Abstract By applying the simultaneous corona-temperature treatment, the effect of electret temperature on the structure and filtration properties of melt-blown nonwovens was investigated. Fiber diameter, pore size, thickness, areal weight, porosity, crystallinity, filtration efficiency, and pressure drop were evaluated. The results demonstrated that some changes occurred in the structure of electret fabrics after treatment under different temperatures. In the range of 20°C~105°C, the filtration efficiency of melt-blown nonwovens has a relationship with the change in crystallinity, and the pressure drop increased because of the change in areal weight and porosity. This work may provide a reference for further improving filtration efficiency of melt-blown nonwovens.

Abstract Sustainability-related risk and vulnerability management have attained significant attention from academia and industry. Manufacturing industries in developing countries such as Pakistan are under severe economic pressure and striving to boost sustainable supply chain practices for achieving business excellence. In this context, the objectives of the present research are to examine the critical supply chain risks associated with sustainable development goals, namely social, economic, and environmental factors. The failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) technique is employed for categorizing the risk factors and Pareto analysis for highlighting the more crucial and risky factors. For this purpose, a large-scale survey was carried out in the textile industries of Pakistan to develop a risk mitigation model for sustainability-related risks and vulnerability in a textile supply chain (TSC). It captures the input expressions of experts for risk factors, namely severity (s), occurrence (o), and detection (d) for calculating the risk priority numbers (RPNs) of identified alternatives. The results depict that endogenous environmental risks categorize as the most significant for the textile manufacturing industries, and the interfaces between the various risks associated with sustainability-related are also found very high. This study would be a toolkit for the industrial managers and policy-makers for creating sustainable manufacturing culture on organizational premises.

Abstract Cochlospermum vitifolium flowers were evaluated as a raw material of natural dye on different fabrics, natural and synthetic. The dyeing process evaluation was performed by CIELa*b* color coordinates analysis. Color fastness was evaluated using the AATCC 61-1B and AATCC 116 methods. The chemical identification of the compounds in the color fraction was carried out by HPLC–MS/MS. The naringenin was determined to be the color compound. Among the natural textiles, the wool presented the best uniformity of dyeing and fixation of color, achieving the best hue when a pre-mordant treatment was used. The combination of sodium and potassium tartrate dye resulted in the best final hue, between the yellow and red regions of the CIELa*b* space (L = 49.84, a* = 5.41, b* = 45.52). The dyeing of the wool by the sodium and potassium tartrate pretreatment showed the best fastness properties to the laundering test (ΔEab = 54.56), as well as in the rub test (ΔEab = 67.36). The extract of C. vitifolium could be considered as an alternative natural dye for textiles with a protein base (e.g., wool fabrics), obtaining the best results when mordant pretreatment is used.

Abstract Nanofiber materials offer a wide range of use in various production fields, e.g., different types of filtration, or areas requiring high hydrostatic resistance. They are made from different polymers, some of which are more hydrophobic than others, for instance some types of polyurethanes and polyvinylidene fluoride. However, even these polyurethanes cannot guarantee a high hydrophobicity of the final nanofiber material. To increase this desired property, we have to use the so-called hydrophobic substances like fluorocarbon. The nanofiber layer has to be prepared so that its pores do not get blocked, which would worsen its filtration capability and air permeability. This is why a roll-to-roll low-vacuum plasma was used in our case for creating a fabric with nanofiber layer for the clothing industry. The result is a nanofiber material with a hydrostatic resistance higher than a 15,000 mm water column. Under suitable conditions, we can produce a nanofiber membrane for clothing with thermophysiological properties similar to those of membranes produced with different principles, e.g., nanoporous membranes. The nanofiber membrane provides us desirable properties such as stability during repeated washing.

Abstract In this study, polypropylene meltblown nonwoven fabrics with different structure parameters such as fiber diameter, pore size, and areal density were prepared by the industrial production line. The morphology of meltblown nonwoven fibers was evaluated by using scanning electron microscope, and the diameter of fibers was analyzed by using image-pro plus software from at least 200 measurements. The pore size of nonwoven fabric was characterized by a CFP-1500AE type pore size analyzer. The filtration efficiency and pressure drop were evaluated by TSI8130 automatic filter. The results showed that the pressure drop of nonwoven fabrics decreased with the increase in pore size; the filtration efficiency and the pressure drop had a positive correlation with the areal density. However, when the areal density is in the range of 27–29 g/m2, both filtration efficiency and pressure drop decreased with the increase of areal density; when the areal density was kept constant, the filtration efficiency decreased as the pore size decreased; when the pore size of the meltblown nonwoven fabric is less than 17 μm, the filtration efficiency increased as the pore diameter decreased; when the pore diameter of the nonwoven fabric is larger than 17 μm. In a wide range, the pressure drop decreased as the fiber diameter decreased.

Abstract The relationship between a quality of activated sludge microbiota and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) operational stability has been defined in the past few decades. However, this dependence is not so clear in the case of industrial wastewater treatment. In this article, a very specific example of industrial textile wastewater treatment plant (ITWTP) is analyzed. Textile effluents are well known as highly contaminated wastewater containing many biodegradable compounds. Microscopic analysis included flocs morphology examination, attempts to evaluate the Sludge Biotic Index (SBI), and identification of dominant filamentous microorganisms. Routine operational control of ITWTP covered pH, temperature, redox potential, dissolved oxygen and COD measurements. The average ecosystem existing in the described ITWTP differed significantly compared to municipal WWTPs. The flocs were smaller and irregular. Filamentous bacteria did not cause foaming although filaments index reached 4. Nostocoida limicola I dominated with significant amounts of type 0041 and type 021N. The evaluation of SBI was impossible as the most of protozoan was in the form of cysts. The overall microbiota diversity correlated with COD removal in activated sludge unit of ITWTP.

Abstract Compression therapy using bandages or socks is the most common treatment for venous leg ulcers and edema. This article aims to compare the compression between long- and short-stretch bandages (LSB and SSB, respectively). Load-elongation curves, cyclic loading, and elastic recovery are investigated for both Cotton/Polyamide/Polyurethane and 100% bleached cotton bandages as LSB and SSB, respectively. Static (resting) and dynamic (working) pressures are measured on seven male legs, 31 ± 3.6 years old, using both two and three layers bandaging. Picopress pressure tests are performed on the ankle and mid-calf positions at gradual decreasing compression from the ankle to the knee. The deviation percentage between the experimental results by Picopress and theoretical calculations using Laplace's law and Al-Khaburi equations is compared. LSB recovered approximately 99% of its original length after stress-relaxation whereas SSB recovered only 93% of its original length after 5 days of cyclic load-relaxation. Moreover, SSB lost approximately 28.6% of its activity after wearing on the human leg for 5 days.

Abstract In this paper, the safety and thermal comfort of protective clothing used by firefighters was analyzed. Three-dimensional geometry and morphology models of real multilayer assemblies used in thermal protective clothing were mapped by selected Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software. In the designed assembly models, different scales of the resolution were used for the particular layers – a homogenization for nonwoven fabrics model and designing the geometry of the individual yarns in the model of woven fabrics. Then, the finite volume method to simulate heat transfer through the assemblies caused by their exposure to the flame was applied. Finally, the simulation results with experimental measurements conducted according to the EN ISO 9151 were compared. Based on both the experimental and simulation results, parameters describing the tested clothing protective features directly affecting the firefighter’s safety were determined. As a result of the experiment and simulations, comparable values of these parameters were determined, which could show that used methods are an efficient tool in studying the thermal properties of multilayer protective clothing.

Abstract The paper presents the numerical modeling of large deflections of a flat textile structure subjected to a constant force acting on the free end. It was assumed that the examined structure is inextensible. The effect of the structure's own weight was also taken into account. In order to solve the problem, the flat textile structure was modeled using the heavy elastica theory. An important element of the analysis involves taking into account the variable bending rigidity of the examined textile structure along its length, which is often found in this type of products. The function of variable bending rigidity was assumed in advance. Numerical calculations were carried out in the Mathematica environment using the shooting method for the boundary value problem. The obtained results were verified using the finite element method.

Abstract Conductive cellulose fibers may find application in producing antistatic materials and fibrous electronic elements for smart textiles (textronics). In this paper, we present a method of fabrication of cellulose fibers modified with the reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and graphene oxide (GO). The fibers were obtained by using N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO) as a direct solvent, adding dispersion of GO during the cellulose dissolution process. In the next step, the GO enclosed in the fibers was reduced for ca. half an hour at 90°C with the excess of water solution of hydrazine to obtain fibers containing rGO. The viscosity of the spinning solution increased when GO was added; however, the difference is important at low shearing rates but decreases at high shearing rates, similar to that used in the process of fiber spinning. Cellulose fibers containing 3, 4, 6, and 10% w/w of rGO were obtained. Fiber morphology was studied using electron microscopy. The results of the electrical properties’ measurements showed that the conductivity of modified fibers strongly depends on the concentration of rGO. At 10% rGO conductivity was 9 x 10−3 S/cm. The mechanical properties of the obtained fibers were slightly changed by the presence of GO and rGO. Tenacity and elongation at break decreased with the increase in the content of GO and rGO in the fibers but remain at an acceptable level from the textiles processing point of view.