Advanced Lightweight NBC Protective Clothing

Our main objective will be to design, fabricate, and evaluate a lightweight semi-permeable or selectively permeable electrospun membrane, allowing ventilation of the wearer without exposure to outside chemical or biological hazards for NBC protectivesuits. These light weight semi permeable membranes will have the capability to provide time until agent break through after receiving an agent exposure. UDC will prove the feasibility and potential advantages of the new polymers forelectrospinning, crosslinking and lamination of electrospun membrane and a carrier fabric during this Phase I program. These laminates will be tested for breathability, bond strength and launderability. At the end of Phase I, we will provide a reportwith results and conclusions, and a Phase II plan, schedule and cost estimate.This program will provide lightweight semi-permeable or selectively permeable electrospun membrane laminates for NBC protective suits. Semi-permeable membrane materials are already widely used in commercial applications. Electrospun fiber technology isnot presently used in the commercial fabric industry, but offers great potential for integration of new materials into the fabric construction process, as well as potential medical and packaging applications.