DTIC AD1031562: Biodegradable Sonobuoy Decelerators

by: Defense Technical Information Center

Publication date: 2015-06-01

Topics: DTIC Archive, Ingram,Warren, NAWC China Lake China Lake United States, synthetic polymers, tensile testing, resins, biodegradable plastics, test methods, environment, SONOBUOYS, POLYHYDROXYALKANOATES, POLYVINYL ALCOHOL, DECELERATION, toxicity,

Collection: dticarchive; additional_collections

Language: English

In response to environmental concerns regarding nylon decelerators from sonobuoys polluting the oceans and negatively impacting a wide variety of ocean life, a multi-agency proposal was presented to ESTCP to replace the nylon with a biodegradable material. Two materials studied were polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). Single and multilayered PVOH films were evaluated as well as a coarse composite weave of PVOH/PHA film strips and a weave of PHA film strips. A suitable replacement material was not quite matured to the readiness point for technology transition.