MICRO FIBERS

Prepared By : Mazadul Hasan sheshirID: 201000040000813th Batch (session 2009-2013)Department : Wet Processing Technology Email: mazadulhasan@yahoo.comBlog : www. Textilelab.blogspot.com (visit)

Southeast University Department Of Textile Engineering

I/A 251,252 Tejgaon Dhaka Bangladesh

Prepared By :

©right

The name given to ultra-fine manufactured fibers

that have a diameter size of less than 1.0 denier and

the technology of developing these fibers. Micro fibers

are one hundred times finer than a human hair, up to

thirty times finer than cotton fiber, and forty times finer than wool.

A single strand of micro fiber is approximately 1/20th the diameter of a strand of silk.

There are 88 miles of microfiber in one square inch of

cleaning cloth. 

MICRO FIBRE

Microfiber was introduced in 1986. Microfibers is a variety of polyester that has extremely thin filaments. As a synthetic it provides us with control over its supply. Microfibers is derived using technology and the result is to extrude extremely fine filaments (less than 1.0 denier) while maintaining all of the strength, uniformity and processing characteristics expected by textile manufacturers and consumers.

1. Microfiber as the sole constituent of a cloth will wear and shed fiber with use, so it is best utilized in combination with Nylon.

2. It is tough, resilient, and can be manufactured to extremely fine tolerances, many times thinner than other synthetics.

3. It is this strength, precision and absolute sheerness as well as its phenomenal absorbency that give rise to so many applications, including an amazing ability to clean and dry surfaces.

4. Microfiber yarns are now available for most major generic fibers. They can bring their outstanding performance to a wide variety of end uses.

Micro fibers

Microfibers in textiles refer to sub-denier fiber (such as polyester drawn to 0.5 dn). Denier and Detex are two measurements of fiber yield based on weight and length. If the fiber density is known you also have a fiber diameter, otherwise it is simpler to measure diameters in micrometers.

Microfibers in technical fibers refer to ultra fine fibers (glass or meltblown thermoplastics) often used in filtration. Newer fiber designs include extruding fiber that splits into multiple finer fibers.

Most synthetic fibers are round in cross-section, but special designs can be hollow, oval, star-shaped or trilobal. The latter design provides more optically reflective properties.

Synthetic textile fibers are often crimped to provide bulk in a woven, non woven or knitted structure. Fiber surfaces can also be dull or bright. Dull surfaces reflect more light while bright tends to transmit light and make the fiber more transparent.

Very short and/or irregular fibers have been called fibrils. Natural cellulose, such as cotton or bleached kraft, show smaller fibrils jutting out and away from the main fiber structure.

Microfibers

Micro fiber

This is a type of polyester that have very thin strands, while retaining its strength. It was

introduced in 1986, and can be used to do cloths and stuffs that are sheer, very strong, and

very absorbent. These qualities do micro fibres very utile in cleansing and shining

applications, as well as combining them with other synthetic and natural fibres to add its

characteristics.

Microfiber

Microfiber is a fiber with less than 1 denier per filament. (Denier is a measure of linear

density and is commonly used to describe the size of a fiber or filament. Nine

thousand meters of a 1-denier fiber weigh one gram.) Fibers are combined to create

yarns. Yarns are knitted or woven in a variety of constructions. While many microfibers

are made of polyester, they can also be composed of polyamide or other polymers.

Production of ultra-fine fibers (less than 0.7 denier) dates back to the late 1950s,

using melt-blown spinning and flash spinning techniques.

However, only fine staples of random length could be manufactured and very few

applications could be found. Experiments to produce ultra-fine fibers of a continuous

filament type were made subsequently, the most promising of which were run in

Japan during the 1960s by Dr. Miyoshi Okamoto.

Okamoto's discoveries, together with those of Dr. Toyohiko Hikota, resulted in many

industrial applications. Among these was Ultrasuede, one of the first successful

synthetic microfibers, which found its way onto the market in the 1970s.

Microfibers were first publicized in the early 1990s in Sweden and saw success as a

product in Europe over the course of the decade. In 2007, Rubbermaid began a line

of microfiber products for American markets, the first major company to do so.

History:

1. Microfiber

2. Modacrylic

3. Nylon

4. Olefin

5. Polyester

6. Polyethylene

7. Spandex

8. Vinylon

9. Vinyon

10.Zylon

Types of Microfiber:

1. Trevira Finesse (polyester)

2. Fortrel Microspun (polyester)

3. DuPont Micromattique (polyester)

4. Shingosen (polyester)

5. Supplex Microfiber (nylon)

6. Tactel Micro (nylon)

7. Silky Touch (nylon)

8. Microsupreme (acrylic)

Trade Names for Microfiber Fabrics:

•Logantex:

Charisma--dress weight with suede-like finish

Ultima--water repellent finish

•Thompson of California:

Moonstruck--soft sueded finish, silk-like

Micromist--brushed finish

Regal--dry hand

•Springs Mills:

Silkmore--sandwashed silk finish

Stanza--water repellent microtwill

Vanessa--reversible fabric for rainwear

Names Used by Fabric Manufacturers

Micro fibers can be produced by bicomponent techniques in which the fibers are

either caused to split apart, or one of the two components is dissolved or melted

away.

These techniques have long been known to be capable of producing much smaller

fibers than with homo-polymer techniques. However, the equipment complexity, cost,

and production rates have historically caused such fibers to be somewhat expensive.

Such microfibers can now be produced at a cost comparable to conventional

microfibers.

Microfiber Production:

Microfiber is constructed of a very thin filament that

has been extruded with two synthetic polymers-

polyester and nylon.

Micro Fibre vs Cotton

Quality (cleaning) Microfiber is constructed of a very thin filament that has been

extruded with two synthetic polymers - polyester and nylon (commercial nylon is also

known as polyamide). After it's extruded, it's processed mechanically and chemically

to be broken into finer parts. A quality Microfiber cloth will be at least 1/100th the

diameter of a human hair. However this is not the case for most Microfiber cleaning

cloths, in fact the average Microfiber cloth is only 1/6th of a human hair.

How does Microfiber work?

The actual process of using the microfiber mops is a huge improvement in and by itself over the conventional cotton mop process.Illustrates a snapshot comparison between handling microfiber and cotton loop mops.

Here is how it works-1. Roll up microfiber mops from end to end and place them standing up into the empty

bucket (from an aerial view it would resemble a cinnamon bun or sandwich wrap).

2. Fill a clean mop bucket to the top of the microfiber mops with diluted cleaning solution (approx 1 gal depending on the capacity of the bucket).

3. Remove one mop, wring out the excess solution back into the bucket with a twist of the wrist.

4. Place the micro fiber mop flat on the floor with the Velcro side facing up.5. Place the mop frame (head) directly onto the micro fiber mop.6. Begin mopping desired floor area.7. When finished, remove the soiled mop head and place in a linen bag for laundering.8. Start the process over again. If more mops are needed, simply place them into the

remaining clean solution. The advantages of this procedure over that of the cotton loop mop procedure include but are not limited to:

9. The amount of cleaning solution and water needed has been dramatically reduced.

Microfiber vs. Cotton:

Characteristics of Micro Fibre

• THEY ARE BREATHABLE FABRICS.• THEIR COMFORT IS SIMILAR TO NATURAL FIBERS.• THEY ARE SOFT.• THEY ARE VERY DURABLE.• THEY CAN BE EASILY MAINTAINED AND CARED FOR.• THEY RETAIN THEIR ORIGINAL SHAPE.• THEY ARE WINDPROOF AND WATER RESISTANT.• THEY HAVE GOOD MOISTURE WICKING ABILITY.• THEY HAVE EXCELLENT DRAPE.• THEY ARE LIGHT WEIGHT.

•They are breathable fabrics.•Their comfort is similar to natural fibers.•They are soft.•They are very durable.•They can be easily maintained and cared for.•They retain their original shape.•They are windproof and water resistant.•They have good moisture wicking ability.•They have excellent drape.•They are light weight.•They carry electrodynamic ability.•They have good filtering capabilities.•In spite of very fine quality, microfibers have exceptional strength.

Microfiber fabrics have many qualities due to which they are preferred in many applications mostly for cleaning various surfaces.

Characteristics of Microfibers

1. They are breathable fabrics.

2. Their comfort is similar to natural fibers.

3. They are soft.

4. They are very durable.

5. They can be easily maintained and cared for.

6. They retain their original shape.

7. They are windproof and water resistant.

8. They have good moisture wicking ability.

9. They have excellent drape.

10.They are light weight.

Characteristics of Microfibre:

Applications of Microfiber Fabrics

Developed in Sweden, microfiber fabrics were originally used as wiping cloths due to their many characteristics suitable for cleaning. Gradually, they started to be used as table cloths, blankets and other home furnishings. Due to their softer feel, good drapability, moisture wicking property, water repellent characteristics, they are used for making a variety of apparel, clothing & garments. They are widely used for making rain wear, sportswear, mens suits, kids clothing, inner wears, hosiery, evening wear, outerwear, sheeting, upholstery and many textile accessories.

Cleaning

The first and the foremost purpose for which microfibers are used, is for making wiping cloths and mops for cleaning. Those wipes used for consumer cleaning are generally made from split conjugated fibers of polyester and polyamide and those used for commercial cleaning are made from 100% polyester microfiber

Clothing

Due to microfiber's high absorption quality and moisture wicking ability, this fabric has become a popular choice for performance apparel and sports wear. It is fast replacing cotton fabrics in production of these specialty clothings. As microfiber wicks moisture away from the body, it keeps the wearer cool and dry

Home Furnishings

Microfiber fabric can be given textures like waffle texture, velour texture, etc. Waffle texture is used in blankets and bed coverings as the dimples created by the air pockets of this texture keep the user warm. Velour textured fabrics are very comfortable and soft that are increasingly being used by fashion designers for their clothing lines. Microfibers used in tablecloths and as upholstery are designed to be liquid and stain resistant. These fabrics show liquids in the form of bead on the surface until they are removed. Microfibers are also used in bath towels and other towels, especially those used for swimming pool purposes, as they allow very quick drying

• Microfibers used in tablecloths, furniture, and car interiors are designed to repel liquids and consequently are difficult to stain.

• Microfiber tablecloths will bead liquids until they are removed and are sometimes advertised showing red wine on a white tablecloth that wipes clean with a paper towel.

• This and the ability to mimic suede economically are common selling points for microfiber upholstery fabrics (e.g. for couches).

• Microfibers are used in towels especially those to be used at swimming pools as even a small towel dries the body quickly.

• They dry quickly and are less prone than cotton towels to become stale if not dried immediately.

• Paradoxically, microfiber towels need to be soaked in water and pressed before use, as they would otherwise repel water as microfiber tablecloths do.

Other Textile uses:

1. It is ideal for stainless steel, counters, glass and porcelain.

2. In the kitchen: Stainless steel, ceramic stove tops, sinks, cabinets, granite counter tops, microwave ovens and more.

3. In the bathroom / laundry room: Tub, tiles, faucets, vanity tops and washing machine.

4. Around the house: windows, mirrors, glass, furniture etc.

5. It makes car washing much easier. It polishes the inside and outside of your vehicle, using a dampened microfiber cloth. Recommended in cleaning bikes, motorcycles and sports equipment too.

6. It is very good to use in cleaning computer screens, printers and scanners.

7. It is best to wipe up spilled liquid on floors.

Uses of Microfiber:

A local University in Sweden—Lund University—decided to use the 100% Microfiber cloth—contaminate 10 surfaces with various superbugs—they used the same cloth to clean all 10 surfaces—found that ALL SURFACES were cleaned 99.9% with NO Cross Contamination between surfaces.Laboratory testing has proven that the Antibacterial Enviro Cloth is effective against –

• E. coli

• Klebsiella pneumoniae

• Protues vulgaris

• Salmonella typhi

• Staphylocossus aureus

• Streptococcus pyogenes

• Candida albicans

Antibac Microfiber:

Polyblends, of polymer alloys, are defined as homogenous or heterogeneous mixtures

of structurally different homopolymers or copolymers. The purpose of blending is

either to improve processability or to obtain materials suitable for specific needs by

tailoring one or more properties with minimum sacrifice in other properties. The

behavior of polyblends may be expected to depend on the individual properties of the

components in the blend, their relative proportions, degree of heterogeneity and the

properties of the interface between the components.

Several criteria are used to define the nature of polyblends:

1. Miscibility or compatibility

2. Phase diagrams

3. Relative moduli of the components

4. The classification also depends on the polyblend method of manufacture

(melt, solution and emulsion mixing).

Polymer Blends:

Electrospinning of nanofiber-coated microfibers:

Preparation of nanofiber-coated microfibers based on cellulose derivatives. The combination of nanofibers and microfibers gives high surface area and high porosity, a combination useful in many applications. The method used will be electrospinning. The proposed thesis work also comprises the characterisation of these nano/micro materials.

The proposed content of the MSc thesis includes the following •Literature study on electrospinning of cellulose materials •Setting up and optimizing electrospinning process •Evaluation of processes and resulted materials

The successful candidate will have background in physics and/or chemistry. The project is interdisciplinary and involves polymer chemistry and physics and will be run as a 60 credit points Master Thesis. The candidate will be working at Swerea IVF in Mölndal.

Figure: SEM image of a nanofiber-coated microfiber

Micro Touch Technology provides superior cleaning properties compared to most other microfiber cloths found on the market today.

The Micro Touch Technology has been designed to lift oil and debris without smearing them around. This is achieved in the cloth manufacturing process.  The double-brushed microfibers provide additional cleaning properties because more fibers are exposed on the cloth face.

Microfiber & Micro Touch Technology:

Microfiber textiles tend to be flammable and emit toxic gases when burning. They are

made with synthetic fibers such as polyester and nylon which are made from

petrochemicals.

Microfibers are not made from a renewable resource and are not biodegradable.

For most cleaning applications they are designed for repeated use rather than being

discarded after use (an exception is the precise cleaning of optical components

where a 'wet' cloth is drawn once across the object and must not be used again as

the debris collected and now embedded in the cloth may scratch the optical surface).

In many household cleaning applications (washing floors, furniture, etc.) microfiber

cleaning fabrics can be used without detergents or cleaning solutions which would

otherwise be needed.

Environmental and Safety Issues:

Finally, the entire range of polymer additives that can be used in single-polymer fibers can also be used in one or both of the polymers in a bicomponent fiber to achieve targeted performance characteristics. These additives include such things as colorants, flame retardants, antimicrobials, conductive materials and carbon nanotubes, among other additives.

With this very large matrix of material properties and ways of combining them into each fiber, it will be apparent that bicomponent fibers are no longer a one-trick pony. Whereas in the past, fabric design meant trying to optimize the fixed attributes of a commodity fiber into each different application, bicomponent fibers now offer a way to engineer finely-tuned performance into the fiber. Each application can now seek a fiber that is precisely tailored to fit the specific needs of that application.

Conclusion:

1. Yarn Manufacturing TechnologyLink : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Yarn-Manufacturing-Technology/485014954866808

2. Fabric Manufacturing TechnologyLink : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fabric-Manufacturing-Technology/459520217425605

3. Garments Manufacturing TechnologyLink : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Garments-Manufacturing-Technology/472364799463126

3. Wet processing TechnologyLink : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wet-Processing-Technology-Dyeing-/468645219825404

4. Fashion-Design-and-TechnologyLink : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fashion-Design-and-Technology/587655294583875?ref=ts&fref=ts

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