Silver Armour
Page 57
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TESTS have recently been carried out by a number of fire authorities with a new TBA product which I think I am correct in saying is a British exclusive and the first of its kind. This is aluminized asbestos for protective clothing. The highly reflective surface deflects the heat rays and although the exterior may become excessively hot the insulating properties of the asbestos prevent the heat from being conducted to the wearer's body.
The aluminized surface, the essential part of the material, is not merely stuck on but is applied to the basic fabric in such a manner that it gives a complete bond. Owing to its light weight, wearers of suits and helmets in aluminized asbestos can run and take part readily in the strenuous activity that is often necessary in fire fighting.
Tests have shown that firemen thus clad can enter a blazing car and withstand the temperature for as much as three minutes. To use TBA's own expression, the fabric "turns the heat off firefighters" The process of bonding to which I have already referred consists of aluminizing the non-inflammable materials by laminating an extremely thin film of polyester metallized by vapour-distilled aluminium on to the specially treated surface of the base cloth. The finish is such that the surface is smooth and non-absorbent, so that it is easily kept clean, and is tough yet flexible.