Barrier properties of anti-gas military garments, considering exposure to gas organic compounds

Abstract

The problems of determining the protective properties of barrier materials used for the production of body surface protection products of an isolative type are very actual. These garments are expected to have long-term resistance against permeation of toxic substances. The paper deals with the study of the effect of organic solvent vapours on the changes in protective properties of selected anti-gas protective garments commonly used by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization armed forces. Permeation measurements of selected gases with integral permeameter were performed to verify their barrier properties, surface changes after exposure to selected solvents by using a 3D optical profilometer, permeation measurements for vapours of these solvents with differential permeameter, and experimental simulating the possible influence of barrier properties of garments within permeation of air. It has been shown that in the case of gases, the permeability of the studied materials increases with decreasing kinetic diameter of the penetrant molecule used. In the case of acetonitrile and isooctane vapours, permeability increased with increasing vapour concentration due to interactions between polymeric materials and molecules of organic compounds. The permeation measurements of pure vapours and air/vapour mixtures indicate that the level of interactions between the molecules of the penetrant and the material of the protective garment is not strong enough to degrade the material of the garment in such a way as to allow a greater penetration of the pollutants through it. The results of permeation experiments for gases and organic vapours showed very good barrier properties of studied chemical isolated garments.

Keywords: Anti-gas protective garment; Gas barrier properties; Organic solvents; Permeation measurements.