Specialty Fabrics Review October 2020 - 46

The technologies of fiber have been
improved, but [are still] far from
enough to meet the military's needs.
Dr. James Zheng
Former director of technical management
and chief scientist, PEO Soldier

FOR CHEMICAL AND
BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS

ersonal protective equipment (PPE) that's designed to combat chemical
and biological agents also remains at the top of the Department of
Defense's textile procurement list.
"The demand for military PPE is constant. The military purchases PPE
every year, regardless of whether there is a war or not," says Dr. James
Zheng, the former director and chief scientist of PEO Soldier. "However,
the volume or dollar amount of military procurement is difficult to predict
... due to uncertainty of the federal budget, inventory fluctuations and the
possibility of new and better PPE availability."

Army Spc. Airrell Casey, left, helps Spc. Makerita Luani remove a chemical protective suit
during training at Breitenwald Training Area near Landstuhl, Germany, Jan. 22, 2018. Casey
and Luani, both assigned to the 39th Transportation Battalion, trained on chemical, biological,
nuclear and radiological hazards with the Army Reserve's 773rd Civil Support Team. Photo:
Army Lt. Col. Jefferson Wolfe.

fabric is still a crucial component of
military apparel. But that, too, is being
updated with colors and patterns designed
to help soldiers blend into a variety of
terrains. This includes woodland, desert,
urban and arctic setting camouflage
patterns and apparel systems.
However, developing different apparel
systems for different settings often means
trading off one functional capability for
another, depending on the demands and
risks in that environment. For example, says
Zheng, breathability and insect repellence
(also known as vector protection) are essential in the Army's new jungle uniform. The
standard fabric used to make a soldier's general issue uniform is typically half cotton,
half nylon. The fabric combination used for
the jungle uniform is roughly 57 percent
nylon and 43 percent cotton, which leads to
higher breathability and quicker dry times.
Zheng said fire resistance and signature
management are more important for the
Army's desert uniform. But no new fibers
have been invented that can provide all of
the functional qualities the U.S. military
is looking for, and making trade-offs
continues to be a challenge for the military.
"Indeed, the technologies of fiber
have been improved, but [are still] far
from enough to meet the military's
needs," he says.
THE NEXT ITERATION
As Zheng notes, you cannot change
an atom, outside of a nuclear reaction.
However, many companies in the military
textiles space have R&D groups dedicated
to stretching the capabilities of new
molecules made by those same atoms
as far as science will allow.
W. L. Gore & Associates Inc., known
for the invention of GORE-TEX® fabric
from expanded polytetra fluoroethylene
(ePTFE), has invested heavily in material
science R&D and new patents over the
years. GORE PYRAD® flame-retardant
(FR) laminate is one result of that work.

46 REVIEW OCTOBER 2020

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Specialty Fabrics Review October 2020

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