Scientists smarten wool to shake off wrinkles
December 23rd, 2009 - 1:56 pm ICT by IANSWashington, Dec 23 (IANS) Your woollen garments could soon be wrinkle-free, anti-shrinkage and dyeable.
New research could invest wool with a ‘brain,’ placing it among other “smart” fabrics that shake off wrinkles, shrinkage and actually ‘breathe.’
Fangqiong Tang, Yi Li of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and colleagues note that wool is naturally water-repellent, or hydrophobic, a feature that acts as a barrier to enhanced features such as anti-wrinkle, anti-shrinkage, finishing and dyeing.
Wool’s water repellency also hinders its ability to absorb moisture and makes woollen garments feel sweaty.
Although scientists have developed treatments that make wool more hydrophilic, or water-absorbing, they may not last long, may damage the fabric, and are not
eco-friendly, says a release of the American Chemical Society (ACS).
They have now developed a new coating made from silica nano particles, 50,000 times as thin as a human hair. The particles absorb excess moisture, and make wool superhydrophilic. The new layer does not affect wool’s colour or texture and can withstand dry cleaning, they note.
The study appears in ACS’ Langmuir, a bi-weekly journal.
- How to make natural 'wonder fabric' - wool - more wonderful - Dec 23, 2009
- 'Coffee ring' may help biosensors detect disease - May 06, 2010
- Termite wings may pave way for hydrophobic materials - Feb 08, 2010
- Soon, therapeutic socks for diabetics - Mar 11, 2010
- Protective Apparel From NW Allen - Sep 22, 2010
- Soon, therapeutic socks to help diabetics - Jan 07, 2010
- Deodorant made from nanoparticles to eliminate unpleasant odours - Oct 31, 2010
- Scientists create material that can repel hot water - Jul 16, 2009
- Bacteria-killing paper for next-generation food packaging - Feb 20, 2011
- Nanoparticles found promising in beating bad odours - Jan 27, 2011
- Artificial way to grow stem cells discovered - Aug 23, 2010
- Scientists unveil most waterproof clothing fabric - Nov 25, 2008
- Two-day shutdown called in garment, hosiery industry - Mar 12, 2011
- Jude Law spends millions on anti-ageing products - Apr 25, 2010
- Vimal launches anti-microbial treated, odour-free fabric - Jul 14, 2010
Tags: academy of sciences, acs, american chemical society, chinese academy of sciences, colleagues, dry cleaning, dyeing wool, excess moisture, fabric, human hair, langmuir, nano particles, shrinkage, silica, smart fabrics, tang, texture, water repellency, woollen garments, wrinkles