Textile Contamination

Textile Contamination During Adhesion
Contaminants are undesirable materials that cause poor wetting of adhesives or coating treatments. Contamination problems can occur in many forms when treating textiles. Addressing possible contamination is a crucial step in the textile adhesion process.

Silicone and Textile Contamination
Silicone is one of the most common forms of contamination found on textiles. Silicone is often a finishing component used by fiber manufacturers during spinning of the filaments. The slippery nature of silicones protects the fiber during processing at the manufacturer.

Textile Contaminant Removal
Fabric scouring is the most efficient method for removing the silicone-containing spin finish used during fiber manufacturing. The process involves a series of heated water baths that contain detergents and rinses that lift the contamination from the fabric.

Lab technician measuring scouring efficiency

Measuring Textile Contamination
Two methods are available to measure the efficacy of decontamination during the scouring process:

• Tne first method is to test the fabric for extractable material. This is accomplished by rinsing the fabric in a series of baths and checking for extracted chemicals.
• The second method is to measure the surface energy of the fabric. This sophisticated test measures the actual performance of the bond surface. The surface energy clearly reveals if the adhesive or coating we have selected will wet the fabric.