  anectdotal information to the otherwise:

Shredded Aluminum  or foam with high surface area provides enormous potential to combine with foreign materials in the gasoline, and may do so with uninteded results.

Shredded Aluminum or high surface polymer foam creates a potential for condensation of moisture when the gas level recedes below the foam level.  This may be what some people have seen and reported.  The gas tanks "breathe", and cold Aluminum is an exellent condenser of water.  The condensate would then pool at the lowest part of the tank.

High surface area materials with thin cross section may be subject to friability--rubbing and shedding of small  particles that may plug filters and injectors.

It you consider the objections mentioned above, and still decide to use one of these materials,  please stamp the information on your ID plate, so when your engine stops running, we will be able to figure out why, and learn from your mistakes.

David Jones

LML website:   http://www.olsusa.com/Users/Mkaye/maillist.html
LML Builders' Bookstore:   http://www.buildersbooks.com/lancair

Please send your photos and drawings to marvkaye@olsusa.com.