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S1026: Textile Materials and Technologies Addressing Energy, Health and Other National Security Issues

Statement of Issues and Justification

Homeland security is becoming a challenging task and the three out of six key areas of focus for The National Strategy for Homeland Security are: defending against catastrophic threats (biodefense); protecting critical infrastructure, especially those that are vital to public health and safety (preventing loss of lives and loss due to property damage, and the safety of the fire-fighters and the first responders, involved in rescue efforts); and domestic counter-terrorism. Innovations in textile materials and technologies can address the important issues that face the US, in terms of protecting public and healthcare personnel from the biological hazards, and also protecting people and property from fire hazards and providing better uniforms to the fire-fighters and first responders so they can perform their duties efficiently. These issues are also part of the five goals listed by the Southern Region Priority Areas for Multistate Research Activities as included in the SAAESD Programmatic Plan (http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/saaesd/progplan.htm). The objectives addressed in this new proposal fall under Goal 1F (bio-based products); Goal 1H (processing agricultural byproducts); and 4G (environmental policy and regulations). These issues also parallel with the seven challenges of the Science Roadmap for Agriculture prepared by the National association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC) and Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy (ESCOP) which charts the course for the next ten to twenty years of agricultural science that would serve the needs of the stakeholders (http://www.nasulgc.org/publications/Agriculture/ESCOP20001_Science_Roadmap2.pdf). The achievements from S-272 from 1995 to 2001 and S-1002 from 2001 to present of the scientists involved in this regional project are listed in Appendix I of the main proposal.

This new project proposal focuses on three major areas, firstly, designing textiles and novel plant based antimicrobials and anti-fungals for protection against biological hazards; second, develop newer bio-based products uniquely made in the USA primarily for fire safety; and third, the developing of new bio-based plant-derived polyesters (stable PLA and PHA fibers) for textiles. This is also, in line with CSREES/NRICGP initiatives that support the fulfillment of Executive Order 13134 that is developing and promoting bio-based products and bio-energy, which requires that the United States use of bio-based products to triple by the year 2010.

This regional research proposal requires the tremendous cooperative and timely efforts among the participating states because each has unique facilities and faculty expertise. The objectives and sub-objectives can only be accomplished through close cooperative research, and nine states have pledged their support and participation. The broad spectrum of scientific and technical expertise offered by this team is of the highest caliber and it has proven to be very successful in the past projects. No single university experiment station alone has the full resources required to accomplish all the objectives listed. Funding required to accomplish such broad and comprehensive research objectives is substantial. Therefore, RRF funding is required and necessary.

Several of the scientists in this project are the pioneers in their respective fields (TN scientist is an expert in innovative medical protective fabrics, WI scientist is well known in the plasma science, KS scientist first published the plasma and antimicrobial treatment for surgical gowns (Dec. 2004); GA scientist is an expert in bacteria, viral, blood barrier testing; scientist from TX is an expert in product development with needle-punching technology; scientists from LA and NE are well-known polymer chemists and are well recognized for their innovative product development research; and the scientist from AR is well known for her extensive research in setting up test methodologies for soil biodegradation; and there is definitely a need to work on the objectives in this proposal. Current and previous work that is relevant to the new project is presented in the following sections.

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