Physical Optics Corporation — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: To address the Army"s need for a lightweight, versatile thermal insulation material,

Description

To address the Army"s need for a lightweight, versatile thermal insulation material, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Multilayer Thermally-Induced Curl (MULTIC) fiber. This proposed technology is based on a new approach to manufacturing thermally responsive, variable-loft polymer batting material. The innovation in using"smart"polymer fibers integrated in nonwoven padding mats will enable the new thermal insulation to react in real time to changes in ambient temperature, as well as body heat, to adjust the amount of thermal insulation according to the current weather conditions and the wearer"s comfort. As a result, this technology offers the Army an"all-in-one"protective garment solution that responds instantly to the thermal protection needs of the Soldier, mitigating the need to carry additional layers of clothing and thus reducing the weight and space requirements of the carry load, which directly addresses the Army"s present requirements. In Phase I, POC will demonstrate the feasibility of MULTIC adaptive protection by modeling the material response and producing and testing samples of thermally responsive batting. In Phase II, POC plans to manufacture functional garment components and conduct product qualification with full-sized manikins.