Novel Bonding Process for CBW Protective Electrospin Fabric Laminates

A Phase I SBIR effort conducted by Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) has developed a novel method for the patterned electrospun deposition of a moisture cured polyurethane adhesive. This nanofiberized adhesive was used to laminate conventional fabrics with noeffect on fabric moisture permeability and drape. Incorporation of the adhesive nanofibers into a fabric laminate for Chem-Bio Warfare (CBW) protection, using the Army Natick Soldier Center electrospun barrier membrane, is expected to yield a protectivegarment with high user acceptance. The bond strength can be tuned to ensure a failure mode below the tear strength of the CBW membrane. During the proposed Phase II effort, PSI will optimize the fabrication of a laminated protective textile and enhancethe electrospun CBW barrier membrane strength by an order of magnitude using electrospinning methods developed by PSI. The electrospun deposition process will be scaled-up to enable a 100 fold increase in production rate. The effort will exploit apartnership established during Phase I with Tex-Shield, the current prime fabric supplier of the Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology (JSLIST) CBW protective overgarment. The relationship with Tex-Shield will enhance program transitionopportunities to production of CBW protective garments with the PSI technology.