Coatings and their applications

in textiles
G. Buyle – MIICS 2012
Textiles… various applications

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

Outline

Introduction Centexbel

Basic textile coating

Advanced coating techniques

Examples of applications

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

Acknowledgements

Research at Centexbel on topic “smart
textiles” enabled via several research
projects

Acknowledgement of the funding agencies
on different levels:

Regional: IWT

National: BELSPO

European: FP6 and FP7 programmes

Acknowledgement of the numerous
partners (both from academia and
industry) worked with in these projects

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

Outline

Introduction Centexbel

Basic textile coating

Advanced coating techniques

Examples of applications

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

Centexbel: centre of competence

collective research and technical centre

membership organisation

Belgian textile companies

associated (international) member companies and
organisations

staff

140 skilled and highly educated men and women

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

Research groups

Three domains:

Functional thermoplastic textiles: compounding, extrusion, (bio)
polymers, nano-additives, textile reinforced composites,…

Textile functionalisation and surface modification: coating &
finishing, sol gel, plasma treatment, lamination, hot melt,…

Health, safety & security: medical and bio-functional textiles, smart
textiles, thermo-physiological comfort,…

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

textile functionalisation and
surface modification

Coating, finishing and surface modification for new and superior

functional performance

textiles with multifunctional properties

modifying textile surfaces using coating, plasma functionalisation, UV
curing, hot melt, sol gel,…

new sustainable technologies

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

Testing laboratories
Laboratories (ISO 17025 accredited):

Physical:

E.g. breathability, outdoor ageing

Chemical:

E.g. chemical analysis, microscopy

Microbiological:

E.g. antimicrobial effect, biodegradability

Fire:

E.g. burning behaviour, smoke toxicity

Centexbel is recognized by large distribution companies,

consumers’ associations, OEM’s, …
G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314
(pre-)standardisation

Active participation/leading role in

standardisation committees (CEN & ISO)

Sector operator

Mirror committees Centexbel leads
WG31 “Smart Textiles”
(in CEN TC248)

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

Outline

Introduction Centexbel

Basic textile coating

Advanced coating techniques

Examples of applications

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

Vision: textile as flexible carrier for
offering specific functionalisation(s)
Light Reflection
Fire Retardant
Biocompatible
Anti abrasion
Breathable
Self cleaning
Water repellency
Fragrance release
Electrically conductive
Thermal insulation
Antibacterial
Bioresponsive
G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314
Three levels of coating fabrics

Fabric
level Traditional
coating

Yarn
level “Advanced”
techniques
e.g. plasma
Filament/ coating
fibre
level

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

 Materials

Textile coating typically Example nanoparticles
comprises 2 parts: for textile coating

Binder for durability
(washing, abrasion)

Additives for functionality

NP

Materials for binder: Matrix/binder

Polyacrylate

Polyurethane

Polyvinylchloride

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

Example: lamination of membrane
in-between two textile fabrics
Knitted fabric

Coating

Membrane

Coating

Woven fabric

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

Example:
Fire Retardant coating for carpet

Coating application
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 Carpet coating analysis
via XRF mapping
Carpet structure FR additives

Ti Sb

S Br

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

Example:
PVC coated polyester fabric
Textile architecture Tarpaulins for trucks

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

 Classical techniques:

Wet techniques: Immersion

Formulation: solvent or water based

Application unit: padding/ immersion,
knife coating, transfer coating, foam Mayer bar
coating,…

Typical add-on: 20-50g/m2

Multitude of advantages:

Robust

Large scale

Relatively simple equipment

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

 Classical techniques:
typical coating line

Wet technique → need for ovens → energy issue

“Long” → only profitable for large batches

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 Search for novel techniques because
of drawbacks/limitations

Drivers:

Economy:

ability to run smaller production batch sizes → “digital”

reduce energy use → “dry techniques”

Performance:

minimal thickness or add-on

accuracy, uniformity

Ecology:

more healthy products (e.g. prevention of phthalates)

use of bio-based and/or bio-degradable

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

Hot melt: basics

Hot melt:

100% system
(granulates, blocks,…)

Melting of the polymer

Application as melt

Solidifying → Coating

Materials: PE, PP, PES, PA,
EVA, TPU, silicone
Source: www.robatech.com

Two main groups (curing based):

Thermoplastic hot melts:

Solidifying via cooling

Reactive hot melts:

Solidifying via cooling + drying or UV irradiation

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

UV curable coatings

UV UV source
IR source

Textile
IR
substrate

Coating
application
Curing
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Polyolefine-coatings (1/2)

POD = polyolefine dispersion in water, suitable
for “standard” application techniques

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

Source: Dow
Polyolefine-coatings (2/2)

PODs have unique advantages:

Solvent-free solution

High solid content (typically 40 to 55 wt%)

Functionalisation possible

Functionalisation:

Possible to mix in active components

Examples: FR, antimicrobial, conductive

Goal: replace some of the PVC
applications (prevention of phthalates)

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

Outline

Introduction Centexbel

Basic textile coating

Advanced coating techniques

Examples of applications

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

Advanced coating techniques

ALD

Evaporation

Magnetron sputtering

Atmospheric Plasma coating

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

 ALD technique - introduction

Deposition via ALD:

Atomic Layer Deposition

Process at low pressures
(in vacuum chamber)
Standard ALD
→ highly conformal coatings technique technique

Advantages for textile:

Example: ALD deposition on cotton fibres
→ Extremely high conformality
→ Possibility to have anti-corrosion layer

Cross section: cotton fibre with ALD coating

Source: Hyde et al.
G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314
ALD deposition into
non woven substrate

Example*: ALD deposition on non woven (NW):

Al-oxide (Al2O3) deposition

PES NW cube dimensions: side = 3.5cm

XPS analysis: penetration of coating ?

Outside

Inside

Deposition is uniform throughout the sample

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314
* TMMETACEL, in collaboration with UGent - www.ald.ugent.be
Advanced coating techniques

ALD

Evaporation

Magnetron sputtering

Atmospheric Plasma coating

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

 Evaporation for textiles

Evaporation is feasible on textile

Use of existing (large scale)
equipment

Offered via toll manufacturing

Applications:

UV and/ or IR reflection layers

Conductive layers

Antimicrobial layers

…

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

Source: Alupa
Advanced coating techniques

ALD

Evaporation

Magnetron sputtering

Atmospheric Plasma coating

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

Magnetron sputtering on textile

Commercially available: silver
coated PA monofilament

Use:

Textile electrodes

Antimicrobial textile

But… cost factor !!!

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

Bron: Tersuisse Multifils
“Most Luxurious Necktie Ever ? ...”
“Retailing at 7,500 Swiss francs (or roughly $8,450) apiece, each tie will comprise
8 grams of 24-karat gold,…”

Gold coated silk

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

Source: www.ecouterre.com
Advanced coating techniques

ALD

Evaporation

Magnetron sputtering

Atmospheric Plasma coating

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

 Atmospheric plasma coating

Plasma source

Precursor
Plasma

Textile substrate

Plasma + Precursor (chosen according to the desired properties)

Coating possible → permanent change of the surface properties

Crucial: interaction between precursor, substrate and plasma

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

Atmospheric plasma coating
equipment*

Key properties:

For wide substrates (up to 40 cm)

Corona + possibility to add liquid precursor
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* Available through cooperation with Univ. College Ghent
 Example: surface analysis
antimicrobial coating

XPS and ToF-SIMS → chemical composition
Size = 5x5mm2, color = specific for chemical group, PES fabric

Untreated “Badly” treated Uniformly treated

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

Outline

Introduction Centexbel

Basic textile coating

Advanced coating techniques

Examples of applications

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

 Electrical conductivity: integration of
carbon nanotubes in textile coatings

Acrylic based coating with increasing CNT content:

Highly flexible textile coatings

Conductivity starts at 4 wt% CNT, resistivity down to 60 Ω (!)
8000
7000
Resistivity (Ohm)

6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
0 2 4 6 8 10
G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314 wt % CNT
SEM pictures: coated fibre with well
distributed CNT network

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Application: Integration
of solar cells in textile

Solar cells require
(highly) conductive
layers
Coated fabric

Potential application:
directly coating on
Flexible textile
textile materials solar cell

e.g. tents, screens,
backpacks, garments

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

Application: conductive yarn via CNT,
used in antistatic fabrics

Patent pending Antistatic fabric

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314 (EP2011002735)
Self Healing properties

Several principles exist for reaching self-healing
(mixing of substances when crack/scratch appears)

Own development for textile:
Freshly scratched After self-healing

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

Abrasion resistance via
sol-gel chemistry for textiles

Characteristics: Abrasion test

Existing technology for coating on
glass surfaces Reference

Sustainable layers of eg. Si-O-Si
(~glass)

Adapted to textiles
(lower curing temperature)

Nano-porous surface, Sol gel
thickness ca. 100nm
→ Superior abrasion properties !

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

 Bioresponsive coatings

Smart dressings for burn wounds: the wound dressing
releases antimicrobials when needed and signals an
(upcoming) infection via dye release
1. 2. 3.

Stabilised nanocapsules Pathogenic bacteria Nanocapsules release

containing "switched off" release toxins and signaling molecules
dye and antimicrobial enzymes → opening and antimicrobials
of nanocapsules shell

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Development of PV cells and
batteries at fibre level

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 Summary

(Coated) Textiles have a broad range of applications.

Both for garments and for technical textiles

Coating enables textile as “flexible functionality carrier”

The classical techniques dominate.

Relatively simple, reliable, large scale

Continuous search for novel methods, materials and
applications.

Methods: energy consumption ↓, accuracy ↑

Materials: “bio-…”, “nano-…”

Applications: electrical conductive, bioresponsive, …

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314

Contact
Contact info:

Guy Buyle

Centexbel
Technologiepark 7
9052 Zwijnaarde
BELGIUM
www.centexbel.be

Tel: +32 9 220 41 51

Fax: +32 9 220 49 55

Guy.Buyle@centexbel.be

G. Buyle - MIICS - 20120314