{"id":13325,"date":"2019-03-25T13:42:35","date_gmt":"2019-03-25T17:42:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/textiles.ncsu.edu\/news\/?p=13325"},"modified":"2023-03-04T08:40:57","modified_gmt":"2023-03-04T13:40:57","slug":"25-years-of-textile-innovation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/textiles.ncsu.edu\/news\/2019\/03\/25-years-of-textile-innovation\/","title":{"rendered":"25 Years of Textile Innovation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In most laboratories, a fire is a sign that something has gone very wrong. But in NC State\u2019s Textile Protection and Comfort Center<\/a>, test materials are regularly set on fire \u2014 and stretched, sniffed, spilled on and sweated through \u2014 all in the name of science and innovation.
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For 25 years, the center has been blazing new trails in the textile industry as a one-of-a-kind testing and evaluation center.
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\u201cYou won\u2019t find the capabilities we have here anywhere else in the world,\u201d said TPACC Director Roger Barker, Burlington Distinguished Professor in the Wilson College of Textiles<\/a>.
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In 1994, TPACC grew out of Barker\u2019s work in the areas of protection and comfort. He realized the textile industry could benefit from having a host of different technologies, equipment and knowledge concentrated in one place.
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We have a unique ability to validate our research and translate it into tangible ways to help industries make better products.<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n

\u201cBalancing protection and wearability requires a lot of different laboratory capabilities, and we needed to be able to incorporate those in a way that would be more accessible to both students and industry,\u201d Barker said.
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\u201cWe had defined an area that had a need, and people were coming to us. As our reputation grew nationally and internationally, demand skyrocketed.\u201d
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Protection, Performance and Comfort<\/h2>\n\n\n

TPACC\u2019s work focuses on three areas: protection, performance and comfort. Its holistic approach to research and testing \u2014 from fabric to completed garments \u2014 helps set it apart from other research centers.
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\u201cWe have a unique ability to validate our research and translate it into tangible ways to help industries make better products,\u201d Barker said.
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This ability is bolstered by TPACC\u2019s advanced testing equipment and facilities. In a large, glass-enclosed test chamber stands the center\u2019s hottest attraction: PyroMan. Researchers in the center use this fully instrumented, life-sized manikin to evaluate the performance of thermally protective clothing, like firefighters\u2019 turnout gear, during controlled exposure to intense heat and flames.
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Roger Barker (second from left) and TPACC researchers supervise a test using the lab’s PyroMan manikin.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

In another room, the Man-in-Stimulant Test (MIST) facility tests permeability of clothing using methyl salicylate, a chemical vapor that mimics chemical threats \u2014 and smells like wintergreen chewing gum.
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Around the corner, a sweating manikin helps researchers test insulation and breathability of garments. An internal sweat control system distributes moisture to \u201csweat glands\u201d all over the manikin in targeted zones. It can also simulate walking to test how the garments perform in motion.
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These are only a few examples of TPACC\u2019s advanced equipment. But while it\u2019s tempting to think technology is the star of the show, the center\u2019s work starts with real people.
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\u201cWhen we do research to develop a new material or garment, we always start by understanding what the needs are in the field,\u201d Barker said. This involves talking to partners, serving in organizations that regulate national standards for protective clothing, and going out into the field to talk to firefighters and others about what\u2019s working and what could be better.
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Keeping an ear to the ground helps TPACC researchers collaborate more effectively with partners who come to them looking for help with problems and proactively identify those problems and formulate solutions to address them.
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A big focus of the center\u2019s work is improving the safety and comfort of protective gear for firefighters. When researchers found out that steam burns were becoming a significant issue in the field, they sprung into action. They researched how moisture exacerbates heat transfer and developed a testing method that was quickly incorporated into national standards for turnout gear.
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TPACC has also developed smoke- and soot-resistant turnout gear, better protective hoods and safer fire shelters. Researchers have worked closely with firefighters from the Raleigh Fire Department on these and other projects, making sure the end results fit with their everyday needs and experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n