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Army clothing
Usual fibre composition: 100 per cent CO, CO/PES 85/15, CO/aramide 65/35
Finishing goals: dimensional stability, water/ oil repellency, waterproof, flexible at low
temperatures, fast to washing and dry cleaning, flame retardancy, heat-resistant, IR
remission.
• Padding
• Coating
Besides these two basic procedures there is requirement of either pre- calendaring or post
calendaring to enhance the effects.
Repellent/release
Flame-retardant
Waterproof
Paraffin wax based products giving excellent water proof properties to a range of textile
fibres such as cotton, polyamide, PAN and wool. Ciba(r) HYDROPHOBOL ZAN or
APK gives good water repellent effects and high water pressure resistance.
Thermal insulation
Aluminum foil coated under high vacuum conditions: the foil is glued on in high vacuum,
so that a bond between the surface of the fabric and the foil are guaranteed at nearly
every point; for technical applications (mainly in use with Kevlar or preox/p-aramid) to
insulate thermal radiation. Also in use as outside of suits and clothes made from Kevlar
(melting ovens and blast-furnace plants)
Weather protection
Membranes coated onto protective clothing (e.g. firemen) assure, that no water can
penetrate the clothing from outside to inside; at the same time the membrane has good
porosity, i.e. vapor (body perspiration) can penetrate through the membrane to the
outside.
Slip resistant
Aqueous based coating using acrylic/ poly urathane compounds are used for adhesion of
yarns successfully to prevent slippage under stress. Ciba(r) DICRYLAN AHS gives good
adhesion on nearly all substrates, especially on polyester and polyamide.
Applied by padding with silicone or polyurethane compounds onto the fabrics to achieve
soft, supple and smooth surface. Ciba(r) ULTRATEX(r) and DICRYLAN(r) ranges offer
wide variety of handles and abrasion resistance.
Dimensional stability
Treating of cellulosics with resins offer these fabrics good dimensional stability. Good
shrinkage control and shape retention of protective clothing are maintained even after
several washes by using Ciba(r) KNITTEX resins.
Conclusion
Technical textiles are value added products which are produced out of either high tech
non- conventional polymers which enhance specific properties or else special high tech
finished conventional fibres or a combination of both.
Technical textiles are likely to play an important role in infrastructure development,
agriculture, medical, hygiene and specialised sports and apparel wear as major
applications. Alternatively developments in functional finishes could shape the future of
the textile industry on to the path of growth in quantum leaps and bounds.
(The author is manager - technical support, Ciba Specialty Chemicals (India), Textile
Effects- TC. The previous issue inadvertently mentioned that the author is with Clariant.
The error is regretted.)