Fibres, filaments and yarns

Simpler, safer process for making high-tenacity ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene yarns

1 June 2011

Two Brazilian companies have developed a way of making ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) yarns that they claim has a number of advantages compared with currently used techniques.

Recycled polyester yarns

1 May 2011

Newlife is a range of polyester yarns produced by recycling bottles from Europe by the Italian company Filature Miraglio.

Wellman adds fibres with profiles

1 May 2011

Wellman International will introduce a range of fibres called Profile PT at Techtextil in Frankfurt, Germany, 24-26 May 2011 (Hall 4.1 E31).

Metal-clad, liquid-crystal polymer fibre makes its debut

1 May 2011

Syscom Advanced Materials is set to introduce a conductive fibre, called Liberator, which is a metal-clad liquid-crystal polymer (LCP) based on Kuraray's Vectran.

DSM method paves way to making polyamide nanofibres on a large scale

1 March 2011

Types of polyamide suitable for electrospinning largescale quantities of nanofibres, as well as webs and membranes made from the fibres, are described in International Patent Publication WO2011/006967

Teijin finds a way to improve fatigue resistance of reinforcements for mechanical rubber goods

1 March 2011

A method for making polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) fibres with improved fatigue resistance is the result of work in Japan.

Nanomaterial-reinforced carbon fibre

1 February 2011

Carbon fibres and tows can be reinforced with nanomaterials to make them stronger and stiffer, according to Goodrich Corp, a major global supplier to the aerospace and defence sectors.

Cosmetic and wound-healing properties with Tencel C

1 February 2011

Scientists at Austria-based Lenzing Group have found a way to combine the company's Tencel lyocell fibre with naturally occurring marine substances to produce a product that is said to boost the moist

EY Technologies makes conductive filaments affordable

1 January 2011

Highly conductive microfilaments developed by EY Technologies are poised to usher in the next generation of electronic textiles and wearables.

UK-Israeli joint venture formed to make yarns from carbon nanotubes

1 January 2011

A newly formed joint venture based in Israel is to attempt to produce industrial-scale yarns of carbon filaments using a process developed in the UK.

Outlast adds polyester to its temperature-regulating fibres

1 January 2011

Outlast Technologies has introduced a polyester version of its temperature-regulating fibre, describing this as a world's first.

Teijin to sell plant-based polyethylene terephthalate fibre from 2012

1 January 2011

In April 2012 Teijin Fibers Ltd will begin fully fledged production and marketing of a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibre made using plant-based raw materials.

Commercial uses for polyamide fibres derived only from castor oil

1 November 2010

The first products made using a high-performance polyamide 11 yarn derived entirely from renewable raw materials have been brought to the market.

Award for production process for natural-like polyester

1 October 2010

The Paul Schlack Foundation has awarded its 2010 Prize for a process that makes polyester yarns with a natural feel and appearance at economically viable production speeds.

Extremely high surface areas from oval-shaped multi-lobal fibres

1 October 2010

Sheath-core bicomponent fibre technology can be exploited to make multi-lobal fibres with extremely high surface areas, according to the specialist manufacturer Allasso Industries, based in Raleigh, N

Multicomponent fibre with high proportion of phase-change material

1 September 2010

A multicomponent fibre containing a phase-change material (PCM) that combines an effective latent heat effect with high strength has been developed by SCA Hygiene Products.

Metallocene catalyst improves polypropylene for spinning

1 September 2010

Polyropylene made using specific nucleated metallocene catalysts can be spun to leave fibres and filaments with superior properties, particularly where high processing speeds and small gauge textiles

Dyneema Purity Blue used for implantable textile structures

1 August 2010

Biomedical Structures (BMS) of Warwick, Rhode Island, USA, has announced that it is working with fibre manufacturer DSM Dyneema in processing its Dyneema Purity for various biomedical textile applicat

Fibres industry makes its plea for parliamentary understanding

1 June 2010

Evolution not revolution is the way forward for European technical fibre developments, reports Adrian Wilson from two key conferences in Brussels, Belgium, which revealed that the industry is paying a

Carbon fibres from lignin

1 June 2010

The discovery of a method for converting commercially derived lignin into fibres could open the way to a new source of raw materials for carbon fibres, according to Weyerhaeuser Co of Federal Way, Was

High interest in Oasis SAF at Chinese hygiene products exhibition

1 June 2010

Technical Absorbents (TAL) reports that it enjoyed "huge success" at the 17th China International Tissue and Disposable Hygiene Products Exhibition (CIHPEC) held in April 2010 in Nanjing, Jiangsu, Chi

Copolymers for thermal bonding

1 June 2010

Fibres based on copolymers of propylene and 1-hexene (and optionally another alpha-olefin) have been developed for thermal bonding applications by Italy's Basell.

Infra-red absorber

1 June 2010

A cheap fibre that can readily absorb and retain heat is the latest invention by Sumitomo Metal Mining Co Ltd.

Inorganic-organic melt-extruded hybrid yarns and fibrous composites

1 June 2010

Composite fibrous structures made of combinations of inorganic-organic hybrid monofilament or multifilament yarns have been developed by Poly-Med.

Bioactive glass nanofibres produced to regenerate bone

1 May 2010

A team of researchers from the University of Vigo, Spain, Rutgers University, USA, and Imperial College London, UK, has developed a method called "laser spinning" to produce glass nanofibres.

Cationic-dyeable polyester improved

1 May 2010

Japan's Teijin Fibers Ltd has developed a cationicdyeable polyester polymer, named V4, which it claims can be dyed at ambient temperature and pressure, and offers excellent fibre strength and staining

Europe is target for strong E-glass

1 May 2010

AGY has developed an E-glass fibre yarn specifically for the European construction and industrial markets.

Finer glass introduced for more sophisticated electronics

1 May 2010

A USA-based specialist in glass fibre yarns and strong glass fibre reinforcements has now introduced ultrafine yarns for use in printed circuit board (PCB) substrates.

Antimicrobial and deodorant fibre has hygiene applications

1 April 2010

An antimicrobial and deodorant fibre is described in International Patent WO 2008/123631 by ES FiberVisions.

Melt-spinning nanofibres

1 March 2010

DuPont has revealed how it uses a high-speed rotating distribution disc to melt-spin fibres with an average diameter of less than 1000 nm, as well as collecting them to form a uniform web suitable as

Electrospinning of melts

1 February 2010

An international group of inventors has devised a way to make sub-micron fibres using an electrospinning process applied to a melt, not a solution.

Smartfiber with zinc has odour reducing and skin-care effects

1 February 2010

Smartfiber has launched Smartcel Sensitive, claimed to be the first antibacterial fibre that incorporates the essential trace element zinc.

Breakthrough in industrial-scale processing of carbon nanotubes

1 January 2010

Scientists at Rice University and their partners claim to have discovered a method for the industrial-scale processing of pure carbon nanotube fibres that they believe could lead to revolutionary adva

Fine extrusion of cellulose

1 January 2010

A group of inventors based in the USA say they have developed an apparatus capable of economically extruding cellulose fibres with small diameters.

Laser method creates long boron nitride nanotubes

1 January 2010

A laser-based method for creating long boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) has been developed by researchers in the USA.

Aramid yarns get higher tenacities

1 December 2009

A two-stage heating process can produce aramid yarns with higher tenacities, according to International Patent Publication WO2008/061668.

Advanced wound care potential

1 December 2009

The value of the global wound care market was estimated at US$10 billion in 2007, according to Steve Law of Speciality Fibres & Materials (SFM), Coventry.

Medical applications of Tencel

1 October 2009

In the medical sector, Tencel is currently being used for wipes, gauze equivalents, incontinence products and drapes.

Electrospinning can eliminate toxins and mimic natural tissues

1 October 2009

US researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are exploring new ways to create, enhance and employ electrospun fibres for medical device applications.

Simple, efficient, cheap route to ultra high molecular weight polyethylene

1 October 2009

Solving existing technical problems with the production of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibres is the goal of three Chinese inventors.

Antistatic, fine, core-sheath polyester

1 October 2009

Researchers in Japan claim to have developed a polyester-based fibre that is antistatic but can still be produced as a fine, false-twisted yarn with all the desirable textile properties of such an ite

Luxilon awarded Techtextil Innovation Prize for new materials

1 September 2009

A new thermo-formable yarn that has potential application in the medical sector, such as orthopaedic bandages, received the 2009 Techtextil Innovation Prize for new materials.

Smartcel Hygienic incorporates antibacterial copper ions

1 August 2009

At the recent Techtextil trade fair held in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Smartfiber launched Smartcel Hygienic, a functional lyocell fibre that incorporates copper to counteract pathogens, such as bact

Sun protection for sportswear

1 August 2009

Lenzing has developed a fibre that offers the wearer protection from solar radiation.

Unitika to expand production of heat-retaining polyester

1 August 2009

Unitika Fibers of Japan is to expand production of its Thermotron fibre, targeting the 2010/11 Autumn and Winter sports clothing market.

Biocatalyst treatment improves hydrophilicity of polyolefins

1 July 2009

Treating the surface of a polyolefin or polyolefin copolymer fibre or fabric with oxidoreductase enzymes increases the hydrophilicity, according to the speciality chemicals company Ciba.

Teijin strives to improve the recovery of sulphuric acid during spinning and washing of aramid

1 July 2009

Teijin Aramid of Arnhem, The Netherlands, has proposed a method for spinning and washing aramid fibre that allows for the effective recovery and re-use of sulphuric acid and water, uses low amounts of

Conductive bicomponent for antistatic clothing

1 June 2009

A conductive bicomponent fibre that is suitable for practical use in antistatic clothing has been developed in Japan by Kuraray Co Ltd.

Recycled polyester is inherently flame retardant

1 June 2009

Momentum Textiles - a supplier of contract textiles based in Irvine, California, USA - has chosen a recycled flame retardant (FR) polyester fibre, Repreve(r) FR, for a range of privacy curtains that i

Improved stretch-breaking

1 April 2009

An improved method for stretch-breaking fibres to produce staple yarn is the subject of US Patent 7 454 816.

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