Firefighters are exposed to numerous hazards during interventions. Although firefighting gear must meet prescribed standards, the effects of actual use and maintenance on its wettability remain insufficiently investigated. The purpose of this non-pedagogical part of the study was therefore to examine the effects of impregnation type, wear, cleaning, and the properties of various liquids on the fabric’s wettability. A causal-experimental method with a quantitative research approach was used. Samples of the outer layer of firefighting protective clothing, which had been subjected to different impregnation treatments, wear, and cleaning, were analysed. The contact angles of distilled water, nonpolar liquids, and aqueous solutions of acids and bases were measured using a goniometer. The surface morphology of selected samples was analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the chemical composition was determined by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The content of the non-pedagogical part was then incorporated into chemistry teaching. Firefighting was chosen due to its strong tradition in Slovenia, its familiarity to students, and its potential to connect chemical knowledge with materials, human protection, safety, and environmental issues. The aim of the pedagogical part was to examine how firefighting protective clothing could be incorporated into the teaching of polymers and surface active substances, while monitoring students’ individual and situational interest. A causal, non-experimental method of empirical pedagogical research was used. Curricula for general secondary education (high school) and high school chemistry textbooks were analysed, after which a lesson unit based on real-life contexts was developed and implemented with third-year upper secondary students. Students’ individual and situational interests were assessed using questionnaires, and the collected data were statistically analysed. The findings indicate that the wettability of firefighting protective clothing depends on the type and integrity of the impregnation treatment, the condition of the fabric surface, and the properties of the liquid. Wear and tear reduces the material’s water repellency, whereas appropriate professional maintenance preserves its protective surface properties more effectively than non-professional cleaning. Alternative water-repellent treatments free of fluorinated compounds also ensure high water repellency, although their effectiveness depends on the type of liquid and the conditions of use. The pedagogical part of the study demonstrates that connecting chemistry content with authentic real-life problems, practical activities, and experimentation can stimulate students’ situational interest. This master’s thesis offers new opportunities for integrating modern functional materials into context-based chemistry teaching.
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