Flexible Chemical & Biological Agent Resistant Nanocomposite Materials for Mask Hoods, Lenses and Components

Triton Systems responds to the chemical and biological defense (CBD) program need to develop new flexible materials that will provide superior critical defense against chemical and biological warfare agents for protective clothing. Triton Systems proposesa Phase II effort to i) optimize the barrier (24 hour resistance to chemical agents) and flexibility (cyclic flexing between -60¿F to 160¿F) to meet military requirements for joint service gas masks, and ii) evaluate various innovative film fabrication andseam sealing techniques for cost effective manufacturing. During Phase I, Triton developed several nanocomposite filled materials that have shown more than 100% improvement in barrier to CB agents as compared with unfilled materials, making themapplicable to both the Joint Service General Purpose Gas Mask (JSGPM) hoods and optical lenses as well as the Joint Service Chemical Environment Survivability Mask (JSCESM). In particular, we have produced a flexible film material that shows no detectablepenetration after a 24-hour exposure to liquid HD mustard chemical agent, meeting the MIL STD 282 requirement for these systems. This improved barrier allows thinner materials to be used, thus reducing the weight and the cost of the components.