Development of Advanced Personal Protective Equipment Fabrics for Protection Against Slashes and Pathogenic Bacteria Part 1: Development and Evaluation of Slash-resistant Garments

Abstract

Knife is the most commonly used single weapon in the UK, being 32% of the weapons used in violent incidents. Studies reveal that the majority (63.3%) of the knife-inflicted wounds were slash-type and could be disfiguring or life threatening if the blood vessels are ruptured. The stab-resistant armors currently available do not protect the arms, neck, and face as they are very rigid to be worn comfortably and are expensive and heavy for everyday use by the civilian population. The main objectives of this research program are to (a) develop and characterize a novel cut-resistant and slashproof material that is lightweight, comfortable, and efficient and (b) integrate barrier properties in such garments that would incorporate suitable antimicrobial and other suitable chemicals to provide protection against a range of microorganisms. During this research program, various composite yarns were thoroughly investigated, at different proportions, to determine the most appropriate yarn for the slashproof material. The slashproof fabric structures were developed by using knitting technology as it offers significant advantages in terms of cost, design flexibility, and versatility. The fabrics were characterized by using Home Office Scientific Development Branch (HOSDB) Slash Resistance Standard for UK Police (2006), Publication No. 48/05. The results indicate that the developed fabric meets the criteria required by the HOSDB. The article discusses the results obtained during the development of the novel slashproof material for the police, armed forces, children, and the public, that is lightweight, comfortable, and efficient, and can be utilized for long periods.