Alexium adds commercially desirable properties to polyolefin fibres
31/08/2012
High-performance polyolefin fibres have garnered industry interest due to their high resistance to chemicals, low moisture absorption, abrasion resistance and strength.
These fibres are growing in popularity and have been increasingly used in sporting goods, with the polyolefin textile market in Europe alone estimated at $2.5 billion per year.
According to the company, functionalising the inert surface of polyolefin materials has been a key technical barrier for many applications, until now.
Stefan Susta, Alexium's executive director, said: "Polyolefin fibres, while advantageous in many high-end technical applications, melt and decompose at such low temperatures that coating options and market applications are limited. We are carefully selecting targets and working with several market leaders to apply coatings that have the potential to expand polyolefin fabric usage into new applications and add significant value to existing applications.”
Bob Brookins, chief technical officer at of Alexium, added: "The conventional heat curing methods are not a solution for many temperature-sensitive fabrics. We anticipate that our reactive surface treatment process will offer a whole new range of applications for these technical fabrics.”
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