| Popis: |
The air permeability of fire-resistant fabric materials has been of increased interest due to the alarming rate of firefighters (FFs) being diagnosed with cancer. On a routine basis, FFs are exposed to a mixture of carcinogens generated from burning plastics, fiber materials, or woodlands. The smoke particles and toxic chemicals generated in the fire can settle on or pass through the personal protective equipment (PPE). There is a need for improving PPE to prevent toxic chemicals from reaching the skin. This dissertation involves synthesizing carbon nanotube (CNT) fabric or nanofabric and characterizing the fabric for use in FF apparel.Thin nanofabric is impermeable to air and liquids. Integration of nanofabric into current FF garments can prevent smoke particles and toxic chemicals from reaching the skin and being absorbed. The nanofabric can also reduce heat stress, and resist flame damage. Nanofabric is a new material that can be use in the as-produced condition or, optionally, nanoparticles or microparticles can be integrated into the CNT fabric during the manufacturing process. Nanofabric adds functionality to current FF apparel by protecting the wearer from toxic chemicals and biological materials. An as-produced CNT sheet is high quality and can have a Raman G/D ratio of up to 100, and fire resistance up to 700°C. Adding nanoparticles to the fabric can enhance the capture of toxic chemicals and other properties of the material. Examples of layering CNT fabric with conventional fabric are discussed in the dissertation. A modified synthesis process was developed in this work to produce customized nanofabric. The characterization of the nanofabric and hybrid nanofabric performed in this dissertation may lead to garment designs with improved safety for FFs. |
