"Second Skin" Material Protects Against Chemical and Biological Threats
Academic, research, and industry teams led by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency's Chemical and Biological Technologies Department (DTRA-CB) are developing 'Second Skin' technology - dynamic, multifunctional materials that can respond to a chemical and biological threat. The materials can be manufactured into everyday military uniforms but use molecular-level technologies to protect against such attacks as soon as the wearer enters a contaminated area. The technology program began in 2012 and is budgeted for $30 million over five years. At the end of the program, the researchers will have swatches of fabric that will be expected to sense a chemical or biological threat and provide a response to the attack. It is expected that a follow-on program will focus on techniques leading to the manufacture of the military uniforms.
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00:00:04 an alarm sounds and War Fighters spring into action putting on Personnel protective equipment or PPE to counter the unknown threat headed their way will they make it will they be able to get the vital protection on in time the race is on as they struggle to put on the bulky garments in overbearing heat that could make a difference between life and death but what if it didn't have to be
00:00:31 that way what if the very clothes they were wearing their uniforms automatically sense the threat and immediately changed at the molecular level the changes would provide an effective barrier without adding the weight and heat of the heavy and cumbersome charcoal lined protection garments currently in use the future is now in the form of Second
00:00:55 Skin the dynamic multi-functional materials for a second skin program is an effort by the defense threat reduction agency's chemical and biological Technologies Department better known as ditra CB to develop an everyday uniform made from novel Dynamic multi-functional materials that are fully integrated at the molecular level this integration
00:01:19 allows the uniform itself to provide protection against chemical and biological threats while adapting to minimize thermal burden ultimately making the war Fighters safe and more combat effective the war fighter applications for this technology do not end on the battlefield or at the contaminated site the commercial applications of Second
00:01:42 Skin could include ski apparel companies looking to develop the next generation of thermal garments which have high moisture management capabilities and also provide better protection from the cold athletic companies are actively investing in developing Next Generation garments that provide highly effective thermal management capabilities while providing Comfort to the wearer in
00:02:05 various climates ditra CB we're Innovation driven our Technologies are advancing the boundaries of Science and Technology we're performance driven we measure results and invest in what works we're War fighter driven our primary responsibility is protecting the men and women of our Armed Forces we're Synergy driven in the tradition of penicillin
00:02:33 and the internet our military Technologies are also improving civilian lives driving economic growth and advancing science and understanding this is our mission you can read more about ditra CB online at