Durable and rechargeable antimicrobial textiles

For soldiers in the field, there are limited opportunities for normal hygiene. Showers/bathing facilities are limited, as is the ability to launder uniforms, underwear and bedding. A lack of clean water can make even basic hygiene difficult-- in addition to the obvious problem of unsanitary drinking water. Also, the infection-control challenges the military faces in field hospitals and in combat medical procedures are far greater than the infection-control problems faced by civilian hospitals and emergency responders. The typical infection-control methods used in civilian hospitals often cannot be applied in field medical shelters during combat. It is therefore imperative that exposure to pathogens on clothing, on surfaces and during medical treatment of wounds be minimized. Antimicrobial textiles have been used to reduce odor and risk of infection. Currently, there are numerous products on the market. However, not one of these products can come close to meeting DoD needs. The ultimate objective of this proposed project is to provide antimicrobial functions to uniforms and undergarments for soldiers to control body odor and reduce the risk of infection, and to provide medical textiles with antimicrobial functions for medical shelters and military hospitals to help prevent the transmission of pathogenic bacteria under field conditions.