K&m Environmental

About K&m Environmental

K&m Environmental is a company that received a Department of Defense SBIR/STTR grant for a project entitled: Thermal Sensing and Responsive Materials for Environmental Monitoring. The abstract given for this project is as follows: Many ordnance materials such as Hexogen (RDX) and Octogen (HMX) are stabilized by additives such as trinitrotoluene (TNT), wax, plasticizers, and polymers (as in plastic bonded explosives, PBX) to offer greater chemical stability, lowered shock sensitivity, and greater thermal stability to the compositions. However, exposure of these improved compositions to environmental conditions outside of the design range can degrade these additives leading to unstable, precarious explosive materials. Currently, it is difficult if not impossible to track the thermal history (or temperature dose) of ordnance materials; critical information needed to avoid these deadly accidents. In this proof-of-concept effort, we propose a viable solution to this issue through the development of a pliable, no- power technology capable of visibly indicating in real-time the current temperature range of a device or an environment, the temperature dose (or temperature history) that device or environment has experienced, and whether or not critical threshold temperatures have been exceeded. K&m Environmental is a company that received a Department of Defense SBIR/STTR grant for a project entitled: Technology for Detection of Chemicals in Extreme Environmental Conditions. The abstract given for this project is as follows: With increasing threats to war-fighters and first responders, each individual serving in these roles needs the capability to respond to a wide range of unpredictable conditions. One of these conditions is the presence of toxic chemicals. The technologies for the detection of toxic chemicals can be broken into two general groups: 1. simple-to-use colorimetric paper (such as pH paper or M8 paper), and 2. complex electronic devices (such as the JCAD - the Joint Chemical Agent Detector). Colorimetric paper is simple enough for use by every war-fighter or first responder, but it is not rugged enough for regular field use and responds poorly to relevant agent vapor concentrations. Some electronic devices are designed for field use, but their complex operation, high power demand, high cost and bulkiness make them impractical for use by a large number of war-fighters or first responders. Clearly the need exists for a device to bridge the gap between these two technologies. In this work, new colorimetric sensor chemistries will be developed and validated for performance under harsh environmental conditions and after immersion in salt or freshwater. Sensitivity targets consist of colorimetric response to PEL in 15 minutes or less and one-half IDLH responses in 5 minutes or less. K&m Environmental is a company that received a Department of Defense SBIR/STTR grant for a project entitled: Generic Adsorptive Carbon Residual Life Indicator. The abstract given for this project is as follows: Carbon based filtration technologies have several known modes of degradation and failure including adsorption of chemical contaminants, adsorption of environmental pollutants and operational interferents, repeated moisture condensation, and moisture vapor adsorption. In unknown hazardous environments, the ultimate End-of-Service-Life Indicator (ESLI)/Residual Life Indicator (RLI) for critical Individual Protection equipment is one that is capable of non-selectively detecting the adsorption of any chemical or biological agent in the various filter media used in these technologies. Leveraging on experience in the development and commercialization of agent-specific ESLIs and flow dynamics in filter media, a next-generation approach to RLI sensors will be adapted to respirator cartridges to monitor the performance capabilities of ASZM-TEDA carbon media independent of the type of agents present. This technology will lend itself to autonomous monitoring of respirator sorptive media and has the potential for being ruggedized for extensive field use in multiple filtration-based applications.