Protective materials with real-time puncture detection capability

摘要

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 significnat exposure to the worker. A five ply mateiral has been developed that incorporates two layers of an electrically conductive polymer sandwiched between three layers of a nonconductive polymer. A normally open cir cuit t hat 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 nonconductor.