NanoStop!™ shielding fabric is a fabric made from yarn that has been embedded with nanotubes onto which have been grown thin films of silica. This treatment gives the fabric x-ray shielding properties. An immediate application for NanoStop! would be a flexible lightweight (3-4 lb.) garment to be worn by x-ray technicians. This garment performs like the 15 lb. lead aprons that protect these and other healthcare professionals from exposure to radiation.
The underlying technology can also be used in industrial and aerospace applications, e.g., to make paints for infrastructure shielding or polymer film for electronics protection. It can also be used to coat fabrics for use in wet suit-type garments that will protect the wearer from bacterial and viral infectious agents during extended exposure to polluted water. The wet suits produced from this fabric could provide a crucial measure of safety for oil platform divers, Navy SEALS, first responders, and others who will be submerged in inhospitable waters.
