Description: NASA is seeking improvements to current spacesuit pressure garment bladders in several key areas, including increased microbial resistance, imparting self-healing capabilities, and decreasing the friction between the bladder and surrounding materials. To create these improvements, TRI Austin proposes further development of new polyurethane materials that were demonstrated in Phase I to have antimicrobial properties, with greater than 99.9% reduction in both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, while maintaining excellent thermomechanical properties. This polyurethane will be used as a drop-in replacement for the current polyurethane coating material used in legacy space suit pressure garment bladders. This new polyurethane was created incorporating novel antimicrobial additives which make polyurethanes, as well as other polymers, persistently antimicrobial. These new polyurethanes are expected to decrease or even eliminate the need for biocide use in next-gen space suit applications, without causing significant changes to the current production or processing methods. In addition, minimizing friction with surrounding materials will be investigated as these polyurethanes are refined. TRI Austin will work with the current producer of pressure garment bladders to ensure the new polyurethane is a drop-in replacement for the legacy material. The new formulation will be iteratively refined and scaled until a polyurethane is created which satisfies or exceeds all of NASA’s desired requirements. These materials will then be used to create a spacesuit arm assembly and tested at the component level.

Benefits: Potential NASA applications include new materials for pressure garment bladders for integration into the Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU) and used in a variety of space-based missions including on the International Space Station (ISS), and in future missions to both the Moon and Mars. Additionally, this material could be used in other applications that require both flexibility and antimicrobial properties, such as water reservoirs, water cooling tubing, and drink pouches.

Applications could include use as persistent antimicrobial coatings and films such as those used for food manufacturing, medical devices, marine diving, water containment, sewage treatment, CBRN protective suits, and creation of antimicrobial surfaces, at the industrial and consumer level. The new material may also be used by the U.S. DoD in flight suits and coatings for water containment systems.