Nanocomposite Barrier Fabric for Chemical and Biological (CB) Agent Resistant Tents

"Triton Systems responds to the Army need to develop new flexible materials that will provide superior critical defense against chemical and biological (CB) warfare agents for collective protection shelters. During Phase I of the SBIR program wesynthesized several barrier materials using our nanocomposite technology that have shown up to 5X improvement in barrier to CB simulants compared with the unfilled materials. Subsequently, Triton developed this concept further with higher barriermaterials on a NRDEC BAA. For this program we have fabricated a multilayer laminate fabric that shows no detectable penetration after a 24-hour exposure to liquid HD mustard chemical agent, matching or exceeding currently used barrier films under thesimilar conditions. This technology has the potential to realize immediate utilization in currently used tentage systems, as well as long-term feasibility for its transition to future programs, including the JTCOPS. Triton Systems proposes a Phase IIproduct development effort to optimize the nanocomposite technology demonstrated in the Phase I and BAA programs, and to make prototype tentage fabrics and qualify them for field-worthy applications. Our innovative nanocomposites approach will producetentage fabric using inexpensive materials and manufacturing techniques that (i) have superior chemical, biological, flame, UV, and abrasion resistance to current fielded liners (ii) and will yield a substantia