Minutes of Meeting NC 170 - Multi-State Project

Pittsburgh , PA , August 4-5, 2005

NC 170: Mediating Exposure To Environmental Hazards Through Textile Systems

Listserv address: NC170@ iastate.edu

NC-170 Web page: http://txnc170.human.cornell.edu/

Regional Research manual: http://www.wisc.edu/ncra/manual.html

Members in Attendance: Anugrah Shaw (Maryland), Charlotte Coffman (New York), Susan Ashdown (New York), Margaret Rucker (California), Kay Obendorf (New York), Ajoy Sarkar (Colorado), Huantian Cao (Oklahoma), Karen LaBat (Minnesota), Gang Sun (California), Seshadri Ramkumar (Texas Tech), Lynn Boorady (Missouri) and Marilyn DeLong (Minnesota, Administrative Adviser)

Adopted agenda:

Thursday, August 4 th

9:00-10:15 Call to Order, Announcements, Approval of Agenda

Comments from Dr. Vaughn, USDA-CSREES Representative

Comments from Dr. DeLong, Administrative Advisor

Election of Officers

Date and Place for 2006 Annual Meeting

10:15-10:30 Break

10:30-12:00 Funding discussions: homeland security, funding for textiles and apparel research, other ideas for further funding

12:00-1:00 Lunch

1:00-5:15 Tour of NPPTL Labs

1:00-1:45 Vans to NPPTL labs 

1:45-2:00 Check - in

2:00-2:30  Introduction/NPPTL Overview (B29 conference room)

2:30-3:00  B29 Research Physiology Lab (Dr. Jon Williams)
3:00-3:30  B143 Chemical Protective Clothing Testing Lab (Dr. Pengfei Gao)

3:30-4:00  B13 Anthropometrics Lab (Dr. Ziqing Zhuang)

4:00-4:15  B13 Colorimetric indicators demonstration (Dr. Evanly Vo)

4:15-4:30 Wrap-up/Questions B29

4:40-5:15 Vans back to hotel

6:30 Dinner

Friday, August 5 th

9:00-10:30 State Progress Reports

California

Colorado

Maryland

Minnesota

10:30-11:00 Break

10:15-12:00 State Reports (continued)

New York

Oklahoma

Texas

12:00-1:00 Lunch

1:00-2:30 Planning for Next Year

3:00-3:30 Discuss Modifications to Original Proposal

3:30 Meeting Adjourned.

• Dr Ashdown called the meeting to order at 9:00 and members introduced themselves. Dr. DeLong was welcomed as our new administrative advisor. Dr. Boorady was unanimously voted in and welcomed as the newest member of the group.
• Dr. DeLong discussed the mid-term review of NC-170 activities. Reviewers noted the good synergy among members. It was also recommended that members seek external competitive funding. Dr. DeLong indicated that moving forward the thinking at USDA is to erase boundaries among regions and also towards having fewer multi-state projects nationally by combining similar/common subject area projects. The ultimate aim is to move from formula funds to competitive funding.
• Election of Officers: Dr. Gang Sun was elected chair for next year and Dr. Karen LaBat was elected secretary for next year.
• The date of the next Annual Meeting will be August 7-8. Alternate date is August 10-11.
• Oklahoma City or Stillwater, OK was suggested as a good location for the next Annual Meeting. The choice would allow us to tour the Textile/Apparel labs at Oklahoma State University.
• Funding Discussions:
• A vigorous discussion regarding funding opportunities for textile and apparel research ensued. Ideas included developing an academic-industrial consortium and contacting trade organizations such as IFAI to recruit companies.
• Dr. Ramkumar expressed concern regarding textile area representation on USDA NRICGP panels. He is preparing a memo addressed to the program manager of the relevant program and will circulate the memo among members.
• Day one of the meeting concluded with a visit to the NPPTL labs in Pittsburgh.
• Day two of the meeting began with state project reports. Researchers pointed out work completed, in process, and/or planned cooperatively with other agencies. Summary of state reports are in the Appendix.
• New York continues to maintain the NC-170 Regional Research website on a server in the College of Human Ecology at Cornell University.
• All members were asked to send updated information for the “Members” section as well as updated publication lists (not to exceed 12 entries) of their most recent or significant publications related to the project.
• Planning of work for the following year:
• In keeping with Dr. DeLong’s observations regarding erasing boundaries among regions and having fewer multi-state projects it was proposed that incoming officers Dr. Sun and Dr. LaBat attend the S-1002 annual meeting to discuss opportunities for collaboration.
• Dr. Branson was contacted by telephone and provided information regarding her body armor work.
• Different materials for coverall were discussed (Objective 1 and 2). Dr. Sun and Dr. Ramkumar will provide new fabric materials to Dr. Ashdown.
• Dr. Sarkar will e-mail Dr. Shaw the UPF values of the fabrics in the Maryland database.
• Objective 3: Dr. Shaw asked for assistance with design specifications to be included in standards.
• Dr. Shaw and Ms. Coffman will collaborate in re-designing the NC-170 website.
• Thanks were expressed to Dr. Ashdown for leadership as chair of the technical committee for the past year and to Dr. Sarkar for services as secretary.
• The meeting adjourned at 2.00 p.m., August 5, 2005.

Responsible Individual(s):

___________________________________
Ajoy Sarkar, Secretary

___________________________________
Marilyn DeLong, Administrative Advisor

Appendix

Abbreviated State Reports of NC-170 Committee  

Work continued on improving clothing for first responders. New test results revealed no negative impact of a self-decontaminating treatment on most properties of the test fabrics.

A comparison of the grab and raveled strip methods of measuring tensile strength of woven fabrics showed a connection between the two methods and related structural and mechanical properties. Additional work was done on liquid transport simulation, modeling of tear behavior of coated fabrics, and predictions of fabric shear modulus and Poisson’s ratio.

A survey of hospital purchasing agents and health care workers regarding attitudes toward medical textiles was completed and data analyses are now in progress. An annotated bibliography of medical textile articles has been completed.

Colorado research was directed towards investigating the influence of enzymatic treatment on percent cover and ultraviolet protection factor of cotton knit fabrics. Results showed that enzymatic treatment increased the ultraviolet protective ability of cotton knit fabric. Rate of agitation and duration of treatment were the two important parameters influencing the improvement in UPF value. On-going studies are investigating the effect of post-enzymatic dyeing on UPF and percent cover.

Dr. Donna Branson

Oklahoma State University email: donna.branson@okstate.edu

Department of Design, Housing and Merchandising Tel: 405-744-5049

431 Human Environmental Sciences Fax: 405-744-6910

Stillwater, OK 74078-6142

Dr. Huantian Cao email: huantian.cao@okstate.edu

(Address and fax same as above) Tel: 405-744-5035

Two major efforts were made in support of the product development objective by Oklahoma State University. An NSF-funded proof-of-concept project to develop a smart textile to detect selected chemicals was undertaken. Body armor for the extremities, designed to interface with the US Army and Marine Corps Interceptor vest was developed, produced in limited quantities, tested, refined, and retested. Orders for 4,800 units are now being processed for production planned for initiation within one month. Lastly, user acceptance of a second generation personal cooling system was assessed using a first responder focus group.

S. Kay Obendorf, Cornell University, Department of Textiles & Apparel, MVR 239, Ithaca, NY. Email: sko3@cornell.edu. Tel: 607-255-4719, 607-255-3148. Fax: 607-255-1093, 607-255-3794.

Susan Ashdown, Cornell University, Department of Textiles & Apparel, MVR 239, Ithaca, NY. Email: spa4@cornell.edu. Tel: 607-255-1929. Fax: 607-255-1093

Charlotte W. Coffman, Cornell University, Department of Textiles & Apparel, MVR 239, Ithaca, NY. Email: cwc4@cornell.edu. Tel: 607-255-2009. Fax: 607-255-1093

Questionnaires, interviews, and images capturing coverall fit and working positions have been collected for 40 pesticide users. Results reveal complaints that coveralls are too hot, tear easily, and are not available in the correct size. About 100 photographs are being categorized by body position, size of respondent and fit analyses to determine fit problems and areas of stress for the coveralls. Change in body measurements of the shoulder and arm in working positions was also studied for 25 subjects using the body scanner. Data from 50 subjects in seated and standing positions are being analyzed.

Electrospun polypropylene fiber webs and laminates were developed using melt-electrospinning to explore an alternative way of manufacturing protective clothing materials for agricultural workers. These materials were evaluated for both barrier and thermal comfort performance with attention to the effect of web thickness and lamination.

Additional analyses are being conducted on the survey data from NY, IA, and MI pesticide applicators regarding their use of PPE and engineering controls. Related educational materials are being drafted.

Methodology-based studies were conducted to determine the testing required for fabrics with repellent finishes. A memorandum of understanding is being signed that will allow UMES access to the proprietary worker exposure data for the development of performance specifications. Laboratory tests were conducted to screen fabrics for the Safe Use Initiative in Europe. Additional fabrics were tested and data added to the online database.    

A three-layered needlepunched composite that has necessary adsorption to offer required protection and next-to-skin feel characteristics was developed. The fabric was released to the public in April 2005 by the 19 th District, Texas Congressman. Results showed that the three-layered nonwoven composite has instantaneous adsorption of toluene and the time of saturation was more than 300 minutes. The nonwoven adsorbent composite fabric can be used as inner layer for chemical protective suit and as a toxic chemical decontamination wipe. A continual US Patent Application has been filed in 2005 to have a broad based coverage for the nonwove chemical protective fabric technology developed at Texas Tech University.

Parallel activities concentrated on developing value-added and functionalized nanofiber for high-tech applications. Self-assembled polyurethane nanofibers have been experimentally observed. This research has applications in filtration and chemical and biological warfare countermeasures.

The sliding friction method has been perfected and the normalized composite factor is gaining acceptance as a useful factor to quantify the hand-related surface mechanical properties of textile materials. This research activity has enabled the re-activation of the RA-89 Research Committee of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists.

A contoured needle zone needlepunching machine has been used to develop a three-layer flexible decontamination wipe. Research on antiballistic chest shields has resulted in a light weight composite shield for which a US Patent has been obtained. An electrospinning technique was used to develop metal oxide nanofiber webs; these webs have catalytic destructive abilities against toxic chemicals, pesticides and chemical warfare agents.

• Completed set-up and testing of Human Dimensioning Laboratory including body scanner and motion capture system.
• Completed project to scan selected sample of female body types/sizes representing ready-to-wear sizes misses 6 through women’s 3X. Correlated body size to body mass index as first step in understanding differences in body shape and configuration from small size to large size.
• Worked with researchers in the University of Minnesota Extreme Environments Laboratory to develop shape and sizing of a glove incorporating wiring to regulate body temperature.
• Facilitated manufacture of a “cool” suit for space suits with UM EE Lab.
• Continued collaboration with UMES in delivery of the Minnesota Sun Smart program to educate citizens of state of Minnesota about safety measures to prevent over-exposure to sun/UV rays.
• Discussion with Steve Warner, president of Industrial Fabrics Association International (a trade association serving the industrial fabrics industry) on objectives and accomplishments of NC-170 researchers.