The Institute of Environmental and Human Health (TIEHH) at Texas Tech University
introduced a new, state-of-the-art fabric laboratory to help researchers continue
creating products that can protect both military and civilian populations.
The 4,000-square-foot facility, named the Nonwovens and Advanced Materials Laboratory,
was unveiled April 6. The new lab's air conditioning and humidification system, contoured
needlezone needlepunching technology and thermal bonding capability will allow for
faster, more focused research into nonwoven technologies.
Funding for the lab's $1.5 million cost included $125,000 from Lubbock Economic Development
Alliance and nearly $1 million from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) for the machinery.
Overall, nonwoven research at Texas Tech has received $2.5 million in DoD funding.
"The opening of this unique manufacturing and research facility is another big step
forward for The Institute of Environmental and Human Health and for Texas Tech," said
Kent Hance, chancellor of Texas Tech University System. "I want to acknowledge the
efforts of Congressman Neugebauer and the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance for
their understanding of benefits of this facility and their assistance in funding it."
Texas Tech University now is the only academic facility in the U.S. to have contoured
needlezone nonwoven technology, said Ron Kendall, director of TIEHH.
"We are exclusive in the way we're set up here with the unique needlepunch nonwoven
technology and access to cotton," Kendall said. "This technology has been used successfully
to develop products such as our nonwoven decontamination wipe, Fibertect
TM. The need for decontamination wipes, such as the kind we've created here at TIEHH,
were a top priority for the Department of Defense. Years ago, we began the research,
developed a product and met a top national security issue. Now we're going to continue
that research with this laboratory."
Seshadri Ramkumar, associate professor, lab manager and Fibertect
TM creator, said the new nonwoven facility will help TIEHH to continue top-quality research
into protective fabrics and other nonwoven materials. Fibertect
TM is a platform technology, and different fibers, including natural fibers such as
cotton, can be used depending on applications and requirements, Ramkumar said.
"One of the main focuses of this lab will be used to develop new products from cotton
and wool, such as thermal and acoustic insulation pads, and automotive and defense
textiles," Ramkumar said. "Our aim is to find value-added applications for products
made of cotton grown on the High Plains. Surely, this nonwoven laboratory will help."
In December, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory performed an evaluation of several
decontamination products including Fibertect
TM. The wipe tested features an activated carbon core sandwiched between an absorbent
polyester layer on one side and absorbent cellulose on the other. After testing with
mustard gas and other toxic chemicals, the results showed that the Texas Tech-created
dry fabric out-performed 30 different decontamination products, including materials
currently used in military decontamination kits.
Research in natural fibers has been supported by the Food and Fibers Research Grant
program of the Texas Department of Agriculture, Texas State Support Program of Cotton
Incorporated, The Cotton Foundation, The
CH Foundation of Lubbock, Plains Cotton Growers Inc. and the USDA through the International
Cotton Research Center at Texas Tech.
The Institute of Environmental and Human Health develops environmental and health
sciences research and education at Texas Tech and Texas Tech University Health Sciences
Center. The institute's goal is to position Texas Tech as an internationally recognized
force in the integration of environmental impact assessment of toxic chemicals with
human health consequences, framed in the context of science-based risk assessment
to support sound environmental policy and law.
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www.media.ttu.edu.
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CONTACT:Seshadri Ramkumar, associate professor at The Institute ofEnvironmental and Human Health at Texas Tech University, (806) 445-1925 or
s.ramkumar@ttu.edu;
Ronald Kendall, director, The Institute of Environmental andHuman Health, Texas Tech University, (806) 885-4567, ron.kendall@tiehh.ttu.edu.