Pilot samples of clothing for firefighters and rescuers serving in the Arctic for simultaneous protection from fire and hypothermia were developed by specialists from St. Petersburg.
To protect against fire, composite materials were applied to the fabric, and heating elements based on carbon nanotubes were added to keep operators from freezing, arctic.narfu.ru reported.
The developments were tested at the Interdepartmental experimental research exercises "Safe Arctic - 2023".
"During tests in a fire simulator with a temperature of more than 450 degrees Celsius, the outer protective layer of the experimental sample did not ignite and retained its integrity during the entire testing period. There were only superficial traces of thermal effects amounted to local darkening. The results obtained showed the prospects of using the developed materials and thermal protection systems based on carbon nanostructures," said Olga Zybina, Deputy Head of Research at the University of the State Fire Service.
In the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, about 100 fire and rescue operations are carried out annually, and extinguishing fires in severe frosts requires about one and a half times more time than under normal conditions. At the same time, firefighters and rescuers are at risk of hypothermia and frostbite, and emergency situations are often located at a great distance from medical institutions.
"To reduce the risk of hypothermia when working at low temperatures, heating modules made of electrically conductive fabric created using graphene nanotubes were integrated into the interior of the equipment," said Elena Sashina, head of the Department of Chemical Technologies at the University of Industrial Technology and Design.
The developers hope for mass production of their invention. In their opinion, the scope of application of the developed materials is not limited to the creation of special-purpose clothing. Non-flammable heating fabrics can be used in the field of space and aircraft construction, and even for upholstery of public transport seats.
Alex Shishlo for Rough&Polished
