Title : Degradation of selected fibers as a function of maintenance cycles
Abstract:
With the growing issue of excess used textiles and their environmental impact, it is essential to explore solutions that extend the life cycle of clothing. Understanding how the morphology of different fiber types changes with maintenance cycles is also crucial for recommending suitable fibers for protective clothing, such as those designed, for example, intended for protection against heat.
In this study, at least three textile materials used in protective clothing intended for protection against heat —containing fibers such as viscose, cotton, and polymers—were analyzed. Materials intended for protective clothing against heat and compliant with the standards EN 11611, EN 11612, and EN 61482 were selected for the tests.
The materials were tested in their initial state and after undergoing 5, 25, and 50 maintenance cycles. All washing cycles were carried out according to EN ISO 6330 [30] at 60 °C (method 6N) and hanging drying (method A).
A scanning electron microscope was used to examine the impact of maintenance cycles on fiber morphology. The method involves scanning the surface of the examined object using an electron beam. Unfortunately, materials with poor conductivity require a conductive coating (e.g., 7 nm of gold) to reduce electron scattering on the sample surface and prevent loss of resolution. Microscopic images were taken using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), Hitachi SU8010 model, at an accelerating voltage of 5 kV. During the observations, in-situ measurements of the apparent widths and thicknesses of threads across the entire sample were performed.
This work presents the results of tests evaluating the impact of maintenance cycles on the morphology of the aforementioned fibers.
Acknowledge: The Polish Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy, agreement no. UM-1/DPP/PD/2023/02, task no.: 3.ZS.13.
