NEW TECHNIQUE FOR OPTIMISING YARN-END PREPARATION ON SPLICER, AND A METHOD FOR RATING THE QUALITY OF YARN-END
 

Khaled Issa, Rudi Grütz٭

Interdisciplinary Graduate school of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, R2-51, 4259 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503, Japan

٭Institut für Textil und Bekleidungswesen, Niederrhein University of Applied Science
Webshulstr. 20, 41065, Mönchengladbach, Germany

This paper presents a method for improving the yarn-end preparation on a splicer by forming a loop outside the opening tube which assures gentle delivery of the yarn to the opening tube, as well as control of the yarn-end length which will be prepared. Twelve groups of yarns were selected and tested using the new technique and a standard splicer. The new technique for yarn-end preparation showed better results in comparison to the standard splicer, especially for high twisted and plied yarn.
 

PREDICTIVE MODELS FOR STRENGTH OF SPUN YARNS: AN OVERVIEW

Anindya Ghosh, Sayed Ishtiaque, Seenivasan Rengasamy, Prithwiraj Mal and Asis Patnaik
 

Department of Textile Technology
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi-110016, India
 

Over the past century or so, determining the predictive models of yarn strength has been the subject of a number of investigations, because yarn strength is a principle component of yarn quality. The aim of these models is to enable the yarn strength to be predicted from the properties of its component fibres as well as other parameters. The development of predictive modelling of yarn strength is always significant both in theory and in practice. In this article, a review of various predictive models of yarn strength is presented.
 

STUDIES ON STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF NEPHILA-SPIDER SILK DRAGLINE

Raju Seenivasan Rengasamy, Manjeet Jassal and Chidambaram Rameshkumar

Department of Textile Technology
Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi-110 016
 

Spider dragline silk is an extremely strong biopolymer and has unique combination of desirable mechanical properties. In the present paper dragline of Golden Nephila spider was studied for dimensional, structural, physical and tensile properties. The test results established significant variability in diameter and denier of dragline filaments. The filaments possessed nearly circular cross-section and were found to be sensitive to moisture. The draglines exhibited super contraction in water. It has high strength and large elongation to break (45.9 cN/tex and 38.7 %, respectively). X-ray crystallinity of 17.5 % was obtained. The fibres were also subjected to thermo- mechanical and dynamic mechanical analysis.

MICROWAVE IRRADIATION TECHNIQUE TO ENHANCE PROTEIN FIBRE PROPERTIES

Masuhiro Tsukada*, Shafiul Islam**, Takayuki Arai1, Alessandra Boschi***, and Giuliano Freddi***

*National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba,  Japan

**TexTek Business Solutions, 430 Tupper Street, Hawkesbury, Ontario,  Canada

***Stazione Sperimentale per la Seta, via G. Colombo 83, Milano, Italy

      Microwave irradiation technique was used for the chemical modification and grafting of protein fibrous materials, such as domestic silk (Bombyx mori), tussah silk (Antheraea pernyi), and wool fibres. Epoxide compounds Denacol EX810 and EX313 reacted effectively with the protein substrates. As alkali catalysts, sodium hydroxide was more effective than sodium thiocyanate. The optimum concentration was 0.25 w%. Weight gain values up to 8% were attained with 10-15 min irradiation time at 200W power. Graft-copolymerisation of vinyl monomers onto protein fibres resulted in variable weight gains, depending on the kind of fibre, the grafting monomer used, and the concentration of the padding solution. For example, after grafting with iso-propyl methacrylate (IPMA), the weight gain of fibrous proteins took place in the following order: Bombyx mori silk > tussah silk > wool. Bombyx mori silk gained more weight with IPMA than with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) or methacrylamide (MAA). The weight gain of Bombyx mori silk with HEMA significantly increased when the initial monomer concentration was raised to 400% owf, reaching a maximum value of 40%. The tensile properties of the protein fibres grafted with IPMA, MAA, and HEMA remained unchanged or slightly improved compared to the reference fibres. Fibres modified with epoxides showed a drop in tensile performance. The surface morphology of fibres treated with epoxide compounds or graft-copolymerised with vinyl monomers was almost unaffected, with the exception of HEMA-grafted fibres, which showed the presence of homopolymer deposited onto the surface at a weight gain exceeding 20%.
 

DEVELOPING FIBROUS MULTIFUNCTIONAL STRUCTURES FOR TECHNICAL APPLICATIONS
 

Mario de Araujo, Raul Fangueiro and Maria José Geraldes

School of Engineering, The University of Minho,
Campus de Azurém, 4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal
 

This paper describes a quick prototyping unit for fibrous multifunctional structures which has been set-up at the University of Minho. This unit provides for fast development of technical samples for a variety of special applications, mainly in the areas of health and well-being, sports goods, personnel protection, techno-fashion, the civil construction and building industries, composite materials, and so on.
The unit works systematically through the areas of conceptualisation, design and simulation, development, manufacturing and testing of technical and intelligent textile materials and structures, providing solutions for technical problems.
New structures are developed for specific applications where special requirements are needed.
It provides the best solution in terms of materials, structures, technologies and cost. The technologies involved include advanced CAD systems, FEA (finite element analyses), testing of mechanical properties, permeability, conductivity, microscopy, as well as small-scale-computer controlled manufacturing of yarns, nonwovens, wovens, warp & weft knits, braids and hybrid structures. Special finishings and surface treatments, coating and lamination are also possible.
The unit is used for research, education and to provide services for companies in emerging markets for advanced textile materials. Examples of the novel products developed are provided.
 

STUDY OF THE ENZYME TREATMENTS EFFECT ON THE PILLING BEHAVIOUR OF KNITTED WOOL FABRICS
 

Giorgio Mazzuchetti, Claudia Vineis
 

CNR-ISMAC, Institute for Macromolecular Studies, Biella Section
C.so G. Pella 16, 13900 Biella, Italy
 

Two knitted wool fabrics with the same cover factor, yarn count and twist were used our experiment. The only variable introduced was the mean diameter of the wools, 19.2mm and 25.6mm. The aim of the work was to evaluate the effect of proteolytic enzyme treatment on the pilling behaviour of fabrics, and in particular on the yarn structure with different fibre diameters. The two fabric samples were treated with different concentrations of proteolytic enzyme, and then the pilling behaviour was measured by using the pilling box test. The results obtained show that the proteolytic enzyme, within given levels of concentration, improves the pilling behaviour of the fabrics.
 

WATER RETENTION BY ACTIVE CARBON FIBRES OBTAINED FROM VISCOSE
 

R. Cisło*, I. Krucińska*, K. Babeł**

*Department of Textile Metrology, Faculty of Engineering and Marketing of Textiles, Technical University of Łódź, Żeromskiego 116, 90-543 Łódź, Poland
**Institute of Chemical Wood Technology, Agricultural Academy of Poznań,

Wojska Polskiego 38/42, 60-637 Poznań, Poland
 

The work presented in this paper concerns an investigation we have carried out into the water retention ability of activated carbon nonwovens manufactured from cellulose fibres. The precursor nonwovens manufactured by the spun-laced method were pyrolysed and carbonised at temperatures of 4000°C, 600°C, and 800°C, and next activated at the temperature of 850°C. The kinetic curves of water sorption and the absorption parameters were assessed. The properties of the microporous structure of the fibres were determined on the basis of the nitrogen sorption isotherm. The activated nonwovens were characterised by an active internal surface of over 1000 m²/gl. As the result of activation, the water absorption increased by over 2.5 times when compared with the absorption of precursor nonwovens. The tests carried out allowed us to state that water retention mainly depends on the physical and the chemical properties of the carbon surface, as well as on the content of great pores in the porous structure of the fibres. In turn, the surface properties depend on the processing temperature.
 

ANALYSIS OF TRANSVERSE DEFORMABILITY OF SPACER PRODUCTS
 

Marek Musioł

Former junior lecturer of the Department of Technical Mechanics
Faculty of Textile Engineering and Marketing
Technical University of Lodz
ul. Zeromskiego 116, 90-543 Lodz, Poland
 

The paper presents a model of transverse deformation in a textile product consisting of two external layers combined with deformed elements in the middle layer. Transverse deformability of textiles is particularly significant for several-layer products, and is decisive for the utility properties of such products.