Technical lecture:

Dyeing & finishing of Lenzing speciality fibres

Karin Kmpf Customer Service Lenzing AG - AUSTRIA

Preparation, Dyeing and Finishing

TENCEL Standard by Enzym process (Air jet / Rope tumbler)

TENCEL Standard by Resin Beat (Air jet / Rope tumbler)

TENCEL LF and TENCEL A100 Dye only (Softflow, Overflow, Jet)

Expectations on the fabric aspect

TENCEL Standard Cool and silky fabric aspect with no fabric hairiness Faintly hairy fabrics with a minor bulky aspect

TENCEL LF and TENCEL A 100 With a slightly hairy fabric aspect giving a warm and bulky handle

Different surface aspect

fibrillated hairy

Fibrillation
undesired fibrillation (fuzziness) desired fibrillation (peach skin)

Fuzziness - primary fibrillation

Peach skin - secondary fibrillation

Clean surface after enzyme treatment

Technical Benchmark TENCEL

TENCEL Standard / TENCEL LF/ TENCEL A100

Process overview of chemical properties

Detailed discussion of processes and general recipes for jersey knits

Preparation:

Heat-setting (Elastane blends) Scouring Alkaline peroxide bleaching Reductive bleaching Combined Bleaching system (oxidative/reductive) Rinsing after preparation

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Detailed discussion of processes and general recipes for jersey knits

Dyeing:

Parameters for discontinuous dyeing

Why TENCEL A100 is different

Rinsing after dyeing

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Detailed discussion of processes and general recipes for jersey knits

Finishing:

Importance of fabric pH

Obtaining a clean surface

Optimum Wash Pilling performance

Optimum ICI Pilling performance

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Routes to achieve a clean fabric

Resin Beat (Mechanical Polishing) - TENCEL Standard Air Jet / Air tumbler (with resin finsh)

Standard discontinuous process - TENCEL LF or TENCEL A100 Softflow or Overflow Jet

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Resin Beat - Mechanical Polishing

TENCEL Standard Machine: Process: Air Jet Air Jet Air Jet Air Jet Stenter / Dryer Pad + Stenter Stenter / Hotflue Air Tumbler Pad + Stenter Scour and Primary fibrillation Rinse and neutralise Dyeing Rinsing, neutralising, soaping (pH check fabric) Dimensional control Apply resin and catalyst (approx. pH 4.5) Resin Cure: temperature and time = f (resin) Defibrillation = Dry tumbling, 400-800 m/min Top softening: application of softeners

Result: Excellent clean fabric with good wash performance 14

Dye Only: Softflow / Overflow Jet

TENCEL LF and TENCEL A100 Machine: Softflow Softflow Softflow Softflow Softflow Stenter Sanfor Process: Scour Rinsing and neutralising Dyeing Rinsing, neutralising, soaping Application of softeners Drying: Dimensional control Optional: Dimensional control, fabric touch and lustre

Result: Clean fabric with good wash performance Result affected by yarn quality, jet processing conditions and overall time + chemical auxillaries
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Technical Benchmark TENCEL

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Preparation of TENCEL Jersey Knits

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Heat-setting
TENCEL Blends with Elastane
What is the recommended temperature for the elastane type used?

Typically: 190C approx. 45 sec

Material construction: Fusing effect in jersey knit constructions

22 dtex Elastane, 1:1 knitting construction (1 course TENCEL, 1 course elastane), heat-setting will achieve a fusing effect between the elastane filament with the adjacent TENCEL yarns, producing a more stable fabric

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Scouring
Temperature 85-90C Non-ionic or anionic washing agents At neutral pH or with soda ash Rinse properly if using soda ash in scour Jersey knits - Possible substances to be removed:

Silicone oils, waxes and parafin, knitting oils

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Alkaline Peroxide Bleaching

TENCEL LF

Temperature 85-90C Soft water or hard water without catalysts Non-ionic or anionic washing agents Alkali: soda ash or caustic soda (low quantities of caustic) Peroxide stabilising agent (optional addition of Mg chloride or sulphate Do not use standard cotton bleaching recipes

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Alkaline Peroxide Bleaching

TENCEL A100

Temperature 80C Soft water or hard water without catalysts Non-ionic or anionic washing agents Alkali: soda ash (A100 is sensitive to caustic soda) Peroxide stabilising agent (optional addition of Mg chloride or sulphate) Generally not blended with cotton Do not use standard cotton bleaching recipes
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Neutral Reductive Bleaching

Temperature 80 - 85C (Type: Blankit IN) Soft water Non-ionic or anionic washing agents Neutral pH (7-8) No hydro and caustic soda for LF or A100

Full White: Optional addition in 2nd stage of combined bleaching system, oxidative + reductive, optical brighteners Tencel LF / cotton blend: Full White with optical brighteners

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Combined Bleaching System

Cotton / TENCEL LF

1st Step - Peroxide 2nd Step - Neutral Reductive Bleach

Full White: oxidative, reductive + optical brighteners

Do not use standard cotton bleaching recipes Consider the chemical resistance of the blended fibre

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Dyeing of TENCEL Jersey Knits

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TENCEL LF
Procedures: Isothermal, Migration, Temperature rise

Temperatures: 50C, 60C, 70C, 80C, (90C for migration)

Stable to all alkaline systems and concentrations used for reactive dyeing

Use anti-creasing agent in dyeing and soaping baths

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TENCEL A100

Procedures: Isothermal, preferably Migration process Temperatures: preferably 80C (90-95C for migration) Stable to all alkaline systems and concentrations used for reactive dyeing Use anti-creasing agent in dyeing and soaping baths Note the higher exhaustion speed of TENCEL A100, - decrease salt concentration - extend dosing times

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TENCEL A100
Reactive Dye 60C
90 80

70

60

exhaust %

50

40

30 TENCEL A100 TENCEL LF 10 TENCEL St. Cotton 0 1 8 15 22 29 36 43 50 57 64 71 78 85 92 99 106 113 120 127 134 141 148 155 162 169 176 183 190 197 204 211 218 225 232 tim e
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Dyebath exhaustion: LR 50:1 Note different higher exhaustion

Reactive dyeing summary

TENCEL A100:

Use dye migration methods. Consider higher liquor ratio Dyes with high reactivity and low to medium substantivity: - longer dosing times (alkali), less salt (dosing of salt) Dyes with lower reactivity and medium to high substantivity: - decrease salt concentration, dosing of salt - Longer dosing of alkali pH control at the beginning of dyeing Soft action jet
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Reactive Dyeing: Aftertreatment

Rinse directly after dyeing to remove main quantity of salt and alkali Neutralise: - TENCEL LF at 30-35C (low temperature is important) - TENCEL A100 at 30-50C Rinse at 50C to remove the acid liquor Soap Off: 100% TENCEL fabrics only need 90C for soaping Rinse after soaping at 60 to 80C Soften

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Rinsing Process:
Acidifying: x ml/l acetic acid 60%
Soft water Dye bath end 1st rinse 50C 2nd rinse 50C 3rd rinse: acidifying 35C 4th rinse 50C 5th rinse: soaping 90C 6th rinse: 70C 7th rinse overflow 8th rinse 40C
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liquor pH

fabric pH

5 min 5 min 20 min 10 min 10 min 10 min 5 min 15 min neutral neutral check at the end

Important Points: TENCEL LF & A100

Preparation: Use only well stabilised peroxide bleaching systems and recommended bleaching temperatures & alkali concentrations Reactive Dyeing:
check pH of fabric before dyeing allow for the higher and quicker dye-uptake of TENCEL A100

Aftertreatment:
Alkali is trapped in the core of TENCEL fibres. Longer neutralising

time required: 15 to 20 min Use low neutralising temperature, 30-35C only, for TENCEL LF Soap off at 90C for 100% TENCEL fabrics Softening: Non-ionic hydrophilic softeners are recommended Check pH of fabric according to AATCC Test Method 81 or DIN 1413 (pH 7 - 7,5)
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Finishing of TENCEL Jersey Knits

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First check: evaluation of fabric pH

Morapex: Hot Water extraction: short time, reliable

DIN 1413: Room temperature extraction:

long time, reliable

AATCC Test method 81: Boiling extraction:

medium time, reliable

Check two samples for a more reliable result

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Clean surface (General parameters)

Yarn properties - Hairiness of yarn

Singeing of knitwear

Gentle Discontinuous Treatment / Wet Processing

Chemical Finishing and Resination

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Clean surface (Wet processing)

Reduce machine loading, higher liquor ratio Processing speed, as fast as necessary or as slow as possible Start loading the machine at 50C (wet stiffness), load slowly Use anti creasing agents for Preparation and Dyeing Check all your processes: reduce overall time if possible Prefer processing in tubular form: better rope reorientation Use softflow machines Turn the tube, face side inside
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Clean surface (Finishing Parameters)

Chemical Finishing and Resination Crosslinking Polyurethane Non-ionic hydrophilic softeners Polyethylene softener - optional Silicone softeners - optional, but only small quantities Combination with cross linking resin product gives the best effect

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Finishing Parameters
Factors to be considered for the resination of TENCEL standard fabrics Check pH value of fabric before resination: pH 6,5 Check the active content of your resin product Check the actual wet pick up of your fabrics Do not use citric acid as an additive to adjust the pH value Using 2 separate passages for drying and curing helps achieve a proper resination effect Check to determine the exact fabric temperature whilst curing
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Wash Pilling: Optimum performance

Decrease hairiness of yarn

Singeing of knit

Gentle Discontinuous Processing

Resin + crosslinking Polyurethane finish

Contact your auxiliary supplier for pre-trials on TENCEL fabric

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ICI Pilling: Optimum performance

Decrease hairiness of yarn Singeing of knit Gentle Discontinuous Processing Resin + optional crosslinking Polyurethane finish Higher resin quantity - optimum curing conditions Additives: Polyethylene and Silicone compounds Contact your auxiliary supplier for pre-trials on TENCEL fabric

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Summary TENCEL Jersey Knits

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Technical Summary
Chemical Fiber Properties: TENCEL LF & TENCEL A100 Processing Limits: peroxide bleaching

Processing Routes & Machine Facilities Clean, Peach and Casual Peach

The Final Product: Consider and check all technical issues Preparation - Dyeing - Finishing

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TENCEL A 100
Singing Prewash neutral / soda ash 85-90C Bleaching 90C Bleaching 98C / 120C Neutral reductive bleaching Reactive, direct dyeing PES, PA, WO dyeing Stripping with Hydros and caustic soda Finishing - improve utility values Causticising / Mercerising
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!x x x !

TENCEL LF
Singing Prewash neutral / soda ash 85-90C Bleaching 90C Bleaching 98C / 120C Neutral reductive bleaching Reactive, direct dyeing PES, PA, WO dyeing Stripping with Hydros and caustic soda Finishing - improve utility values Causticising / Mercerising
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! x x !x ! x

Customer Service Lenzing AG

Tel. +43 7672 701- 3448 Fax.+43 7672 701- 3222 Email: tech.marketing@lenzing.com

http://www.lenzing-fibers.com/news
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