UK organisations collaborate on sustainable water repellency
Four UK organisations have partnered up to research and develop new safe and sustainable water repellent fabrics as part of a project funded by Innovate UK.
The REPETEX project aims to find alternatives to using perfluorocarbons and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFCs and PFASs) for water and oil repellency, as concerns and heightened regulations surrounding their use necessitate more sustainable solutions.
Those involved in the project include nanomaterials manufacturer Promethean Particles, North West Textiles Network, Manchester Manufacturing Group, Mexar (an independent inkjet ink manufacturer specialising in water-based inkjet technologies) and The Welding Institute.
Promethean Particles said it is developing functionalised silica (silicon dioxide) nanoparticles that can be incorporated into a water-based ink for digitally printing onto textiles. The nanoparticles provide “superhydrophobic properties by manipulating the natural surface roughness of the textile microstructure fibres with selectively designed surface chemistry,” according to the company. This “provides the uplift required from superhydrophobic performance at the nanoscale level without the use of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS).”
Selina Ambrose, technical manager at Promethean Particles, said the project’s objective is “to deliver a cost-effective, alternative treatment that provides textiles with durable repellent characteristics, while retaining performance” and that the nanoparticle manufacturing process “will be crucial to bringing this to fruition”.
The continuous-flow production process means the nanoparticles manufactured are reproducible on a large scale, the company said, and thousands of litres in output are possible. The technology being developed for REPETEX is primarily for cotton, polyester and cotton-polyester blends. If successful, it might later be adapted for a wider range of fabrics.
