Innovation in Textile Finishing

1
Innovation in Textile Finishing

• National Event Estonia, January 20, 2005

2
Overview of the lecture

• Introduction
• Textile finishing
• Process innovations
• Environment
• Applying functionalities to textiles functional
  textiles
• Concluding remarks

3
Introduction

• TNO
• Contract Research organization based in The
  Netherlands
• 4900 employees
• Turnover 500 M , 30 international
• 5 working areas

4
Scope of Textile Research in TNO

• Process technology
• Textiles, floor coverings, cleaning technology
• Development of sustainable textile finishing
  processes
• Development of textile products with improved
  properties (functionality and comfort)
• Sport
• Protective clothing
• Smart textiles
• Product evaluation with respect to specific
  textile properties
• Comfort, mechanical properties
• Durability, cleanability
• Testing and evaluation
• Floor coverings, upholstery, mattresses, quilts,
  medical stockings

5
TNOs involvement in EU-programs

• TNO is actively involved in EU-research programs
• Textranet/Autex are coordinating textile
  initiatives
• TNO is convener of Textranet/Autex research
  working group
• In next call focus on technical textiles
• protective
• medical
• construction
• Number of proposals are under preparation by
  different members of Textranet and Autex

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Textile technology as central focus point

• Innovations
• Design
• Production technology
• Logistics

TNO Textranet

• Innovative
• products
• Multi-functional products

• Innovations
• Materials
• Chemicals
• Machinery

Textile technology

• Customized production
• Short runs
• Sustainability

Testing Evaluation
Expertex Autex
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Textile finishing

• All processes after fabric formation and before
  making up
• desizing, scouring, bleaching
• dyeing, printing
• finishing, coating, lamination
• Continuous and batch processing
• equipment, machinery, sensors and control
  techniques
• Research items
• innovation of processes
• improvement of functionalities
• reduced environmental impact

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Items
Small batches Just in time Customized production
Processes
Functionalities
Environment
Water use Energy use Chemicals Working conditions
Dynamic properties Anti-microbial Self-cleaning Sm
art textiles
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Processes
Processes

• Development of new processes, working methods and
  equipment
• in order to
• faster production
• smaller batches
• reduce use of chemicals, water and energy
• improve and develop new functionalities
• Examples
• Enzymatic scouring
• Catalytic bleaching
• Ultrasound
• Plasma technology
• Ink-jet technology

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Enzymatic processes
Processes

• Low temperature
• Less severe processing conditions
• Improved product quality
• For
• desizing
• anti-pilling effect
• Under development
• scouring, bleaching (FP5 BPT)
• surface modification of synthetic fibres

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Catalytic bleaching
Processes

• Use of catalysts in order to
• lower the bleaching temperature (65 C no
  steamer)
• shorten the bleaching time (5-10 min)
• decrease the damage of the fabric (DP value gt
  2000)
• reduce the chemical consumption (3 g H2O2/l, pH
  10)
• National research project
• University Twente
• TNO
• Machinery company
• 2 textile finishing companies
• Project will be finished in December 2006

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Ultrasound

• Ultrasound can help to speed up processes 100
  1000 times
• chemical uptake (impregnating)
• washing
• Enhanced mass transport due to micro-jets created
  by ultrasonic waves
• Research carried out in FP6 Ultratec project
• TNO, University of Twente
• Textile companies
• Industrial washing companies

fluid
fabric
If cavitation is near to surface, stagnant core
will be broken up
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Plasma technology
Processes

• Plasma
• low pressure
• atmospheric
• Influencing surface properties of fibers
• Use of inert gases
• Cleaning of surfaces
• Use of reactive gases
• Functionalizing of surfaces by chemical reactions
  or deposition of nanolayers
• hydrophilicity
• hydro-/oleophobicity
• conductivity
• Partial replacement of traditional finishes

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Textile applications of nanotechnology
Processes
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Ink-jet technology
Processes

• New technology for customized production of
  textile products
• Single items possible
• Productivity will be increased to gt 1000 m2/hr in
  few years
• Printing of small quantities on industrial scale
• Printing of flags and banners
• Printing of samples
• Research on the application of jet-technology for
  the application of finishes Digifin
• Project proposal 3rd call FP6 by Royal Ten Cate
  (Nl)

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New processes/ new processing
Processes

• Textile industry needs to adapt to the need of
  the customers
• Processing of smaller batches and quick response
  will be essential
• Flexibility in production
• Rapid changes of recipes
• Broad range of processes
• Textile industry has to be ready for the
  Leapfrog way of production of their customers
• If not, textile industry will have to keep the
  stocks
• High costs, high risks and low margins

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Small batches Just in time Customized production
Processes
Functionalities
Environment
Water use Energy use Chemicals Working conditions
Dynamic properties Anti-microbial Self-cleaning Sm
art textiles
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Reduction of water consumption
Environment

• More efficient use of water
• pretreatment 5-10 l/kg
• Dying printing 30-50 l/kg
• Waste water treatment
• based on combined anaerobic aerobic treatment
• degradation and/or coagulation of large range of
  dyes
• removal of color and COD gt90
• Water recycling needs additional treatment
• Water quality standards for different processes
  can be quite different
• Specific water plans for individual companies
• In future water-free processes?
• Plasma-treatments
• UV-curing
• Super critical CO2

19
Reduction of energy consumption
Environment

• Energy is expensive
• Energy consumption related to ware-house effect
• Energy reduction program in the Netherlands
• Reduction of energy by 20 over period 1990
  2000 reached
• Reduction due to process optimizations and good
  housekeeping methods
• Target for 2000-2010 another 20 reduction (per
  kg textile produced)
• Introduction of new low energy equipment
• Ceramic gas fired IR-dryers (high capacity, fast
  start-up, no energy use during stand by)
• Low energy processes
• Enzymatic processes
• Catalytic processes
• (Atmospheric) Plasma technology

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Reduction of chemicals
Environment

• In general Textile finish recipes are very
  robust
• Good finishing results under sub-optimal
  conditions
• Function of some chemicals in recipe are not
  clear
• Recipes tend to become more complex over years by
  adjustments in the companies
• Critical review of recipes needed
• Quantities
• Environmental impact
• In Netherlands chemicals are selected on (bio-)
  degradability
• Environmental database for Textile Finishing
  Chemicals
• New processes
• Reduction of chemicals
• Replacement of chemicals by less harmful
  chemicals (eg enzymes)
• More advanced measurement and control techniques

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Working conditions

• Conditions improve by optimizing processes
• Good house keeping
• Processes at a lower temperature
• Less hazardous chemicals
• Dosing of chemicals
• Reduced handling of chemicals
• Use of automated color kitchens
• New processes
• No contact with chemicals (plasma, ink-jet)

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Small batches Just in time Customized production
Processes
Functionalities
Environment
Water use Energy use Chemicals Working conditions
Dynamic properties Anti-microbial Self-cleaning Sm
art textiles
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Textiles with dynamic properties
Functionalities

• Textile materials with properties depending on
  external factors
• Relevant factors
• Temperature, Moisture, Radiation,
• Improvement of functional properties
• Phase change materials for thermo-regulation
• Phosphorescent pigments for better visibility in
  dark environments
• UV-sensitive dyes
• Thermo-sensitive dyes for variation in reflection
  properties
• Controlled release or uptake of chemicals
• Cyclo-dextrines
• Encapsulation

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Anti-microbial textiles
Functionalities

• Many new fibers commercially available with
  anti-microbial properties
• Research is carried out after the use of new
  anti-microbial agents
• Silver
• Chitosan
• For many applications
• Underwear, hygiene
• Outdoor textiles
• Shoes

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Smart Textiles
Functionalities
Electronics TV, radio, computer
Portable electronics PDA, Laptop mobile phone
Integrated electronics Sensing, control, actuators
Dynamic textiles PCM, CR, thermo- chromic dyes
Textiles Clothing, work wear carpets

• Multi-disciplinary approach needed
• Spinners, weavers, knitters
• Textile finishers
• Electronics
• Sensor developers
• Data analysts
• ..

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Smart textiles
Functionalities

• New functional textiles by combination of
  textiles and electronics
• Communication
• MP3-player
• Mobile telephone
• Monitoring
• Heart beat, performance
• Body functions
• Safety
• LEDs, chemical sensors, temperature, moisture
• Gimmicks
• Toys
• New type of fabric needed for data transmission
  and power supply

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Personal Coach

• Cooperation between several departments of TNO
• Textiles power and signal transport in textiles
  connections between sensors and electronic
  components
• Micro-system technology sensors and data
  processing
• Polymer technology Development of polymer
  displays
• Electronics development of antennas and data
  transmission
• Product development integration of all
  technologies in one demonstrator

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Functionalities
Development of clothing conceptsDutch Olympic
rowing suit
Aluminised Stretch fabric
Coolmax mesh
Supplex
Front
Back
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Functionalities
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Concluding remarks

• In textile finishing focus is on
• Processes, environment and products
• Products with enhanced functionality are
  important for the EU to survive the fierce
  competition
• Processing concepts have to be adapted in order
  to be able to produce short batches
• New processes offer the opportunity to fulfil the
  needs of the customers
• EU-research can help to meet these targets