Indicator Yarns to Detect Degradation in Nylon Webbing

Nylon webbing is used for the load bearing elements in the parachute system - harnesses and risers, and degrades with use, depending on environmental conditions and frequency of use. The environmental factor that causes the most degradation of polymers in webbing is ultraviolet (UV) irradiation; this factor, combined with repeated mechanical strain, can accelerate degradation to a point where the webbing will catastrophically fail. Work for this Phase I program will consider photochromic and mechanochromic compounds, which when extruded as fibers, can be incorporated into a textile webbing (or other platform) and used to indicate degradation due to mechanical stress and/or ultraviolet irradiation.