Chapter 10 - Polymers in textiles

Polymer fabrics are versatile materials used in various fields. Surface modification methods for hydrophobic polymer fibers have been developed to endow the materials with water wettability and functionality. Nevertheless, it remains a challenge to freely introduce functional groups to polymer fiber surfaces in a simple manner. Herein, we report the decoration of nonwoven fabric surfaces with azidated cello-oligosaccharide assemblies via molecular self-assembly. Cello-oligosaccharides with a terminal azido group were enzymatically synthesized and allowed to self-assemble in polyolefin, polyester, and vinylon nonwoven fabrics. It was found that the functional oligosaccharides formed bark-like assemblies on the nonwoven fiber surfaces, probably through heterogeneous nucleation. The hydrophilic oligosaccharide assemblies made the hydrophobic nonwoven surfaces water-wettable. Moreover, the azido group at oligosaccharide terminal was available for the post-functionalization of the modified nonwovens. In fact, an antigen was successfully conjugated to the modified nonwovens via the click chemistry. The antigen-conjugated nonwovens were useful for the specific and quantitative detection of a corresponding antibody. Our findings demonstrate the great potential of cello-oligosaccharide assembly for the functionalization of fabrics and other polymeric materials.

A number of laser treatments in the textile industry such as: marking, engraving, cutting, welding, sintering, three-dimensional scanning, and others, have been successfully applied in recent years. Laser technologies are ones that may be used for decorative or identification marking of products, precise cutting, quality joining by welding both traditional materials and newly developed ones. The use of laser systems for processing of materials, in particular, textile polymers, increases due to the speed, accuracy, and flexibility of this innovative technology. The factors exerting impact over, the laser processing of natural and synthetic textile materials are a lot. They are encountered in certain connections and relationships to each other and affect, to a greater or lesser extent, the quality of the laser processing. The process may be optimized by selecting and managing the most significant factors. Most of them are presented and analyzed in this article aimed at understanding the physical nature of these processes. The factors, which exert the greatest impact on the technological process for laser treatments of textile materials, are indicated.

5 - Glass fibers

Hybrid fabrics for use in bio-based composites for technical applications

Cellular thermoplastic fibre reinforced composite (CellFRC): A new class of lightweight material with high impact properties

During the past few years, the use of technical textiles has grown rapidly. Natural, synthetic, and high-performance fibers are being used in many technical textile applications. Some of which are explained in detail, while others are in brief in this book. This chapter reviews the application and use of natural, synthetic, and high-performance fibers for Indutech, Hometech, Clothtech, Buildtech, Packtech, and Oekotech. As the strength of natural fibers is not so good, the use of synthetic and high-performance fibers is increasing in industrial and technical products. One of the major applications of technical textiles is in the filtration media. The performance of a specific filter is based on the selection of fiber, textile material, and the way they have been assembled. The properties of fluid for which the filter has to be designed must be considered carefully as well. Human beings have been using regular clothing to protect themselves from a very hot and cold environment. The workers in some occupations (like military, police, firefighting, and healthcare) are exposed to different hazards, so they are required to wear protecting textile clothing, which is discussed further in the chapter. For centuries, textiles are being used for construction materials whether it is for insulation or reinforcement of any other application. However, the use of advanced construction material specifically textile fibers has increased extensively these days. It is important to have appropriate knowledge about textile fibers in the light of current climate change and other global challenges, as textiles in any form (fiber, yarn, or fabric) provide excellent thermal and mechanical properties with low weight. Today the people around the world have become more educated with higher living standards. Therefore, the use of high technology products, which offer enhanced performance, durability, hygienic conditions, and aesthetic, has become the need of the day. The demand for eco-friendly and bio-degradable packaging is growing now as they have a great impact on human health and the environment. The use of natural fibers for environmental protection is not new. While the use of synthetic and high-performance fibers for environmental protection is a revolutionary change in the current century. One of its uses is in protecting the crops and soil artificially by weather changes to increase productivity. The new and advanced developments for environmental protection keep on increasing across the world in the coming years. In this chapter, an overview of such types of textiles; fibers being used; and their applications, advantages, and drawbacks have been provided briefly.

Specialty polymers for the textile industry can be grouped into two categories. In the first category, polymers are employed to form/construct a textile surface (fiber, yarn, nonwoven, etc.) via some manufacturing techniques (melt/dry/wet spinning, electrospinning, etc.). These polymers should have a linear molecular structure and present a reasonable amount of degree of polymerization (DP) value. In the second category, textile polymers are used to modify, protect, or prepare textile materials by adding/forming some chemical functional groups to the textile surfaces, cleaning the textile surface via etching, or coating the textile surface to give the desired functional properties. In the mentioned fields, polymers such as natural polysaccharides, chitosan, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), alkyl sulfonates, polyacrylates, polyesters, polyvinyl acetates, silanes, etc. are used as sizing/desizing agents, scouring agents, microencapsulation, and providing additional functionalities (flame retardancy, enhanced mechanical properties, water/oil repellency, self-cleaning, antibacterial, antifouling, UV protection, shrink resistance, etc.). In this chapter, only fiber-forming polymers, for the first category, and polymeric additives to be used in fiber spinning, for the second category, are summarized.

Retrofitting of the corroded reinforced concrete columns with CFRP and GFRP fabrics under different corrosion levels

The fibrous plants can grow from Northern to Southern Arctic Circle. Different parts of these lignocellulosic plants are valuable sources of lignocellulosic fibres used in textiles and eco-friendly composites, sources of human food, nutrients, animal feed, agro-fine-chemicals for cosmetics and other area of application. That they are completely sustainable, renewable, and biodegradable and they recycle the carbon dioxide (CO2). Fibrous plants were well known to mankind more than 7 000 BC. Some of these bast fibrous plants like flax and hemp could be explored for reclaiming the soil polluted by heavy metals. The total production of all natural fibres is expected at the level 35-40 million tons/year. Special treatment and functionalization of these fibres provides new promising features and expected new properties of these fibres. Natural fibres can be processed for production of woven goods, knitting, nonwoven, technical and 3D textiles, also as the reinforcement of more friendly composites. These whole plants and woody parts (shives) and fibres can be used for production of special pulp and paper and seeds some for obtaining the agro-fine-chemicals. Natural fibres and derived products have very important properties like: excellent air permeability, high hygroscopicity, high heat absorption, no release of substances harmful for health, they not cause allergy effect, as well as safer behaviour in flame and fire combustion versus man-made fibres. The new emerging method of genetic modification (GM) of these fibrous plants provides promising performance e.g. higher level of cellulose, possibility of creating polyhydroxy-alcanate (PHA) natural polyester in statu nascendi. Such GM modified plants are resistant to special herbicides, better resistant to drought also with controlled level of lignin and pectin.In 21st century the coexistence and competition between man-made and natural fibres is stabilized, especially in area of quality, sustainability and economy of their production.

Textile configurations are derived from two major sources such as ancient handicraft and modern scientific inventions. Textile fabrication using polymeric fiber is one of the fastest-growing sectors since the 19th century and is currently the secondlargest manufacturing industry after information technology. Although polymers are predominantly used in the development of dosage forms, however recent devolvement in natural polymer chemistry reflects its association with the production of plastics, fibers, elastomers, etc. Innovation using natural polymer fibers-based textile could serve as an alternative capable of replacing synthetic polymer-based fibers. Polymers, especially fibers contribute significantly to the manufacturing of textiles. Moreover, copolymerization of fabrics fibers with excipients demonstrated potential for the development of materials useful in various biomedical applications. Furthermore, to understand the fundamental characteristics of polymeric fibers including structural composition, morphological features such as crystallinity, and orientation, a comprehensive skill is necessary. This chapter discusses the basic materials used in the fabrication of textile products, with emphasizes on bio-based polymers as an alternative to synthetic polymers in the production of fabrics.

Fashion design: the dynamics of textiles in advancing cultural memes

7 - Compressive and fracture toughness of natural and synthetic fiber-reinforced polymer

The engineering applications and related research of fiber-reinforced cement and geopolymer mortar composites are becoming more and more extensive. These reinforced fibers include not only traditional steel fibers and carbon fibers, but also synthetic polymer fibers and natural polymer fibers. Polymer fiber has good mechanical properties, good bonding performance with cement and geopolymer mortars, and excellent performance of cracking resistance and reinforcement. In this paper, representative organic synthetic polymer fibers, such as polypropylene, polyethylene and polyvinyl alcohol, are selected to explore their effects on the flow properties, thixotropic properties and printing time interval of fresh 3D-printed cement and geopolymer mortars. At the same time, the influence of mechanical properties, such as the compressive strength, flexural strength and interlaminar bonding strength of 3D-printed cement and geopolymer mortars after hardening, is also analyzed. Finally, the effect of polymer fiber on the anisotropy of 3D-printed mortars is summarized briefly. The existing problems of 3D-printed cement and polymer mortars are summarized, and the development trend of polymer fiber reinforced 3D-printed mortars is prospected.

Eco-friendly degumming of natural fibers for textile applications: A comprehensive review

Background: Fibrous materials are pivotal in textile manufacturing and are categorized into natural and manmade fibers. Natural fibers include cellulose-based (e.g., cotton, jute, flax) and protein-based fibers. Despite synthetic fibers' dominance, natural fibers are gaining traction due to eco-friendly attributes. This study focuses on Sansevieria trifasciata fibers (STF), a lingo-cellulosic natural fiber with promising textile applications. Methods: The study examined STF's physical and chemical properties, employing standard processes for scouring, bleaching, and dyeing. Raw STF fibers underwent cleaning, scouring with sodium hydroxide, and bleaching with hydrogen peroxide. Dyeing trials utilized Direct, Reactive, and Vat dyes, optimizing parameters such as concentration, pH, time, and temperature, adapted from jute fiber methods. Results: Scouring effectively removed impurities, achieving significant fiber cleanliness. Bleaching produced high whiteness (>80%). Post-treatment, STF exhibited altered weight, strength, elongation, and moisture content. Dyeing with Direct, Reactive, and Vat dyes yielded vibrant hues, with Reactive and Vat dyes displaying superior wash fastness (4 and 4/5, respectively). Photodegradation tests revealed color susceptibility under sunlight. Conclusion: STF demonstrates potential as a sustainable alternative in textiles, suitable for diverse applications including weaving, non-woven textiles, composites, and handicrafts. Adaptation of jute processing techniques was viable, though further research is needed for optimization. STF's renewable nature, eco-friendliness, and air purification benefits enhance its appeal for sustainable textile production and urban landscaping. Sansevieria trifasciata fibers present a viable eco-friendly option in the textile industry, warranting continued exploration and development.