New Developments in Eco-friendly Textile Chemicals

Outdoor sports as a fashionable popular sport has become a new way of life. As an important part of outdoor apparel functional design, waterproof performance has become an important indicator to consider the performance of outdoor clothing.

Fluorocarbons have low surface energy and good water, stain and oil resistance properties, especially polymers containing 8 fluorinated carbon (C8) side chains with high chemical stability, heat resistance, and durability. , And good washing effect, especially for waterproofing textiles. The application of C8 fluorine compounds as a waterproof finishing agent on textiles has been a long time. After several decades of improvement, the quality and performance tend to be perfect.

1. The limit of C8 fluorine-based water repellent will reach

The excellent hydrophobicity of C8 fluorine compounds is derived from the chemical structure, and there are mainly two kinds of processes that produce fluorinated functionalities: electrochemical fluorination process (electrolysis process) and adjustment polymerization process (telomerization process). Electrolytic production produces PFOS, which produces a trace of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and is present in trace amounts in C8 water repellents. PFOS is one of the most difficult to degrade organic pollutants currently known, and PFOA is suspected to have approximately the same hazards as PFOS. Countries around the world continue to strengthen the supervision of PFOS and PFOA, C8 fluorine compound functional finishing agents will eventually withdraw from the market.

2. Eco-friendly alternatives

2.1 Short-chain fluorocarbons contain 6 fluorinated carbon atoms with shorter fluoroalkyl side chains (C6). The main component of C6 water repellent is PFHS (perfluoroalkyl sulfonyl compound or sulfonate), which is an ideal substitute for C8 water repellent. Short-chain fluorocarbons have been identified as acceptable alternatives by the EPA, the Canadian Environment and Health Agency, etc., and are harmless to the environment when used as required. At present, it has entered the stage of commercial use and gradually accepted it downstream.

There is a big gap between the waterproof effect of C6 waterproofing agent and C8 waterproofing agent, and the cost is much higher than that of C8 waterproofing agent. For general use only, short-chain fluorocarbons provide good finishing results. There are many kinds of such finishing agents on the market.

Archroma's new generation of fluorocarbon chemical Nuva?N series can significantly improve the waterproof and anti-fouling properties of fabrics and has good compatibility. The Nuva® N1811 is suitable for a wide range of applications and is cost-effective; the Nuva® N2155 is a high-end, water- and oil-repellent product for color-sensitive fabrics. The PHOBOL® CP-DP and PHOBOL® CP-DL, introduced by Huntsman Textile Effects, combine oil and water repellency with decontamination. DeMei Chemical's waterproofing agents Furex-616E, Furex-308E and Furex-1688B contain no PFOA and PFOS, and are excellent in water resistance and washability. Furex-616E is mainly used for environmental protection "three defenses" finishing of cotton and polyester-cotton fabrics; Furex-308E is mainly used for ordinary waterproof finishing of chemical fiber and other fabrics; Furex-1688B is mainly used for ordinary waterproof finishing of cotton and other fabrics.

2.2 Fluoride-free waterproof finishing agent

Both dendrimer and silicone are fluorine-free and can be used as an alternative solution for C8 water repellent. Dendrimers have good abrasion resistance. After the special dendritic polymer finishing protective product surface, the finishing agent is evenly distributed, even if the surface layer is subject to friction, it still has a certain waterproof performance. In addition to its water-repellent function, silicones give fabrics exceptional softness.

Purtex WR is an environmentally friendly polyurethane water repellent from Freudenberg, Germany, which gives fabrics durable water repellency, excellent wash and abrasion resistance, and a soft and comfortable feel. At a water hardness of 9.1° dH and a water temperature of 20°C, the results of the Bondis shower test showed that the water absorption of the fabric dropped from 90% before finishing to 25%, and the polyurethane finishing agent could be between polyester fibers or fibers. The bond between the bundles has a positive effect on the wear resistance. The Martindale test confirms that the wear resistance of the fabric after Purtex® WR finishing can be increased by an average of 3-4 times.

The PHOBOTEX® product launched by Huntsman Textiles is a series of advanced fluorine-free water-based polymers that can significantly improve the waterproof and antifouling properties of textiles, while giving the textiles moisture-absorbing and quick-drying functions and comfortable feel. Can be flexibly applied to various textiles. Tanatex Chemical's new 3D eco-friendly, fluorin-free and waterproof finishing technology incorporates 3D molecular technology to ensure that treated fabrics maintain excellent water resistance even under extreme conditions. Among them, Baygard? WRS is suitable for synthetic fiber; Baygard? WRC is suitable for cotton fiber and cotton and synthetic fiber blended fabric. Transchem Chemical TranWR 5910A does not contain PFOA, PFOS, environmental protection, washable, soft, waterproof advantages, drying temperature above 100 °C has excellent waterproof effect, washability can reach 30 times.

Demei Chemical's fluorine-free water repellent DM-3616 does not contain fluorine, PFOA, and other banned substances and special regulatory substances. It is used in woven fabrics such as polyester, cotton and nylon with excellent waterproof performance. Angoulem's Arkophob® FFR Fluorine-Free Waterproof product combines fluorochemical-free and durable water repellent and gives the fabric a soft feel. 3. Development prospects of new-type waterproof finishing agents Compared with C8 fluorine-based waterproof agents, short-chain fluorocarbon compounds or non-fluorine-containing waterproof finishing agents have been improved in the eco-friendliness of the human body and the environment, but in terms of water resistance and other technical indicators There are still some deficiencies on the other hand, in addition, the washing resistance, bleaching resistance and other indicators also need to be improved. From the perspective of market acceptance, the price of new waterproofing agents is much higher than that of traditional C8 fluorine finishing agents. However, under the influence of relevant policies and regulations and certification standards of the United States and the European Union, under the high attention of brand organizations such as ZDHC and consumers, it is almost certain that the outdoor apparel industry will eventually promote the application of eco-friendly finishing agents in the printing and dyeing industry. universal.