Novel Textiles for Use as Friction Buffer on Parachutes

During parachute deployments, nylon canopy cloth and nylon suspension lines are dragged across other nylon materials at high speeds which result in frictional heat damage. Cotton is used as a buffer material in sleeves, suspension stow line loops, deployment bags and as barrier fabrics between nylon webbings. Yet, cotton yarn production and textile manufacturing in the US is decreasing due to the shift in textile manufacturing to Asia. The ability to purchase high strength cotton in the US, thereby maintaining Barry Amendment compliance, is becoming more difficult. There is a critical need in the Army to develop a material that can perform like cotton as energy-absorbing buffer materials in parachutes. Luna Innovations is addressing the need to reduce or eliminate cotton as parachute buffer materials through the use of low friction, thermally conductive textile coatings on nylon. The novel coating will reduce the frictional heating of nylon on nylon upon deployment.