Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Lowell Center for Advanced Materials have developed a fabric for United States Army soldier uniforms that meets a host of demands not achieved with current uniforms.

To create the new material for Army uniforms, which needs to be comfortable, durable, fire resistant and able to repel insects, the team made modifications to a commonly used 50-50 nylon-cotton blend.

The research team first focused on making the fabric fire retardant by concentrating on the cotton portion of the blend. With its many hydroxyl groups (oxygen and hydrogen together) on its surface, cotton can be activated by common chemicals to bind to compounds containing phosphorous — specifically phytic acid, which is a non-toxic material derived from nuts, seeds and grains — that encourage flame retardancy.

In a test, untreated fabric (left-hand panel) burns completely after a flame is removed, whereas fabric treated with phytic acid (right panels) is self-extinguishing in seconds after the ignition source is removed. Source: Sourabh Kulkarni

The team then focused on repelling insects using permethrin, which is a common non-toxic insect repellent. The team adhered the permethrin to the fabric using a plasma-assisted deposition process, eventually managing to link both the phytic acid and permethrin to the fabric's surface molecules.

During testing, the team discovered that the material demonstrated a 20% improvement as a flame retardant versus untreated material and 98% efficacy in repelling insects — all while maintaining durability and comfort.

Eventually, the team envisions enhancing the fabric with antimicrobials to prevent infections from bacteria.

The researchers presented their findings at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Fall 2020 Virtual Meeting & Expo held on Aug. 17, 2020.