By: D.Gopalakrishnan
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Institute of Textile Management, Coimbatore - 641004
dgk_psgtech@yahoo.co.in

ADVANCED NANOTECHNOLOGY FOR TEXTILES

This article elucidates about the production of nanofibers and the applications of nanotechnology in textiles. The recent applications of nanotechnology in producing fabrics with peculiar properties such as shirts having the property to stop bullets, military uniforms that can change colour, waterproof, germ proof and various other properties and other areas like filtration, nano-composites, nano-finish and nano-dyeing. Nanotechnology can also be applied in 'smart textiles', which has a great influence in the field of garment and protective clothing.

1. INTRODUCTION:

Nanotechnology is a very complex field combining science (biology, chemistry & physics), technology (computer programming), engineering (electronics & design) and math. "Nano" is a Greek word for small or dwarf. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter. Nanometers are so small that 150,000 of them fit across the width of a strand of human hair.

In future, nanotechnology will play a big role in the field of textiles. With the production of nanofibers, nanotechnology extends its application to a vast area. Regarding production of nanofibers; conventional fiber spinning techniques were not able to produce polymer fibers with diameters in nanometer range. Several technologies have been developed that can potentially produce fibers less than one micrometer in diameter. Electro spinning is the process using electrostatic forces to form a fine filament from polymer solution.

Nanotechnology play a major role in the following fields of textile:

. Nanofibers
. Nanocomposites
. Nano dyeing
. Nano-finish.

2. PRODUCTION:

Several methods have been used and described in recent years to prepare nanofibers.
They are based on different principles:

. Melt-blown which yields microfibers of ca. 1000 - 2000 nanometers

. Dissolving polymer matrix of the bi-component fibers

Electrospinning

Electrospinning is the most important method among the processes leading to nanofibers.