Technical textiles By Robel L.

Introduction to Technical textiles

DEFINITION  Technical textiles are textile material and products manufactured primarily for their performance and functional properties rather than aesthetic or decorative purpose.

BASIC APPLICATIONS  Protective functions  Mechanical function  Exchange functions  Functionalities for living beings Protective functions  Thermal and Fire  Mechanical and Chemicals  Antistatic and Particles anti-release  Electrical insulation, IR and UV rays,  NBC (Nuclear, biological and chemical)

Functionalities for living beings  Anti-bacteria  Anti-dust-mites  Biocompatibility (hypoallergenic textiles)  Bio-degradability / bio-resorption Exchange functions  Filtration  Insulation and conductivity  Drainage  Impermeability  Absorption Mechanical functions  Protection & barrier  Safety & strength  Structure & support

CLASSIFICATION OF TECHNICALTEXTILES  Classified according to their end use

Agro Textiles  Also known as Agrotex, are used in agricultural applications related to growing and harvesting of crops and animal.  The essential properties required:  Strength  Elongation  Stiffness,  Porosity,  Bio-degradation,  Resistance to sunlight  Resistance to toxic environment.

Geotextiles/Buildtech  Woven and Nonwoven textile materials used by the civil engineering industry to provide support, stability, separation and drainage at or below ground level.  The application areas include: Civil engineering, Earth and road construction, Dam engineering, Dump construction, Soil sealing and in drainage systems.  Properties for the Geo textiles: Strength Extension Durability Low moisture absorption Puncture resistance Thickness Good hydraulic and transmission properties Biological,heat and chemical resistance.

Protective clothing  Protection against heat, flame, water, and hazardous environment are obtained by suitable usage of the technical textiles with high performance fibers.  Properties are required: Chemical resistance Heat resistance Durability Moisture absorption Comfort Cut resistance Impact resistance

Mobile tech  Application areas include construction of automobiles, ship building, aerospace, rail vehicles, motorcycles bikes, airbags, tyres. Each Car has to utilize at least 17 kg of textile materials.  Desired properties : Good sound absorbency UV resistance Strength retention Durability Abrasion resistance Bursting resistance and Degradation resistance

Hometech  These are textiles and composites used in the furniture, upholstery and interior furnishing, carpets, floor coverings.  Depends on the environment and place, the selection of the fiber and fabric has to be made.

Meditech  The applications are in health, hygiene and rescue services. Grafts - structure placed inside the body Implants - used for tissue reconstructions and growth Prostheses - replace damaged body parts such as teeth, limbs or eyes Sutures & wound dressings  The properties required: Bio-degradability Bio-compatibility Fungal and microbial resistance

Indutech  These are the Industrial Textiles, also known as Indutex, used in different ways by many industries for activities such as separating, and purifying industrial products, cleaning gases, transmission belts.

Others ECO TECH(OEKOTECH):These are the Eco-friendly Textiles, also known as oekotex or Ecotex.  They are mostly used in environmental protection applications, floor sealing, erosion protection, air cleaning, prevention of water pollution, water cleaning, waste treatment/ recycling, depositing area construction. PACKTECH: These are the packaging Textiles, also known as Packtex. SPORTTECH:These are the sports Textiles, also known as sporttex, used mainly for making sports wear including sports shoes and other sports accessories.

Technical textile market share 15

Fiber consumption in Technical Textiles

Technical fibers

 These are fibers used to make various technical textiles  Over 90% of the fibers used are conventional  Such as polyethylene (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyamide (PA), viscose, cotton, jute.  Fibers have also been modified for tech. applications  Specially developed fibers for use in technical textiles are often expensive to produce and have limited applications.

High performance fibers  High performance fibers are fibers driven by special technical functions that require specific physical properties unique to these fibers.  They are engineered for specific uses that require exceptional strength, heat resistance and/or chemical resistance High-performance fibers can be classified broadly into three categories according to their applications: 1.High-Modulus and High-Strength fibers (HM-HS); 2.Heat-resistant fibers, including flame-retardant ones; 3.Chemically resistant

 High performance fibers includes:  Aramids  Para-aramid: Kevlar  Carbon Fibers  Fluorocarbon Fibres (PTFE) (polytetrafluoroethylene)  Glass Fibers Melamine: Basofil (BASF)  HDPE –high density polyethylene