AFRL eyes development of next-generation textile for DAF uniforms

Dr. Heather Jay Huson, animal geneticist and associate professor at Cornell University, stands at pasture with two adult muskoxen at the Palmer Muskox Farm in Palmer, Alaska. Huson has humanely collected biological DNA samples from a herd of domesticated muskoxen housed at the farm for her own research purposes for more than 15 years. Through a contract with the Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, Huson provided samples of raw muskox wool to researchers in AFRL’s Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, who tested the material to establish that its thermal insulating properties are comparable to merino wool. Researchers in AFRL’s Biomaterials branch and the 711th Human Performance Wing are currently testing a process known as electrospinning to blend synthetic muskox wool keratins with preexisting polymer materials, such as nylon, to create an alternative textile that is lighter, more breathable, and more environmentally sustainable for future use in U.S. Department of the Air Force uniforms. (Courtesy photo/ Cornell University)