OPAN Fiber Fire Resistant Material for Lightweight Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current lightweight fire-resistant materials are inadequate as they often melt and cling to the skin during heat exposure, lack sufficient strength for dense weaving, and fail to provide both comfort and effective protection against flames and heat.
Innovation Solution
A fire-resistant material composed of oxidized polyacrylonitrile (OPAN) fibers, which can be blended with other fibers to create lightweight fabrics with enhanced density, strength, and thermal protection, while maintaining comfort and preventing heat and flame penetration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If conventional fibers (cotton, nylon) are used for lightweight fabric, then comfort and light weight are improved, but fire resistance deteriorates (materials melt and cling to skin)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines oxidized polyacrylonitrile (OPAN) fibers with conventional fibers to create a composite material that achieves both lightweight properties and fire resistance. The OPAN fibers provide fire protective characteristics while the blend maintains the fabric's light weight and comfort, resolving the contradiction between weight and fire resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers which undergo chemical transformation through oxidation to achieve fire resistance. This parameter change in the fiber's chemical structure enables the material to resist fire while maintaining lightweight properties, addressing the contradiction between weight and fire protective capabilities.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If inherently fire resistant fibers are used, then fire resistance is improved, but fabric strength and density deteriorate (yarns must be spun thick and woven loosely)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite fabric combining OPAN fire-resistant fibers with strong conventional fibers. This composite structure allows the fabric to maintain high density and strength through proper weaving while the OPAN component provides fire resistance, eliminating the need for loose weaving of thick yarns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies fire resistance locally through the incorporation of OPAN fibers within the fabric structure, rather than requiring the entire yarn structure to be thick and loose. This allows specific regions of the fabric to provide fire protection while maintaining overall fabric strength and density through conventional fiber components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The OPAN-based material achieves high Arc Thermal Performance and Thermal Protection Performance values, providing extended burn-through protection and withstanding stress and movement without breaking apart, thus offering superior protection and comfort for personnel in hazardous environments.
Implementation Method 1
The fire resistant material includes a weight in the range of less than about 9.0 oz/yd2, an Arc Thermal Performance Value of greater than about 8.0 and a Thermal Protection Performance of greater than about 13.0
Data Source
AI summary
This invention is directed to a light weight fire resistant material. The material is constructed of a plurality of oxidized polyacrylonitrile (OPAN) fibers. The fire resistant material having a weight in the range of less than about 9.0 oz/yd2, an Arc Thermal Performance Value of greater than about 8.0 and a Thermal Protection Performance of greater than about 13.0.