Fibers and Polymers最新文献

The flexible yarn actuator driven by wetting is advantageous in environmental adaptability as smart wearable elements. Here, two-dimensional alginate fiber yarns were prepared by blending alginate fiber with viscose fiber to enhance the spinnability and hygroscopicity of alginate fiber. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and glutaraldehyde (GA) were cross-linked with alginate fiber blended yarns. The alginate yarn actuator was prepared by imitating spiral plant vines and stems and optimized by varying processing parameters as well as simulated with Finite Element Software. The results show that the shrinkage of different blended ratios is consistent at relative humidity from 20 to 40%, but after 40%, the shrinkage of blended yarn actuator with alginate/viscose fibers of 40/60 is significantly greater than that of 50/50, showing an excellent actuation among the three physical blended yarns. The contraction of yarn actuator model demonstrates consistent tendency with the experimental results. After modified with PVA and GA, hydrophilicity of the blended yarns is further increased. The shrinkage ratio of the yarn actuator is 29.09% at 5% PVA concentration. During the biomimetic preparation, the shrinkage ratio of yarn actuator increases with the twist number while decreases with the coil number. Meanwhile, the work capacity of yarn actuator increases with load weight and decreases with coil yarn number. At linear density of 240 tex, twist of 500 twists /m, load weight of 1.8 g and coil number of 4 coils /cm, the maximum shrinkage ratio of PVA modified yarn actuator reaches 50.18%. The chemically modified alginate yarn actuator shows high stability.

The elevated temperatures affect the service performance of the fibre-reinforced polymers. To improve performance at elevated temperatures, four types of interlayer hybrid woven fibre-reinforced polymer thin-walled tubes (HFRPTTs) were designed and prepared (all-carbon fibre H_C4FRPTT, glass-carbon fibre H_G1C3FRPTT, Kevlar–carbon fibre H_K1C3FRPTT, and basalt-carbon fibre H_B1C3FRPTT). The change rate of mass loss was obtained at different elevated temperatures (100 ℃, 200 ℃, 300 ℃, 400 ℃). Quasi-static axial compression tests and industrial microscopy were employed to analyse the variations in mechanical properties, energy absorption characteristics, and microstructural changes. Digital scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal gravimetry analysis (TGA) studied the thermomechanical characteristics before and after exposure to elevated temperatures. The results show that the mass loss rate of Kevlar fibre is the highest, leading to the maximum mass loss rate for H_K1C3FRPTT. The mechanical properties of HFRPTTs (compressive strength, specific strength, and peak load) are influenced by the competing effects of resin matrix post-curing and thermal degradation. The critical temperature for HFRPTTs lies between 300 and 400 ℃. Below 300 ℃, the failure mode of HFRPTTs is a stable annular folding. The energy absorption characteristics of HFRPTTs are influenced by the combined effects of resin post-curing, thermal degradation, and mass loss. The variation patterns of HFRPTT's performance at different temperatures provide a reference for its service.

To address limitations of conventional anti-static treatments—high cost, complex processing, and poor durability—this study developed a polyacrylate anti-static coating using KH-570 modified nano-carbon black. Leveraging the material’s high surface area, conductivity, and chemical stability, modified carbon black was incorporated into the coating and applied to polyester fabric. Results demonstrate that fabric treated with 1.0 g modified carbon black achieved surface resistance of (7.1 ± 0.6) × 10⁶ Ω (n = 6), enhancing anti-static performance by two orders of magnitude versus untreated fabric and meeting anti-static standards. After washing, resistance remained at (2.0 ± 1.2) × 10⁹ Ω (n = 6), confirming excellent washing durability. The coating minimally affected mechanical properties: tensile strength retained ≈637 N (warp) and ≈425 N (weft), with no significant change compared to untreated fabric. This work provides a novel approach for developing efficient, durable anti-static textiles with strong market potential.

Sharp fiber chips generated while drilling Fiber-Reinforced Polymers (FRP) can cause skin irritation and respiratory issues in workers. In addition, composite material waste often ends up in landfills, contributing to environmental contamination. This paper presents a novel simulation model designed to predict the fiber length distribution of drilling chips, aiming to reduce fiber dust and facilitate the reuse of short fibers. The model accounts for the drill tools’ geometric structure and the materials’ fiber orientations. The study clarifies the relationship between chip fiber length distribution, cutting conditions, and the drill’s point angle. Geometric simulations demonstrate that tools with flat point angles and high feed rates can effectively increase chip fiber lengths.

To understand the effect of phase change microcapsules on the thermoregulation performance of flocculus, ordinary flocculus (OF) made of the same material without phase change materials (PCM) were used as the control group to investigate the effects of sample size, the presence of a hot plate, the number of layers of samples, and the ambient temperature on the thermoregulation performance. The flocculus thermoregulation experiments were carried out in a climate chamber, and the temperature changes of the samples were recorded using an air-contact temperature sensor. Finally, the thermoregulation performance of the phase change microcapsule flocculus was comprehensively evaluated using two indexes: the average temperature difference and heat-up/cool-down speeds. The results showed that the phase change flocculus (PCF) has a certain thermoregulation performance compared with the ordinary flocculus. In the heating–cooling cycle thermoregulation performance stability experiment, the average temperature difference of PCF decreased within 5%.

One of the waste products of olive oil extraction is olive mill wastewater (OMW). The organic chemicals of OMW could cause harm to the environment. However, it also contains compounds that have important biological functions. Consequently, there are sometimes environmental risks associated with disposing of olive mill wastewater. However, most of the recent research has focused on finding ways to utilize this effluent in various industrial and environmental contexts. Using different surface treatment procedures, this study explored the possibility of using OMW as an alternative to conventional, environmentally harmful textile dyeing processes. The color strength and fastness, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR), life cycle assessment (LCA), and ultraviolet light protection factor (UPF) tests were conducted. The reusability of the dye bath was another factor this study assessed. The results show that OMW-dyed wool fabrics protect against UV rays and allow for efficient dyeing, making it a greener alternative to conventional dyes. Furthermore, by recycling dye baths, we can lessen our impact on the environment and save resources. This study suggests a novel and comprehensive method for exploiting olive mill wastewater (OMW) by substituting it not only as a natural dye source but also as a practical and environmentally suitable replacement. By employing green surface treatments involving plasma, chitosan, and enzymatic procedures, the method reduces environmental impact, makes it easier to reuse the dye bath, and provides improved UV protection.

Mercerization and sizing constitute essential pretreatment protocols for optimizing the processability and wear performance of cotton gauze in textile manufacturing. Nevertheless, conventional methodologies relying on high-concentration alkali solutions and non-degradable sizing agents (e.g., polyvinyl alcohol) present critical challenges. To address these limitations, we developed an integrated cellulose/NaOH/urea ternary system (1 wt% cellulose, 7 wt% NaOH, 12 wt% urea) that synergistically achieves fiber mercerization, sizing, and in situ synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) through a single-bath process. Within this system, NaOH was used as a mercerizing agent, while cellulose derivatives served as triple functions: (1) as a green reductant for Ag⁺ ions, (2) as a stabilizer of Ag NPs, and (3) as a biodegradable sizing matrix. Urea operates as a multifunctional adjuvant through [Ag(NH₂)₂CO]⁺. Compared with Ag-NaBH₄@GZ, the optimized Ag-140°C@GZ composite demonstrated exceptional functional integration: the attachment of Ag NPs was confirmed through characterization techniques, such as FTIR, XPS, and so on. Notably, the modified gauze still achieved complete sterilization of Escherichia coli within 4 h after 100 accelerated washing cycles. Crucially, functionalization preserved intrinsic textile characteristics with a minimal impact on vapor transmissibility (1079 g/m²/day) while enhancing tensile strength by 25.6%. Biosafety is confirmed via cyto-compatibility assessments. This efficient collaborative process has developed durable medical textiles while addressing issues of antibacterial performance, environmental sustainability, and industrial scalability.

In this study, Density Functional Theory (DFT) was employed for the first time to predict the dyeing performance of natural protein and synthetic fibers using Acid Orange 67 dye (AO67). Dyeing experiments were conducted on wool and polyamide (PA6-6) fibers, and the dyeing performance was evaluated by measuring color strength of the dyed samples, color difference (ΔE^*), and chroma difference (ΔC^*) following washing tests. Using DFT calculations with the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) basis set within the Gaussian 09 framework, we optimized the geometry of dye–fiber dimers and calculated relevant chemical descriptors. Dipole moment and electrophilicity index (ω) revealed stronger intermolecular interactions and greater electrophilicity for the AO67-PA6-6 dimer compared to AO67-CYS. Interaction energy calculations further validated the superior dyeability and color retention of polyamide over wool. Additionally, infrared (IR) spectra of the fibers were experimentally determined and compared with theoretical predictions, showing strong agreement. These findings prove the efficiency of DFT in accurately predicting the dyeability of textile fibers with acid dyes. The study provides valuable insights into the mechanisms of dye–fiber interaction, opening up new horizons in textile dyeing research and technology.

This study investigates the dyeing, computer-aided color matching (CCM), fastness, tensile and surface properties of cotton samples dyed in non-aqueous medium of alkane solvents, including heptane, octane and nonane with the use of biodegradable secondary alcohol ethoxylates (SAE) surfactant-based reverse micelles. Experimental results show that color yield of alkane solvent-dyed batch and standard samples can be 4.7–123.5% and 73.1–91.8% higher than the water-dyed batch and standard samples, respectively. Calibration curves are almost linear in structure and the actual CCM results show less than 30% and 33% difference from the theoretical concentration for aqueous and non-aqueous dyeing, respectively. Reflectance curves are identical in shape. Both samples show good to excellent color evenness, washing, crocking and light fastness and distinctive CIE L^*a^*b^* values, guaranteeing the color quality of the dyed samples. Good tensile and surface properties of the dyed samples were verified by the AATCC test method and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). More than 97% of the alkane solvents can be effectively recovered via simple distillation method. These validate that the use of SAE surfactant-based reverse micelles for dyeing of cotton fabric in alkane non-aqueous medium is potentially applicable for industrial computer-aided color matching with good dyeing properties and color quality comparable to fabrics dyed in conventional water-based system.

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The influence of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) recycling methods on recycled PET (rPET) fiber properties was evaluated for tire cord and airbag applications. Virgin PET (vPET), mechanically recycled PET (mrPET), methanolysis-based chemically recycled PET (cmPET), and glycolysis-based chemically recycled PET (cgPET) were subjected to solid-state polymerization, followed by melt spinning and application-specific drawing to 1500 denier (tire cord) and 500 denier (airbag). rPET fibers displayed significant differences in molecular weight (MW), IPA and DEG contents, residual catalyst profile, and crystallinity depending on the recycling route, resulting in varied mechanical properties. Compared with vPET, mrPET fibers showed lower tenacity and higher elongation, correlated with reduced crystallinity and molecular orientation associated with IPA and DEG units. cmPET suffered substantial MW loss during melt spinning, attributed to uncomplexed Mn catalysts, and consequently displayed the lowest tenacity and elongation. In contrast, cgPET delivered balanced tenacity and elongation and the smallest RFL dip-induced tenacity loss (12.3%), delivering the best tire cord performance. For airbag applications, cgPET fibers demonstrated mechanical properties, hot rod puncture resistance, and stability under thermal and humidity aging that were comparable to those of vPET fibers. These findings identify cgPET as the most promising candidate for safety–critical automotive fibers, emphasizing the need to control comonomer content, crystallinity, and residual catalysts across recycling routes.