Dynamic Nanocomposite Self-Deactivating Fabrics for the Individual and Collective Protection
Abstract
Chemical and Biological Defense (CBD) is of high Army and National military priority. Battlefield protective uniforms and shelters must simultaneously meet weight, bulk, durability, comfort and heat stress requirements for a combat configuration. The JSLIST Suit, first introduced in 1997, is a remarkable garment used by all branches of the U.S. military that meets many of these requirements. The current JSLIST suit is comprised of an outer shell that is a nylon blend which imparts tear strength and durability to the suit. The hung liner consists of beads of activated carbon laid down in adhesive form onto a non-woven front textile to provide a method of adsorbing threats such as nerve and mustard gases, and prevents the soldier from experiencing percutaneous exposure to these toxins. Despite the usefulness of the current JSLIST suit, there are some improvements in the suit that could make the suit even more effective. These include protection against a broader range of chemical agent threats; bioaerosols and toxic industrial chemicals/toxic industrial materials (TICs / TIMs). Current and emerging chemical defense garments and textiles are based on providing a barrier protection or adsorption of warfare agents, or a combination of both. These mechanisms suffer from an inherent tradeoff between breathability/comfort and protection levels, and place significant burden on doffing procedures in an actual event. Foster-Miller and BHA Holdings Group have developed a nanocomposite fabric architecture to enhance the current capabilities by incorporating a functionality and bioaerosol protection into a fabric. As shown in Figure 1, the new design has pioneered the use of threat destroying catalysts.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA481575
Entities
People
- Andy Riecker
- John P. Puglia
- Suneet Chadha
- Ted Mendum
- Vipin Rastogi
- Yongwoo Lee