Search Results (2)

Deployed armed forces and the public engaged in outdoor activities are at high risk for mosquito bites and the diseases they transmit. Current mosquito bite-resistant garments prevent blood-feeding with slow-release insecticide formulations. Many people today want to avoid contact with pesticides, especially in their clothing. Insecticide treated clothing also is costly and requires regulatory agency approvals. Using mosquito bite-resistant mathematical textile models and a WholeGarment^® knitting technique, a seamless garment was constructed with military-compliant, no-melt, no-drip flame retardant yarns using an AiryPique knit architecture. The garment was 99.5% bite proof in walk-in cage bioassays with 200 Aedes aegypti host-seeking mosquitoes where the human subjects did not move for 20 min. A standard flame test and a PyroMan^TM flammability study validated the garment’s fire protection, a requirement for military uniforms. The thermal physiological comfort tests (air permeability, wetting time/radius, thermal resistance, evaporative resistance, and sweating thermal manikin test) were similar to current army combat uniforms and appropriate for use in everyday clothing. Bite prevention occurred by physically blocking the insect mouth parts from obtaining a blood meal. The knitting technique is well-suited for mass production of bite-resistant clothing through automation, significantly reducing labor, time, and cost by optimizing “fit on demand” for different body types compared to traditional manufacturing methods. This innovation provides a non-insecticidal, safe, scalable, and efficient solution for protecting individuals against mosquito bites. Full article

The main characteristic of clothing for protection against heat and flame is the protection of users from external influences and danger in the conditions of elevated temperatures and exposure to flame, fire, smoke, and water. The paper presents research on the clothing system for protection against heat and flame using a fire manikin and systematically analyses the damage caused after testing. As part of the damage analysis, the existence of microdamage and impurities on the clothing system was determined using a USB Dino-Lite microscope. In addition, the intensities and composition of gaseous decomposition products during the thermogravimetric analysis of samples were investigated. The results of the research using a fire manikin showed that the user of the examined clothing system would not have sustained injuries dangerous to health and life, which confirmed the protective properties. The results of the TG-FTIR indicate that the decomposition of the fabric sample of the modacrylic–cotton fiber mixture takes place in three stages, and the identified gaseous degradation products were H₂O, CO₂, and CO. Full article