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Breathable Butyl Rubber for Chemical Agent Protection

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Army
Contract: DAAD19-02-C-0018
Agency Tracking Number: A013-0031
Amount: $100,000.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: STTR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 2001
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
12345 W. 52nd Ave.
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
United States
DUNS: 181947730
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Brian Elliott
 Senior Chemical Engineer
 (303) 940-2341
 belliott@tda.com
Business Contact
 John Wright
Title: Vice President
Phone: (303) 940-2300
Email: jdwright@tda.com
Research Institution
 UNIV. OF COLORADO AT BOULDER
 Laurence Nelson
 
Contracts & Grants, 3100 Marine St., 572 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309
United States

 (303) 492-2695
 Nonprofit College or University
Abstract

Defense against chemical weapons is a critical DOD requirement. An effective defense requires the development of unique clothing systems that are a physical barrier to toxic vapors, liquids, and aerosols. In addition, the protective material must bepermeable to water to reduce incapacitating heat stress, and must be lightweight, flexible, and cost effective. Materials currently in use by DOD are effective barriers to chemical and biological weapons but they are not permeable to water vapor andproduce dangerous heat stress and are bulky, severely reducing maneuverability and the overall effectiveness of the wearer. TDA Research, Inc. proposes to develop a breathable protective clothing material from polymerizable surfactants and butyl rubber.The surfactants will form a continuous porous structure with nanometer scale pores large enough to allow water vapor to pass while preventing chemical agents from reaching the wearer. Our approach will use a unique family of polymerizable surfactants andan innovative two step process for forming stable nano-porous structures in the vulcanized butyl rubber. The porous structure of cross-linked butyl rubber films will be characterized and the permeation of water vapor and chemical warfare agent simulantswill be quantified.The development of a breathable clothing material for chemical agent protection would be a very significant benefit to the armed forces and civilian defense. Currently, individuals wearing a protective suit are very limited in the amountof physical activity they can endure without the use of a cooling vest or external air supply. The commercial application of this technology would be to manufacture clothing materials for garments produced for the armed forces and civilian defense as ameans to protect against chemical warfare or terrorism. Additionally there will be markets for personal protection in industries that handle or produce dangerous chemicals.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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