The "second skin" material has single-walled carbon nanotube pores, which are too small for biological threats to pass through and which repel smaller chemical threats. Image: Ryan Chen/LLNL
Tankersley wasn't the only soldier I spoke with who agreed with Fornasiero's assertion that wearing MOPP increases their overall burden, and as such their reactions to the possibility of next-generation uniforms were positive. Another serviceman from 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, described MOPP gear as a constant part of life for 40 days during the initial stage of Operation Iraqi Freedom."It's like being inside a condom in the Amazon forest but the only one getting fucked is the poor schmuck wearing it."
A disk of the highly breathable membrane that could become the key component in future military uniforms. Photo: LLNL
These soldiers aren't likely to see second skin suits in their careers, as the scope of the LLNL team's project is only to create a working prototype of the smart material, not an entire uniform. For a full uniform to be developed and put into use, a broader set of considerations must be taken into account: How resistant to tearing are the uniforms? How expensive are they to manufacture? How easy are they to launder?And it's likely that tomorrow's smart military uniforms won't be made entirely of second skin, either. Fornasiero pointed out that if several different D(MS)² options are available to the DoD with a different mix of properties, it's possible that suits may be made from a mixture of these smart materials—elbows and knees, for example, may require more stretchable materials than the torso and neck areas.Even if next-generation MOPP overgarments looked much like their modern counterparts but only featured small areas of second skin materials, that may significantly reduce the physical discomfort of wearing them for prolonged periods of time. Upgraded gloves alone would increase the ability of MOPP-suited soldiers to perform dexterity-intensive tasks.Second skin material in and of itself isn't going to change the landscape of warfare, but it represents progress toward loadouts that not only make soldiers safer and better at their jobs, but also decrease the mundane daily burdens they have to endure.