Robust, High Stretch, Flame Resistant, Breathable Textile for Lightweight Moisture Management

Woven fabrics are being used as the material to make duty uniform because they are able to withstand repeat abrasion, wear and tear. While they are not as stretchable and comfortable as knitted fabrics, which are commonly used in sports and performance apparels. Under this STTR topic, Army is looking for an innovative fabric that has comparable robustness of a woven fabric and the stretch and breathability of a knitted fabric. The developed textile materials should also be flame retardant, conformal to body for better sweat and thermal management. The weight and thickness should be comparable to the existing textile used in the standard duty uniforms. In response to this request, Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. (ACT) in collaboration with North Carolina State University, Wilson College of Textile (NCSU-WCT) proposes to develop next generation textiles with both benefits of knitted and woven textiles, which can be used to upgrade current army combat uniform (ACU) and significantly enhance the performance of military personal. The textile will have unique structure designs, which will significantly enhance fabric’s mechanical properties. These structures/patterns would also help to increase fabric air permeability. In Phase I, the team will perform trade study to identify appropriate design parameters of fiber, yarns and textile structure with the assist of FEA analysis. The material will be chemically treated to display improved wicking and flame resistance capabilities. Swatches of textile will be fabricated with the support of  NCSU-WCT. The stretchability, robustness, moisture management performance and other required characteristics of samples will be demonstrated through standard testing methods. The best performed textile samples will be delivered to Army by the end of Phase I.