Warfighter and Defense Related Outfits to Buffer Extreme Environments (WarDROBE)

Mainstream Engineering, in partnership with the Textile Protection and Comfort Center (TPACC) at NCSU’s University (NCSU) Wilson College of Textiles, will refine and demonstrate a high-comfort liner for personal protective suits, which is lighter with an integrated self-detoxifying layer for destroying chemical weapons that can also block radionuclides and/or prevent electromagnetic radiation as well as provide some protection against radiation exposure. This new capability far exceeds current, 1-time use activated carbon layers and is accomplished through an innovative use of novel metal-organic framework (MOF) adsorbents. MOFs are highly versatile structures and can be tuned to provide discrete functionality in terms of pore size and chemistry by grafting additional pendant groups, enabling biocidal properties and not only extremely effective adsorption of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and toxic chemicals, but also the catalytic destruction of them, allowing regeneration or greatly extending garment life. Mainstream will use our technology to develop integrated fabric liners using these advanced materials to provide protective liners that far exceed conventional activated carbon.