Reactive Surfaces Launches World’s First Self-
Decontaminating Coating to Protect Firearms,
Equipment and Soldiers from Chemical Agents
Austin-based bioengineering company
Reactive Surfaces announced the general
availability of WMDtox, the world’s first
self-decontaminating coating that protects firearms, vehicles, equipment and
uniforms by neutralizing organophos-phorous chemical agents such as sarin.
“The last time U.S. forces fought a
chemical war was many decades ago,
and most of the anti-chemical-warfare
technology that is being used by the
U.S. military is unproven against to-
day’s agents,” said Steve McDaniel,
chief innovation officer of Reactive
Surfaces. “We are making WMDtox
available today in response to escala-
tions in the Middle East and the very
real threat that American soldiers will
be confronted with chemical agents in
the near future.”
The U.S. Army presently buys more
than $200 million worth of a 40-year-
old coating for its vehicles and equip-
ment. Chemical Agent Resistant Coating
(CARC) was designed to withstand
highly caustic and corrosive cleaning
agents in the event a vehicle was con-
taminated with a chemical agent. The
company reported that in recent months
the Army has de-certified all vendors’
CARC coatings and is in the process of
re-certifying them. Not the least reason
for this is a recent finding that CARC
traps and slowly off-gasses deadly nerve
agents such as those now being used in
Syria. This leaves troops exposed even
long after an initial chemical attack.
WMDtox is a clear coating that
has been specially formulated to meet
military specs for CARC overcoats.
Reactive Surfaces is providing WMDtox
to Mississippi-based weapons coating
company, Birdsong Firearms, as a weapons coating for military personnel and
first-responders.
WMDtox creates a safer envi-
ronment for war fighters and first
responders by mitigating the immedi-
ate impact of contact with nerve agents,
according to Reactive Surfaces. It al-
lows rapid reclamation of contaminated
equipment and can be applied months
in advance. The ability to prophylacti-
cally coat surfaces that may be exposed
to nerve agents increases the likelihood
of survival of the individual who may be
required to touch such surfaces.
Index to Companies
This index gives the starting page for a department or feature with a significant reference to a manufacturer of paint, coatings, adhesives and sealants
Subsidiaries are indexed under their own names.
AkzoNobel...................................................................................................... 10
BASF .................................................................................................... 10, 19, 39
Beger Company............................................................................................... 10
Behr Pro ........................................................................................................... 10
Cortec ............................................................................................................. 19
Diamond Vogel ............................................................................................... 39
DuPont ........................................................................................................... 39
Hempel .......................................................................................................... 26
International Paint .......................................................................................... 10
Jotun ............................................................................................................... 10
Kelly-Moore Paint........................................................................................... 19
NCFI............................................................................................................... 10
PPG...................................................................................................... 10, 39, 50
RPM ......................................................................................................... 10, 39
Sherwin-Williams ................................................................................. 10, 19, 39
Valspar...................................................................................................... 26, 39
8 | Coatings World
www.coatingsworld.com
June 2013
