A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH CURRENTLY AVAILABLE CHEMICAL AGENT FILTERS IS THE RESISTENCE TO AIR PERMEABILITY, OR BREATHABILITY.

A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH CURRENTLY AVAILABLE CHEMICAL AGENT FILTERS IS THE RESISTENCE TO AIR PERMEABILITY, OR BREATHABILITY. THIS RESISTANCE IS DUE TO THE RELATIVELY DENSE PACKING OF ACTIVATED CARBON MATERIAL TO ABSORB THE TOXIC CHEMICAL VAPORS. A PROGRAM IS PROPOSED TO DEVELOP ACTIVATED CARBON FIBER FELTX THAT POSSES LOW FIBER DENSITY TO ACHIEVE GOOD AIR PERMEABILITY, BUT ADEQUATE VAPOR ABSORPTION. THE REQUIRED ABSORPTIVE PROPERTIES WILL BE ACHIEVED BY MAXIMIZING THE "TORTUOSITY FACTOR" OF THE FILTER. VARIOUS TYPES OF ACTIVATED CARBON FIBER FELTS WILL BE PREPARED AND EVALUATED FOR VAPOR ABSORPTION AND AIR PERMEABILITY. THE FELTS WILL BE PRODUCED WITH RANDOM AND SEMIRANDOM FIBER ORIENTATIONS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE THE MAXIMUM POSSIBLE PATH LENGTH THAT A VAPOR MOLECULE MUST TRAVEL TO PASS THROUGH THE FELT. THIS LENGTH, AS DEFINED BY THE TORTUOSITY FACTOR, WILL PROVIDE MAXIMUM ABSORPTION POTENTIAL OF THE CHEMICAL AGENT. THOSE MATERIALS AND PROCESSING FACTORS THAT YIELD THE BEST FILTERS WILL BE DEFINED. IMPROVED FILTERS WILL BE PRODUCED FOR FURTHER EVALUATION.