Natick Takes ‘Self-cleaning’ Fabric Technology Commercial
Quoc Truong, a physical scientist at the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC), is making sure that it all comes out before the wash.
Truong provided technical guidance and direction to NSRDEC’s industry partner, Luna Innovations, to develop a durable, “omniphobic” coating used to produce what he calls “self-cleaning” fabrics. In an unusual sequence of events, the technology, which was developed for use in soldier clothing, is making its way to the commercial market even before becoming widely available to soldiers.
According to Natick researchers, the coating greatly reduces how often soldiers need to clean their clothes and enhances chem-bio protection by significantly lowering dirt and dust attraction, while also repeling water, oil and many liquid chemicals.
“It’s omniphobic. That means it hates everything,” Truong said.
Truong’s technical guidance and leadership were provided to Luna’s scientists, including through various stages of lab-bench testing and evaluation, ensuring that the optimized, omniphobic-coating formulations were compatible for use with various Army fabrics.
“Care was taken to also ensure minimal impact to Army fabrics’ original physical properties and performances, such as comfort, while providing added repellency to water, oil and toxic chemicals,” said Truong.
The self-cleaning clothing then underwent field testing to assess field durability, performance and user acceptance.
“We tested it, and the soldiers really liked it,” said Truong. “The treated fabric also has an anti-microbial additive. It slows microbe growth that causes odors. Some soldiers had asked to keep their uniforms after the field tests. However, it was essential to collect these field-tested uniforms for a post-field-test evaluation to assess their liquid-shedding performance and durability.”
The omniphobic coating’s predecessor, Quarpel, is a durable, water-repellent coating that has been used by the Army for the past 40 years. Compared with Quarpel, the new coating is more repellent to oil and toxic chemicals. It is also “greener” than its predecessor, say Natick scientists.
“What we developed with our industry partner, Luna, is based on a C6 chemistry,” said Truong. “It contains shorter, six-carbon molecular side chains containing fluorine atoms as compared to its predecessor having longer, eight-carbon chains, and C6 chemistry is considered by the Environmental Protection Agency to be environmentally friendly.”
Even greener versions without fluorine are planned for the future.
UltraTech International has been working with NSRDEC partner Luna Innovations to market the omniphobic coating, and it has made this material available commercially under the name Ultra-Ever Shield. So far, UltraTech has 150 potential business leads for the product, says the company. The technology is being applied to everything from outdoor wear to diapers. One country is even interested in using this self-cleaning coating to make bank notes more water and stain resistant.
“It would give new meaning to ‘laundering’ money,” said Mark Shaw, chief executive officer, UltraTech International.
Truong said that right now the coating is for textiles, but NSRDEC is working with a team of academic and industry partners to develop super-omniphobic coatings. The next generation of self-cleaning technology could be used on leather boots and gloves. Down the road, the self-cleaning technology may be possibly applied to flexible/hard surfaces, such as goggles, visors, shelters and marine structures such as ship hulls.
“We’ve just scratched the surface, as far as applications go,” Truong said.
And right now, outdoor product designers are scratching their heads with their own ideas for
coming applications.
OEKO-TEX Unveils New Green Certification
Using the product label “Made in Green by OEKO-TEX,” the Switzerland-based OEKO-TEX Association presents a new certification for textiles that are “proven to be safe in terms of human ecology and that are additionally produced in a sustainable and socially responsible manner,” says the group. The label replaces the previous certification system OEKO-TEX Standard 100plus and the Spanish mark “Made in Green by Aitex.”
After taking over the name rights, OEKO-TEX and its 16 member institutes are, from now on, the exclusive issuers of the new “Made in Green” label.
“As a logical enhancement of our product portfolio,” says OEKO-TEX general secretary Dr. Jean-Pierre Haug, “the Made in Green by OEKO-TEX label offers companies in the textile industry the perfect tool for communicating to the consumer their commitment to sustainability directly on the product.”
With the STeP by OEKO-TEX certification, brand suppliers, manufacturers and retailers have, since last year, been able to have their production plants assessed, analyzed and audited by the OEKO-TEX institutes with regard to sustainable production conditions. As a logical enhancement to this, OEKO-TEX recently also developed MySTeP database, which enables the central administration of existing OEKO-TEX certificates and optimum management of the complete supply chain with regard to sustainable key performance indicators.
“The basic difference and added value when compared with its predecessors,” explained Haug, “is in the transparency of the new Made in Green by OEKO-TEX label for the consumers.” Using the given test number and a QR code, the textiles and the manufacturing process can be tracked.
As might be expected, new prerequisites apply for the allocation of the Made in Green by OEKO-TEX label that did not for the OEKO-TEX Standard 100plus and Made in Green by Aitex.
“We understand that not all companies can meet the requirements for the new product certification Made in Green by OEKO-TEX straight away,” states Haug. “In spite of this, the OEKO-TEX Association cannot relax the defined requirements under any circumstances. However, we offer all companies the best possible support in the implementation of the necessary prerequisites.”
Burlington Adds to Custom Plaid Collection
Burlington, a division of International Textile Group, Inc. (ITG), recently announced its expanded Plaidology Collection. The 100 percent piece-dyed plaid collection allows customers to create a custom plaid design from a variety of fabric weight, pattern sizes and repeats.
The expanded process offers even more creative print options to functional fabrics while saving time and resources, says the company. With Plaidology Plus customers create a unique electronic CAD design and Pantone colors. Burlington takes those elements and prints them onto one of its many performance enhanced fabrics, allowing customers to coordinate color and strategy between a solid fabric, custom Plaidology piece dye and a Plaidology Plus print design.
“Plaidology fabrics are ‘lifestyle ready’ and easily transition from one activity to another,” said Belinda Burt, product development manager for Burlington. “Whether casting your fishing rod, running around town or enjoying a neighborhood cookout, these fabrics offer unique flexibility in design, color, performance and comfort.”
The Plaidology process allows for shorter lead times and lower dye lot minimums compared to yarn-dyed plaids, says Burlington. Customers begin the Plaidology process by choosing their preferred fabric style, pattern and color. Plaidology contents vary from four-color to two-color varieties allowing for light, medium and dark shades. The next step is to determine the desired Burlington performance technology. These element management solutions can be applied as a single technology or cross-matrixed for multiple functionality and protection from elements such as sun, water and insects.
“It’s an exciting process,” says Burt. “This technology allows customers to quickly and easily create a color story and theme across numerous fabrics, giving the consumer advanced performance fabrics that feel and look great.”
TENCEL ‘Jumbo Plant’ Goes On-Line
Lenzing Group, Austria, has begun production at its new TENCEL manufacturing facility in Lenzing, Austria. The 150 million-euro facility, the largest worldwide, is now ramping up production, which is expected to be fully implemented within the originally planned 24-month timeframe.
“We are optimistic that we will be able to achieve the planned production target of 30,000 tons by the end of 2014,” said Lenzing COO Friedrich Weninger. “This new TENCEL facility is decisive to ensure the long-term viability of fiber production at the Lenzing site and the basis for future investments in all markets.”
The production line at the new facility, which employs 140 workers, has an annual nominal production capacity of 67,000 tons and enables Lenzing to raise total annual Tencel production capacity from 155,000 tons to some 220,000 tons. The company reports that the startup of the facility provides expansion opportunities for its customers in the textile and nonwovens segments alike, in addition to enabling development of new applications including technical applications.
Huntsman Boasts Whitening Breakthrough
Huntsman Textile Effects of Singapore has introduced a new fluorescent whitening agent to help textile mills achieve very high and brilliant white shades on cellulosic fibers. The new UVITEX BHA LIQ high-affinity stilbene whitener has high levels of acid stability and acid fastness, says the company, making it a unique complement to most finishing treatments, with no risk of greening-off and superior protection against phenolic yellowing during storage and shipment.
UVITEX BHA LIQ has been designed to help mills meet brands’ high white standards for towels, knitted apparel, T-shirts, underwear and other articles made from cellulosic fabrics. Achieving the necessary whitening on these fabrics is particularly challenging when finishing effects, such as softening, bio-polishing and resin finishing, are required, explain Huntsman executives. Finishing processes are typically applied in the acid phase of the wet processing cycle, with a detrimental effect on most high-affinity stilbene brighteners. Rather than producing a bright white, this can cause fibers to take on a green tinge after neutralization or acid pH setting.
Furthermore, insufficient neutralization due to limited acid fastness can result in alkaline residues on the textile. This increases the risk of post-production phenolic yellowing of the fabric, which can have a negative impact on the mill’s finances and reputation, if it results in fabric or finished products being rejected.
Huntsman Textile Effects’ new UVITEX BHA LIQ overcomes these challenges with high acid stability of between pH 4 and pH 5 and acid fastness down to pH 4. It offers a neutral to slightly bluish white shade with excellent wash fastness and build-up, says the company. Greening-off is eliminated and the risk of phenolic yellowing is minimized. This new whitening agent can be applied by exhaust processes and is suitable for discontinuous bleaching systems with hydrogen peroxide and for reductive bleaching. It offers very high bath exhaustion and low wastewater pollution. Easy to handle, it can be used with automatic dispensing equipment.
CORDURA Collaborates with Designer Valdman
INVISTA’s CORDURA brand recently entered its first designer collaboration to showcase the stylish functionality of CORDURA fabrics and to celebrate the launch of its new CORDURA Combat Wool fabric collection. Cutting-edge lifestyle and urban fashion designer Alex Valdman has been retained to create a multi-purpose jacket and pant that bring together the fashion and functional aspects of durable lifestyle apparel powered by CORDURA fabric.
Appropriate for everyday lifestyle, outdoor and adventure wear, these crossover pieces will feature the brand’s newest innovation – CORDURA Combat Wool fabric – and embrace the spirit of the CORDURA brand “Fashion/Function” apparel fabric launch, says the company.
“The fusion of fashion and functionality into today’s contemporary cross-over lifestyle apparel is an important focus for our brand,” says Cindy McNaull, global CORDURA brand and marketing director. “Alex’s ideas are fresh, exciting and truly inspirational. Collaborating with Alex to help us launch our new CORDURA Combat Wool collection showcases the best of both worlds – the diversity of our durable, performance driven fabric technologies in contemporary, simplistic design silhouettes that celebrate the incredible versatility of today’s consumers.”
A noted designer in the fashion industry, Valdman’s career skyrocketed as he worked with the likes of Kanye West and Levi’s. His most recent endeavor was working with cycling mavens from Giro to create a lifestyle cyclist apparel collection.
His designs for the CORDURA x Alex Valdman Collection will feature both stretch and double weave CORDURA Combat Wool fabrics, which blend INVISTA nylon 6,6 fiber technologies with merino wool for natural comfort and lasting performance.
“When designing these evolutionary pieces, I was inspired by key needs of the contemporary traveler whose clothing must be as versatile as they are,” says Valdman. “This capsule of technical city essentials is inspired by the youthful spirit of taking day trips. The blending of a credible and durable performance wool into styles that are truly disruptive can only be done with CORDURA fabric.”
In related news, Burlington unveiled a new line of CORDURA Wool fabrics marketed as part of the new CORDURA Combat Wool fabric collection. The “comfortably durable fabric” portfolio is available in twill, canvas, ripstop, dobby and stretch constructions.
Constructed with an intimate blend of merino wool and staple nylon, the new family of woven CORDURA Combat Wool fabrics provide a significant performance advantage without sacrificing the natural aesthetic or insulation qualities of 100 percent merino wool fabrics, says Burlington. According to independent lab testing, woven CORDURA Combat Wool fabric also provides twice the tensile strength, 1.4 times the tear strength and more than 10 times the abrasion resistance of 100 percent merino wool fabrics. Burlington has developed a collection that includes shirting, bottom and jacket weight fabrics appropriate for a wide range of garments.
Noyfil Recycled Polyester Yarns Get Eco Certification
RadiciGroup companies Noyfil SA and Noyfil SpA have certified their r-Radyarn and r-Starlight continuous filament yarn to the new UNI 11505:2013 standard, after measuring the environmental impact performance of its polyester yarn using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology.
The UNI 11505 standard, which became effective as of September 2013, is concerned with yarn and man-made fibers manufactured with secondary raw materials obtained from the processing of recycled materials through a mechanical or chemical transformation process. The standard sets out the characteristics to be disclosed in the manufacturer’s product declaration concerning recycled material content, as well as the information to be reported on product labels in addition to the product composition information required by law. The UNI standard also specifies the management and monitoring requirements an organization must meet in order to comply with said standard.
“The value added for our customers is the greater transparency in communication afforded by this certification process,” said Maurizio Vedovati, general manager of Noyfil SpA and sales manager of the RadiciGroup PET Yarn Business Unit. “By disclosing the precise content of recycled materials, we are giving our customers all the data they need to calculate the exact composition of their own finished products and provide the end user with more information directly on the labels.”
For each of the certified yarns, the companies will now indicate the exact percentage of recycled polymer together with the percentage of additives.
“The growth trends for our r-Radyarn and r-Starlight product lines from 2012 to the present have been positive, and we are optimistic about the future,” commented Vedovati. “This new standard has contributed – and will continue to contribute – to decreasing the confusion on the market by increasing the credibility of products made from recycled materials.”
Vargo Unveils Titanium-infused Apparel
Vargo has infused titanium into outdoor apparel to create a line of outerwear tops with enhanced levels of performance qualities. Using light as a catalyst, the company’s TiFusion apparel is self-cleaning and quick-drying while reducing odors and slightly increasing UV protection, says the company.
According to Vargo, TiFusion apparel has an affinity for water molecules and, in the presence of light, becomes super hydrophilic. This affinity displaces all other molecules, including oils and dirt, that would otherwise stay attached to the surface. The test found that the concentration of methyl orange in the treated and untreated samples decreases over time, but concentration of methyl orange decrease more dramatically for the treated sample, suggesting the TiFusion coating provides self-cleaning properties.
What’s more, under normal conditions water has a tendency to be attracted to itself and bead on surfaces. However, TiFusion apparel does not allow water to bead but rather spread flat over the surface to increase heat transfer. To quantify these claims, Vargo employed wet-bulb method tests. Result showed the temperature for a treated sample decreased to a lower temperature (17 °C) than the untreated (18 °C), and TiFusion coated apparel dried 25 percent faster than uncoated apparel.
In the presence of light, TiFusion apparel electrostatically traps odor causing microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and mold and mildew, says Vargo. This process is constantly occurring and will not breakdown or be used up ensuring constant and long lasting odor reduction.
- TiFusion contains no toxins, poisons, dangerous chemicals or heavy metals, says the company. The primary components are considered safe by the EPA and are commonly used in foods and sunscreens. In turn, TiFusion improves the blockage of harmful UV light and helps eliminate common air pollutants such as nitrogen oxide and sulfur
