Lightweight, Durable Fabrics for Military Shelters

General purpose shelter fabric construction has not changed in decades since historical polyvinylchloride (PVC) laminated polyester scrim fabric system meets basic tent specifications (MIL-PRF-44103). Despite its performance under normal conditions, the Army requires new materials with improved durability for extreme environmental conditions. The currently used material has seen significant damage in fielded systems due to i) high speed wind whip to fabric, ii) cold cracking at temperatures below -30F, and iii) high stiffness at low temperatures. Luna proposes to develop a highly durable toughened polymer fabric coating system that will overcome the durability issues associated with traditional PVC laminates in extreme environmental conditions. Luna will utilize our extensive experience with polymer modification and fabric construction to develop novel multifunctional textile that will achieve these stringent structural properties. These goals will be achieved to reduce the overall ownership cost of shelter systems by improving functional durability and reducing packing weight and volume.