Breathable Nanofabric Could Protect Aainst Biothreats | AIChE

Breathable Nanofabric Could Protect Aainst Biothreats

September
2016

A breathable fabric pocked with tiny carbon nanotube pores could be the first step toward clothing that can protect against threats both biological and chemical.

Currently, HAZMAT suits and other protective clothing trade protection for breathability; anything impermeable enough to keep pathogens or chemicals out is also too impermeable to allow the wearer to perspire. Imagine treating Ebola in the tropical summer heat or patrolling in the desert in mid-July, and the problem becomes quickly apparent.

Answering a call by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency of the U.S. Dept. of Defense, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) chemical engineer Francesco Fornasiero and colleagues showed that a carbon nanotube fabric can protect against biological threats while still exceeding the breathability of standard sportswear.

“With further engineering and functionalization schemes, the idea is to further develop this material with the ability to provide protection from chemical threats also,” Fornasiero says.

The material — so far made only on the centimeter scale — is...

Would you like to access the complete CEP News Update?

No problem. You just have to complete the following steps.

You have completed 0 of 2 steps.

  1. Log in

    You must be logged in to view this content. Log in now.

  2. AIChE Membership

    You must be an AIChE member to view this article. Join now.

Copyright Permissions 

Would you like to reuse content from CEP Magazine? It’s easy to request permission to reuse content. Simply click here to connect instantly to licensing services, where you can choose from a list of options regarding how you would like to reuse the desired content and complete the transaction.

Related Topics