Development of Lightweight, Recyclable Low Cost, Nonwoven Cloth Duck Material

Nylon fabric is a polyamide that is lightweight, strong and durable. The fabric dries quickly when wet and provides comfort. Nylon is used in multiple applications ranging from apparel, home furnishings, industrial applications and geo-textiles. The cloth specified by this proposal is Mil-C- 43734"Cloth, Duck, Nylon", Types 4 & 5 that utilizes 500 Denier Textured Nylon yarns with a polyurethane back coating.. Because of the nylon"s excellent strength properties including high tensile strength, good tear strength, excellent friction and abrasion resistance and ability to be water proofed make it a material that is used in many applications. However, the coated nylon fabric lacks any type of fire resistance (FR). When exposed to extreme heat and flames, fabric containing synthetic materials like nylon will melt and can fuse to the skin. This creates a centralized hot area against the skin and can lead to major burns. Tex Tech Industries (Tex Tech) and the University of Maine at Orono (UMaine) have developed a potential solution to create a Nylon fabric substitute with similar or better strength properties that provides fire protection.