In 1992, OSHA issued the Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens standard that mandated that health care and other personnel use protective clothing to prevent the spread of disease. The prime requirement of protective clothing is that the clothing provide a barrier to the liquid strikethrough of blood or other contaminated body fluids. With the rise of HIV and hepatitis, the efficacy of protective clothing has come under much scrutiny. Unfortunately, clothing manufacturers have been forced to sacrifice the thermal comfort of their garments in order to achieve an impermeable barrier. The goal of this project is to apply a patented thin film technology to nonwoven fabrics to develop comfortable yet effective protective clothing. The aims of the research project are to optimize coating formulations for application to nonwoven fabrics and to evaluate the characteristics of the coated materials in laboratory and textile manufacturing settings. Specifically, the coatings will be tested for liquid strikethrough and viral penetration while maintaining characteristics necessary to ensure thermal comfort. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: Developing a unique coating for protective clothing that would provide protection from bloodborne pathogens while maintaining thermal comfort has enormous market potential. The surgical gown industry alone is estimated to be over $400 million annually.