Nomex® Comfort Coverall VS Nomex® IIIA Coverall

Nomex® is a brand of Dupont and is known for providing a high level of protection and performance to first responders, oil industry employees, and utility and electrical workers; but this was just the beginning.

Due to the indisputable benefits that extended from the armed forces, car or airplane pilots, to personnel of the aerospace industry, from crew members of the international space station, today we can say that From below the Earth's surface to beyond the atmosphere And everywhere in between, Nomex® has allowed workers to go further.

A new generation of Nomex products arrived

Garments made of Nomex® provide protection against arc flash or fire hazards as well as possible fires, they are protective suits that delay or prevent burns that can permanently injure workers or permanently disable them.

Given this concern, it has been necessary to improve the protective garments called Nomex IIIA with a new generation, that of garments with Nomex Comfort.

Nomex will remain Nomex

Here we would like to provide some technical data about the Nomex Dupont aramid fiber, which is where you can technically know the differences in the change between both models, which is a slight modification to the formula.

Which molecularly is still the same, but in its composition it is intended to benefit the user regarding the level of comfort and the most notable changes were presented for this.

Generalities

Before looking at the differences, let's look at the main similarities.

Nomex and Nomex Confort garments continue to be manufactured in both 6.0 oz/yd2 and 4.5 Oz/yd2

All colors are still available and the most important are Orange, Royal Blue, Navy Blue, Red, Gray

Same tear resistance

The composition of the Nomex IIIA coverall is:

92% Meta Aramid (Nomex®), 6% for Kevlar® Aramid and 2% PBI® antistatic fiber In 4.5 Oz and 6.0 Oz presentations

Although this proved its effectiveness in preventing burns, it is also likely that many workers found them somewhat uncomfortable due to the high amount of Meta aramids. or retardant synthetic fibers

New Generation of Nomex Comfort garments

The new generation of Nomex Confort retardant overalls is composed in this way, and its main characteristic is greater breathability, but also a softness of the garment that, combined with being extremely light, provides the user with more comfort, zero irritation and the same protection to the fire and electric arc of its predecessor Nomex IIIA

Weather resistance

The other properties of Dupont Nomex have not changed, it continues to have the same resistance to fading as its predecessor. Due to the inherent Nomex fiber properties, undyed Nomex yarn typically lasts between 2 and 4 years under conditions of prolonged sun exposure. This is basically if we used the same overalls twice a week we would find that it has not faded at all or almost nothing.

NFPA 2112 Compliance

The change in flame resistance is zero, the fire retardant properties, as well as its resistance to an electric arc have not changed, Nomex Confort does not release smoke, and its self-extinguishing time is maximum three seconds.

The weight is more important than the type of fabric

This is a characteristic that has not changed either, Nomex comfort is manufactured in 6.0 Oz and 4.5 Oz. Nomex suits are much lighter than those made with treated fire retardant cotton fibers, typically our garments are manufactured in 4.5 Oz and 6.0 Oz. A comfort Nomex suit can weigh only 1.33 pounds, which is less than a kg.

4.5 Oz/yd2 garments will provide protection equivalent to 8 cal. while a 6.0 oz suit will give an equivalent protection of 11 cals/cm2. that is, the equivalent of a class 3 coverall but at a much lighter weight than fire retardant cotton garments (approximately 8 Oz Less for the same protection)

Air permeability is the key

Permeability is undoubtedly one of the factors that has been most improved in this change between the Nomex IIIA and Nomex Confort coveralls, although the IIIA coveralls were already quite permeable to air and thus more comfortable than their retardant cotton counterpart, the Nomex Confort coveralls the difference is even more notable. Due to its new composition and the freshness of the garment, it is notable that it offers up to twice the air permeability.

The above significantly helps the worker as it helps eliminate heat stress and fatigue,

Greater Humidity Control

The final factor to consider is humidity management, that is, the advantage they have of helping the body's humidity, which is produced or which can be retained, evaporate quickly. In this sense, Nomex Confort eliminates humidity from the environment. even faster