Defense textile Kashif usman Afzal Ahmad
AREAS TO COVER……. Introduction Areas of protection Role of fibers and non-woven Ballistic protection Environmental protection Stab and ballistic Impact textiles Decontamination technology camouflage
Introduction Most demanding customers of textile materials in world specific protective performance requirements battlefield, tanks, aircrafts, underwater etc. Also in gravitational forces during high accelerationdeceleration,. The technical textiles have proved to be the major contributor to the defense applications.
Primary areas of protection Ballistics protection Environmental protection 1.Chemical 2.biological 3.thermal protection flame protection insects and micro-organisms protection
Secondary areas Resistance to sun Resist mildew Water repellent Excellent durability Air permeability
Main requirements for defense textile Fiber type selection Fiber size Dyestuff selection Functional finish utilization For example, a particular dye or pigment needed to meet infrared protection against detection may not have good properties to colorfastness to laundry
Role of fibres:
Significant impact Paramount is the excellent fibers available for the ballistic protection Aramid and Polyethylene fibers for body armor M5 fibers
Role of non-wovens Non-woven material products Combat clothing and equipment For military use is the durability Reduced resulting from abrasion resistance Nanotechnology and electro textiles
Fragmenting projectiles rather than bullets From grenades, mortars,
artillery shells, Mines and improvised explosive weapons Low velocity bullets from handguns High velocity bullets from rifles and machine guns
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Textile Fibers for Ballistic Protection Woven silk fabrics High modulus aliphatic nylon 6.6 high degree of crystallinity Low elongation Used in body armor composite helmets
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Kevlar Twaron Spectra Dyneema
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Textile Fibers for Ballistic Protection Kevlar widely used in the modern generation of light weight body armors Twaron absorbing a bullet’s impact and quickly dissipating its energy through engaged and adjacent fibers Spectra These fibers are 10 times stronger than steel DSM Dyneema It has high energy absorption characteristics and dissipates shock waves faster
Environmental Protection: Protection can be classified into three major components 1.Thermal protection 2.Chemical protection 3.Biological protection
Thermal Protection Entrapment of still air in the structure Finer fibers tend to entrap more still air than coarse fibers for the same bulk Textiles have advantage of low density, good resilience, good drape and handle, easy care and durability Units of measuring thermal insulation are warmth/thickness Tog/cm
Chemical Protection These effects are insidious, lethally horrific Mustard attacks moist skin, tissues and respiratory tract causing severe blistering Nerve agents affect the transmission of nerve impulses in the body
Biological Protection Bacteria and viruses Nasal or full face respirators
Hoods and efficient seals, gloves and over boot complete the ensemble
Clothing is made of completely impermeable butyl rubber materials
Impact Protection Textiles
Protect against high energy impacts without sacrificing flexibility, breathability or ease of use
APS is an intelligent fabric
consists of 3-D spacer textile
Impact Protection Textiles Fully integrated active safety that can be stitched directly into the garments Material customization and versatility that allow many creative design possibilities Breathable, flexible and lightweight construction for outstanding comfort and freedom of movement Washable for easy care and maintenance
Stab & Ballistic Protection vests that protect their wearer against the twin threats of bullet and knives DSM’s high performance polyethylene fiber (Dyneema) provides ballistic protection Bekaert’s steel cord (Steel skin) gives the wearer stab protection
Flames, Heat and Flash Protection Flame retardant material in forces is Proban treated cotton Low cost Wide availability Low shrinkage in fire It must not be laundered with soap using hard water
Decontamination Technology
Process of neutralizing or removing chemical or biological agents Military purposes, decontamination must restore the combat effectiveness of equipment and personnel as rapidly as possible In one of the existing technology it is based on micro-porous membranes Naval Research Laboratory's Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering (CBMSE) have developed a new cost-effective, self-decontaminating ultra thin materials coating that actively destroys pesticides and related chemical agents on contact
Decontamination Technology Coating neutralizes toxins instantly leaving no hazardous residue, which makes it ideal for use in protective clothing for military personnel and civilians The U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) developed a patented technology to neutralize organo phosphorus chemical agents and pesticides Enzymatic decontamination technology DEFENZ™ is now on the market
Camouflage
Camouflagebecame an essential part of modern military tactics
The word camouflage comes from the French word ‘camoufler’ (to disguise) and was first introduced by the French during World War I to define the concealment of objects and people by the imitation of their physical surroundings, in order to survive
Camouflage Requirements
Visual spectrum
Ultraviolet
Near infrared
Far infrared
Acoustic emissions
Radar spectrum
Conclusion
The general aims of future systems are
Improve protection against natural and battlefield threats Maintain thermo-physiological comfort or survival in extreme conditions Improve compatibility between and within different clothing components Reduce weight and bulk of materials
References Wellington Sears Handbook of Industrial Textiles – Sabit Adanur Textiles for Protection – Ed. by Richard A. Scott www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_camouflage Impact protection becomes flexible, lightweight & breathable, Tech Text Int., p31, May 2006 Stab & ballistic protection combined in vest, Technical Textiles Int., p10, Mar/Apr 2006 Protective Clothing, Wood head Publishing, 2005
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