FIRE RETARDANT COATED FABRIC FOR HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL HANDLER'S PROTECTIVE CLOTHING

AN OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT WILL BE THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW AND NOVEL THERMOPLASTIC POLYMER ALLOYS WITH HIGH RESISTANCE TO ALL KNOWN HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS. A FURTHER OBJECTIVE WILL BE TO CROSSLINK INDIVIDUAL POLYMERS IN THESE ALLOYS TO FORM NON-MELTING INTERPENETRATING POLYMER NETWORKS (IPN'S) WHICH WILL EXHIBIT GREATER RESISTANCE TO HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS THAN THE THERMOPLASTIC ALLOYS FROM WHICH THEY DERIVE. ALLOYS TO BE PREPARED WILL INCLUDE CHLORINATED POLYETHYLENE/POLYURETHANES AND CHLOROSULFONTED POLYETHYLENE/POLYURETHANES. A NUMBER OF CROSSLINKING METHODS WILL BE INVESTIGATED, AND A SECONDARY OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP CROSSLINKING REACTIONS WHICH CAN BE INITIATED AFTER FABRICATION OF THE PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. THE SEAMS OF THE PROTECTIVE CLOTHING CAN THEN BE FABRICATED USING THERMAL TECHNIQUES WHICH WILL PROVIDE THE OPTIMUM BARRIER TO TRANSMISSION OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS THROUGH THE SEAM. A FURTHER OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT WILL BE TO INVESTIGATE LAMINATION OF INERT INORGANIC MATERIALS TO THE ALLOYS CITED ABOVE. THESE INORGANIC MATERIALS WILL BE UTILIZED TO ENHANCE RESISTANCE TO HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS AND TO FIRE. WORK WILL BE DONE AT COOLEY, INCORPORATED, A RECOGNIZED LEADER IN SPECIALTY COATED FABRICS AND A PRODUCER OF COATED FABRIC FOR CHEMICAL PROTECTIVE CLOTHING.