Trevira Moisture Control: The Fibre For A New Generation Of Fabrics

Climate catastrophes have caused shortfalls in the supply of natural fibres, there have been increasing difficulties in the wool market, and there is a growing global focus on sustainability. These factors have brought man-made fibres more into the foreground again – and mainly polyester. The fibre manufacturer Trevira is meeting this trend with a new fibre for high quality clothing, one that shows great potential in terms of innovation, coupled with supreme comfort for the wearer, and it is recyclable.

The new fibre is called Trevira Moisture Control and supplies these requirements. Fabrics made from it have the proven characteristics of Trevira apparel textiles, including very good pilling properties, excellent fastness to colour, resilience and easy care qualities. In addition, they offer an improved semi-dull appearance, firstclass soft handle, and optimal moisture management, above all in 100% Trevira qualities.

Research at the Hohenstein Institutes has demonstrated in terms of appearance and comfort that in every respect a suit in 100% Trevira Moisture Control matches a classic business suit in 100 % wool. Made from the new fibres, the Trevira suit impresses with its elegant, high quality looks, its very good wear properties and its standard of comfort, assessed by Hohenstein as “very good”. Traditional synthetics offer no comparison with these materials, which herald a new generation of fabrics.

Wear trials conducted at airlines have shown that a uniform in 100% Trevira Moisture Control guarantees the wearer an optimal feel good effect, accompanied by high standards of resilience. The fibre profile has a special dual channel system that accelerates transport of condensation molecules given off from the skin, from inner to outer layer. Moisture conducted onto the textile surface is quickly dispersed there and evaporates rapidly. In this way the inner side of the textile touching the skin stays drier, preventing an unpleasant chill effect.

Textiles containing the new fibres are ideal for use in corporate wear, business clothing or sportswear. Trevira Moisture Control may be used 100 % or in blends with wool.

Trevira Moisture Control – properties at a glance

• Very good moisture management
• Rapid dispersion and evaporation of moisture
• Quick drying
• Good pilling characteristics
• Easy care
• Washable with good fastness standards
• Pleasant handle
• Good electro-static properties
• Resistant to UV light and chlorine

SOURCE: Trevira

ENERGY CONSERVATION IN WET PROCESSING

(a)    ENERGY CONSERVATION IN SIZING

Foam sizing : in this method foam is used for sizing. Hence considerably less water is required as compared to the conventional sizing. This results is saving in energy and time for evaporation of size.

High pressure squeezing during sizing : this saves the energy as well as the water. after sizing material is squeezed at high pressure to remove maximum water from it. Because of this energy required for drying the material is saved.

Simultaneous dyeing and sizing: for denim warp yarns by using rapiodogen dyes and stabilizer with sizing formulation sizing and dyeing can be carried out simultaneously. This saves energy and water.

B) ENERGY CONSERVATION IN BLEACHING

Fast bleaching with VAPORLOC machine

Mather and platt developed this machine. In this machine, bleaching can be carried out in 90 to 120 seconds at a temperature of 135 degree C. and pressure 30-psi. for this process hydrogen peroxide, stabilizers and suitable alkali is used. 50% energy can be saved with this process.

Novel method : this is a combined desizing scouring and bleaching of polyster/cotton blend. This is carried out is which using material to liquors ratio1:25. the liquor consists of hydrogen peroxide(35%w/v) magnesium sulphate heptahydrate (1.6gpl) sodium hydroxide(4gpl) wetting agent (0.5gpl) EDTA(2gpl) and gluconic acide (2gpl) at 95 degree C for one hour. The washing is giving at 95 degree C.

Potassium permanganate method : cotton goods can be bleached with potassium permanganate. This saves energy and water. It also gives eco-friendly effluent.

Cold pad-batch method : in this method peroxide bisulfate used as a bleaching agent. The bath also contains some compounds which accelerate the bleaching reaction like urea glucose sodium citrate methyl carbonate tetra acetyl ethylene diamine etc.

DSB process: in this process desizing scouring and bleaching takes place in a single stage. The bath contains hydrogen peroxide peroxygen booster sodium silicate peroxide sulphates etc. to this some compounds like urea glucose which accelerate the peroxide reaction are added. This process saves energy water and labor.

C) ENERGY CONSERVATION IN MERCERISATION

It is the process in which the material is treated with concentrated sodium hydroxide solution indeally at at 15 to 20 degree C. this gives luster to the material and the absorptivity of the material is increased considerably.

In mercerization process saving in energy can be done if the process is carried out on wet-on-wet basis I e the in between drying process is eliminated which saves the energy.

Hot mercerization can be done so that scouring is eliminated at 70*c so without doing separate scouring process yarn or fabric is directly subjected to hot mercerization.

Caustic recovery : for the caustic recovery maximum washing is given to the fabric. Temperature of the washing water is maintained at 90*c and suction is provided. All this results in 80 to 85%  of the caustic recovery.

D) ENERGY CONSERVATION IN DYEING

Cost savings and quality improvement in dye house can be dine by some process modifications and suitable replacement of processing machines.

Some of these processes are given bellow.

Energy saving by padding mangle

Cost savings and quality improvement in dye house can be done by some process modifications and suitable replacement of processing machines.

Some of these processes are given bellow.

Energy saving by padding mangle

Padding mangle mainly used for two purposes 1) to impregnate any processing solution in fabric 2) to remove excess amount of processing liquor from the fabric by squeezing. Kusters mangle is a modified from which has uniform expression percentage with low wet pick-up. Expression percentage can be changed by changing speed and pressure. On this machine uniform and accurate results are obtained with the saving in energy.

Pad-jig method

This method can be used for dyeing with vat reactive azoic dyes with this method. Dyeing quality is improved with respect to levelness and solidity of shades. Dye penetration is also good. In this power & steam required is less.