Technical Textiles Gaining Ground in 2018

According to a report from Textile World, 2018 State of the U.S. Technical Textiles Industry, the outlook for technical textiles is healthy as the U.S. enters the ninth year of economic recovery following the recession. Manufacturers are using this opportunity to develop innovative solutions to the problems facing healthcare and other industries by introducing new technical textiles.

Outlooks are based on several converging factors, and even predict the most defining period for the industry since the invention and introduction of human-made fibers. Since their creation and manufacture in the 1960s, synthetic fibers quickly filled many various needs in the aerospace, medical, military, and construction markets.

Technical textiles benefit a wide range of markets and are being adapted for many applications. Here are three exciting technical textile advances.

Dry Powder Impregnation

This process involves the use of an electrical field to charge powder particles and then deposit them uniformly onto the surface of the material to be coated. This technology allows the coating of all kinds of porous structures, including fabrics, nonwoven materials, papers, and foams.

It is considered a cleantech process in that, as compared to classical wet impregnation techniques, it helps sustainable growth efforts of clients by:

• Reducing energy consumption considerably
• Suppressing pollution and water use
• Eliminating many personal health risks caused by VOC

The technology is compatible with both insulating (thermoplastics or thermosets) and conductive (carbon black) powders. This has a significant advantage of allowing many different combinations of a polymer matrix and reinforcing fibers, in particular, natural ones.

In addition to process optimization, the biggest challenge is adapting the powder particle size to the porosity of the substrate.

Nano Impregnation into Textiles

Researchers at the University of Limerick are experimenting with nanoparticles. They base their work on the fact that specific nanoparticles have antibacterial qualities. Then they incorporate these nanoparticles into textiles to impart antibacterial properties.

According to one of the researchers on the team, Dr. Tofail Syed, the goal is to develop antimicrobial textiles for medical and hospital applications. The unique feature of this technology is neutralizing microbes without the use of any pharmacological drug.

Their goal is to incorporate the technology into wearable, reusable textiles and fabrics. For example, the garment will self-sterilize if the wearer is exposed to microbes. They have documented the effectiveness of the technology on these textiles through 40 wash cycles.

In developing this technology, the researchers state these outcomes:

• Adaptable to any existing textile finish process
• Applicable to any material that has polymer in it
• No chemical binder required
• Cost effective

Based on the research and the production of a prototype, they foresee its use across many industries besides healthcare.

Safe Flame Retardant Technology

Currently, more than 175 flame retardant compounds are on the market. In the U.S. alone it's a $600 million a year business. However, significant health concerns are driving the search for new, safer flame retardant technology.

This article reports on three different discoveries and their approaches to develop safe flame retardants. Briefly, the science is based on:

1. Caseins - the proteins found in milk. Italian researchers have demonstrated that caseins may have flame retardant properties.
2. Clay, crab shell fiber, and DNA - NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) researchers are working to perfect this bio-based coating as a safe, viable alternative.
3. Chemical dopamine - Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin (UT) published their discovery of a non-toxic flame-retardant that won't accumulate over time in the bodies of people who come in contact with it. 

As research and development continue in the exciting world of technical textiles, challenges remain. Some future topics suggested at the 2017 International Conference on Textile Coating and Laminating include:

• new applications in growth markets: fuel cells, solar/thermal, composites, and medical/biotech
• smart/intelligent textile coatings and laminates
• disruptive technologies: graphene and nanotechnology in membranes, and other new developments that can potentially change the industry
• environmental concerns and issues

Conclusion

Improving economies, increased consumer demand, and gains in scientific research are all good reasons to expect exciting discoveries in the field of technical textiles.