SEDL / STP / STP1273-EB / STP19893S

Protective Materials with Real-Time Puncture Detection Capability

Hermes, RE
Technical Staff Member, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM

Valdez-Boyle, LS
Medical Student, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM

Stampfer, JF
Guest Scientist, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM

Ramsey, DR
Principal Architect, Paradigm Systems Corporation, Bellevue, WA

Pages: 4    Published: Jan 1997

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Abstract

The protection of workers from chemical, biological, or radiological hazards requires the use of protective materials that can maintain their integrity during use. An accidental puncture in the protective material can result in a significant exposure to the worker. A five ply material has been developed that incorporates two layers of an electrically conductive polymer sandwiched between three layers of a nonconductive polymer. A normally open circuit that is connected between the conductive layers will be closed by puncturing the material with either a conductive or nonconductive object. This can be used to activate an audible alarm or visual beacon to warn the worker of a breach in the integrity of the material. The worker is not connected to the circuit, and the puncture can be detected in real-time, even when caused by a nonconductor.