Bioagents and textiles

October 23rd, 2023

Medical and military needs are coming together in a shared requirement for fabrics that offer protection against biological threats in healthcare environments and, for warfighters, the threat posed by chemical warfare. The challenges faced are complex; protection against multiple agents could be needed, and the agents may even be unknown. Against such obstacles, the development […]

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PCG to develop new Joint Force prototype fabric 

March 27th, 2023

When the Joint Force conducts missions in a chemically or biologically contaminated operational environment, they wear protective garments, but these garments burden warfighters by increasing heat retention and restricting movement. To reduce burden while maintaining or improving protection, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s (DTRA) Chemical and Biological Technologies Dept., in its role as the Joint Science […]

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PPE systems benefit from a developmental approach

October 7th, 2019

Marc Mathews recalls his time as a Marine stationed in Iraq, where he wondered about the design and origins of the personal protective equipment (PPE) he wore. “Who made this?” he contemplated. “Who thought this was a good system? Did they test it?” Today, Mathews is a research associate with the Textile Protection and Comfort […]

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Protecting our protectors

July 15th, 2019

Slash resistant clothing can reduce the risk of knife injuries and laceration.  by Robert Kaiser People throughout history have sought and found the means to protect themselves with specially designed and constructed garments. From furs and chainmail, to leather, metals or fabric, a range of materials has been used creatively to protect against injury or […]

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