Evaluation of Camouflage Coloration of Polyamide-6,6 Fabric by Comparing Simultaneous Spectrum in Visible and Near-Infrared Region for Defense Applications

Abstract

Polyamide-6,6 (PA-6,6) knitted fabric was coated with a complex combination of liquid-phase oxidized carbon black pigment (CBP) as light absorber and mono-sulfonated telon violet 3R (TVR) as acid dyes. Nitric acid (NA) moiety was used as liquid-phase oxidation of CBP and hydrophilic transformation of CBP-TVR. Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF) were formulated as cross-linker between composite mixture (CM) and PA-6,6 fabric. Six different CMs were coded for coating of PA-6, 6 fabric such as TPU-DMF, CBP-TPU-DMF, TVR-TPU-DMF, CBP-TVR-TPU-DMF, NA-TVR-TPU-DMF, NA-CBP-TVR-TPU-DMF. Structural, chromatic, and spectral reflection of CM coated PA-6,6 fabric was investigated by scanning electron microscopy, color measurement spectrophotometer, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. CBP formulated PA-6,6 fabric was significantly remarked as maximum light absorber in both visible and near-infrared spectrum without allowing other parameters of treated PA-6,6 fabric. Therefore, minimum light reflection principle of CBP was indicated as camouflage material for camouflage textile coloration/finishing/patterning of simultaneous spectrum probe in visible and near-infrared spectrum. PA-6,6 fabric is very common fabrication for defense clothing, weapon, and vehicle netting against every combat background. This approach of simultaneous spectrum probe may be extended for concealment of target signature against high-performance defense surveillance.