Aluminized cloth is a material designed to reflect thermal radiation. Applications include fire proximity suits, emergency

space blanket A space blanket (also known as a Mylar blanket, emergency blanket, first aid blanket, safety blanket, thermal blanket, weather blanket, heat sheet, foil blanket, or shock blanket) is an especially low-weight, low-bulk blanket made of heat-refle ...

s, protection in molten metal handling, and insulation for building and containers. Aluminium powder was added to

aircraft dope Aircraft dope is a plasticised lacquer that is applied to fabric-covered aircraft. It tightens and stiffens fabric stretched over airframes, which renders them airtight and weatherproof, increasing their durability and lifespan.Crane, Dale: '' ...

which was then used to give a shiny finish to fabric-covered aircraft, so protecting them from sunlight. The Hindenburg airship was treated in this way and it has been suggested that the aluminium powder made the skin more combustible and so caused or contributed to the

Hindenburg disaster The ''Hindenburg'' disaster was an airship accident that occurred on May 6, 1937, in Manchester Township, New Jersey, United States. The German passenger airship LZ 129 ''Hindenburg'' caught fire and was destroyed during its attemp ...

. This theory is controversial and experiments have been conducted to test the hypothesis.

References

Safety clothing {{material-stub

See also

References