Creating a Custom High-Performance Fiber Blend
Leave a CommentCreating a perfect fiber is an impossible task. Every natural and synthetic material has trade-offs, though modern technology (more…)
Creating a perfect fiber is an impossible task. Every natural and synthetic material has trade-offs, though modern technology (more…)
Textile coatings are an essential element of creating high-performance industrial components. (more…)
Super absorbent yarns are water-insoluble materials designed to absorb and retain large amounts of water or other liquids. Through a complicated matrix of fibre materials, super absorbent yarns prevent water ingress and penetration, making them ideal for a range of industrial applications. At Tex Tech, we manufacture our OASIS Super Absorbent Fibre (SAF) using a range of super absorbent yarns to protect cables and other electronic equipment from damaging moisture.
The primary benefit of super absorbent yarns is their water-blocking abilities. Upon contact with water, these yarns swell and form an impermeable barrier. This prevents access and dissipation of moisture throughout sensitive components such as cables and electrical equipment, protecting them against premature failure. Other benefits of super absorbent yarns include:
At Tex Tech, our OASIS yarns use super absorbent yarns to protect cables from water ingress. By minimizing water penetration, our water-blocking yarns prevent premature damage and cable failure. Our OASIS Super Absorbent Fibre works by absorbing moisture immediately and swelling to form a protective barrier, preventing more moisture from entering the cable or electrical component.
Tex Tech’s OASIS swellable yarns are made using >70% recycled fiber, are available from 500 denier to 270,000 denier, and come in a range of thicknesses to suit various needs. These yarns are commonly used throughout the power, data, and fibre optic cable industries for applications such as cross laying, watertight conductors, and fillers over or between multi-core cables. To ensure optimal performance, our yarns are designed to hold up on the most demanding production lines with a clean and efficient product build.
Specific advantages and properties of our OASIS Super Absorbent Fibre include:
To meet the specifications and requirements of each customer, our OASIS Super Absorbent Fibre solutions are available in a range of sizes and diameters and come in long staple wrap spun or long staple ring spun styles.
For more than 100 years, Tex Tech has been a leader in engineered textiles, providing customers with a range of high-performance materials to meet the needs of various applications. With many industries relying on cables and sensitive electronics, our OASIS Super Absorbent Fibre solutions can protect against water damage in challenging environments. For more information about our water absorption materials or to get started on a custom solution, contact us today.
Tex Tech Industries is a leading textile coating manufacturer that works with advanced polymer systems to customize different coating options. Our coatings enhance the properties of all types of fabric, improving their weldability, thermal protection, abrasion resistance, water resistance, air holding, antimicrobial protection, and more. We develop and patent high-tech coating technology—such as thermal protection systems for space vehicles at our cutting-edge research lab.
Here we’ll review the different types of coating materials available from Tex Tech, along with their benefits and potential applications.
Textile coatings come in a variety of materials depending on what each application requires. The materials we offer at Tex Tech include:
Silicone coatings add resistance to heat, flame, chemicals, abrasion, UV, and weather. Many products use silicone coatings, including thermal insulation, gaskets, automotive airbags, parachutes and protection from slag and weld spatter.
Polyurethane coatings enhance abrasion resistance and durability. For this reason, it is often the final protective layer over other industrial primers. Polyurethane coatings often enable the materials to be welded using IR, RF and heat systems.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a versatile polymer coating that enhances the fabric’s resistance to chemicals, corrosion, pressure, and abrasion. Many industries utilize PVC-coated materials, including wastewater treatment, food processing, oil and gas, and pharmaceuticals.
Acrylic coatings dry quickly and have a high-gloss finish. They are especially ideal as primers promoting adhesion. Acrylic also offers superior corrosion resistance for textiles and fabrics.
Phenolic epoxy coatings improve corrosion resistance. However, it does not perform well with UV exposure, so most applications for epoxy are located in indoor facilities.
Rubber coatings resist mechanical wear and tear as well as generally harsh environments. Coatings may consist of natural or synthetic rubbers, including nitrile, chloroprene, EPDM, and fluoroelastomer rubbers. The electronics, automotive, military, and medical industries rely on these types of coatings.
Tex Tech provides advanced textile coating and lamination services for a variety of industries. Using our polymer coating systems, we enhance customer specific needs. Our coating equipment can apply aqueous, solvent, and 100% solid polymer coatings. In addition, we offer both single- and double-sided textile coatings for materials.
To ensure the secure application of each coating, we utilize methods such as direct coating, reverse roll coating, immersion coating, and heat lamination. We also provide several analytical services, including differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis.
With years of combined experience and resources, our team has a deep understanding of every fabric coating need. If you would like to learn more about our coating technologies and solutions, contact us today. To get started on a custom coating solution for your application, request a quote.
The term thermal protection system (TPS) refers to various materials applied externally to the outer structural skin on an orbiter to maintain acceptable temperatures, especially for the reentry phase of a mission. Materials used for a TPS are selected for their high-temperature stability and weight efficiency.
Space vehicles that enter the earth’s atmosphere require thermal protection systems to protect them from aerodynamic heating. The TPS system used by space vehicles inhibits the conduction of heat on the interior of the vehicle by combining an underlying layer of thermal insulation with high-temperature resistant surface materials.
Friction with the atmosphere during re-entry produces extreme temperatures that require specialized shielding systems to protect space vehicles. In addition to heat, space vehicle thermal protection systems also shield systems and the airframe from the extremely cold conditions that occur during parts of orbit. A TPS is produced using the following materials:
RCC is a strong all-carbon composite. It is light gray and able to withstand the aerodynamic forces of launch and re-entry, which reach up to 800 lbs per sq. ft.
Felt Reusable Surface Insulation (FRSI) is a type of protective blanket material that shields orbiter surfaces from high temperatures. It protects surfaces from heat between 350 °F to 700 °F.
Space vehicle tiles come in two types: white for low-temperature applications, and black for high temperatures. High-temperature reusable surface insulation tiles utilize a black borosilicate glass coating that has an emittance value higher than 0.8. They protect areas of the vehicle which reach temperatures up to 2,300 °F.
Low-temperature reusable insulation tiles are coated in a white substance that contains the necessary optical properties to maintain on-orbit temperatures. These low-temperature reusable insulation tiles are placed on vehicle areas that have the potential to reach a maximum of 1,200 °F.
The bonding agent that attaches tiles to the vehicle surface is a type of silicone adhesive. Silicones are an ideal bonding agent for these types of applications. They retain excellent bond strength during the high temperatures of re-entry and are also flexible at the low temperatures experienced during orbit.
Legacy materials are often difficult to source due to low volumes, and lack of demand for years, or even decades. Tex Tech is the only US company that has re-engineered these types of products to NASA specs to provide exceedingly well characterized materials that orbital vehicle designers can utilize with confidence.
Our system replaces a traditional single use cork TPS with a higher performance multi-use composite system that relies on a fiber reinforcing structure to increase the erosion resistance. Tex Tech produces low temperature ablative systems using felts that have been stabilized with a high char yield silicone. This silicone can also be customized further to meet low out-gas requirements when needed.
MLF takes the concept of MLI (Multi-Layered Insulation) and adapts it for use with needle-punched hybrid structures rather than laminated films. Carbonizing Assembly may be used to fabricate unique precursor structures for C/C or C/SiC. Within this assembly a non-woven felt is sandwiched between two or more woven fabric layers. Once converted to C/C or C/SiC, the assembly becomes a highly insulating composite with high thermal stability.
The amount of pressure and aerodynamic heating that occurs during launch and re-entry varies according to vehicle type, shape, and trajectory. To provide adequate protection, the following requirements must be met for all thermal protection systems.
Tex Tech Industries is proud to be an industry leader in high-performance textile manufacturing. Since 1904, we have been delivering the highest quality products available for the most challenging applications. Our expert research and development team and state-of-the-art facilities allow us to provide the high-performance textile solutions the aerospace industry demands. For more information about our advanced TPS solutions or our other textile products and services, please contact us or request a quote today.
The term “medical textile” refers to materials that are engineered for use in medical applications. It includes anything from versatile fibrous fabrics designed to safely treat wounds to coated and laminated materials used in air holding applications, PPE, and more.
Since these textiles are designed with medical use in mind, they have a number of properties that non-medical textiles do not. For example, they are non-toxic, non-carcinogenic, non-allergenic, antimicrobial, and biocompatible. These qualities ensure they are safe for personnel and patients.
Medical textiles are found in many medical devices and supplies. Below, we highlight some of the typical applications of these textiles.
Non-implantable medical products are used for various external patient care and treatment purposes, including monitoring patient conditions, protecting against infection, and promoting healing. Examples include tourniquets, blood pressure cuffs, inflatable casts, and COPD vests. The materials from which these products are made must be suitable for out-of-body applications and, depending on the application, contact with skin.
Tex Tech medical textiles fully meet these requirements. They exhibit the following properties:
In the healthcare industry, maintaining clean and sanitary conditions is important to ensuring the health and safety of patients and personnel. Medical fabrics for health and hygiene are used not only by hospitals but also by healthcare facilities and individuals for home use. Products for use in healthcare and hygiene should be clean, contamination-free, and prevent the spread of contaminants and pathogens. They may either be washable or discarded after a single-use.
Tex Tech offers healthcare fabrics that are used in the following applications:
Our fabrics are cleanable, comfortable. and antimicrobial. Additionally, medical fabrics from Tex Tech can be either reusable or disposable for reduced or eliminated virus/blood penetration.
Looking for quality fabrics for your medical application? Turn to the engineered textile experts at Tex Tech Industries! Equipped with over 100 years of experience, we have the knowledge and skill necessary to develop the appropriate products for nearly any application or industry, including non-implantable and hygiene-focused medical products.
For more information about our medical textile offerings or custom capabilities, contact us today. To discuss your textile requirements with one of our team members, request a quote.
Aluminum and copper furnaces run between 1500-1700 °F, and steel furnaces run at temperatures above 3000 °F! In these extreme conditions, the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) used must shield workers from the potential metal splash of these insanely hot materials, and they must also protect against the staggering amount of radiant heat that is generated by the metal and furnaces. Ideally, you would also like to keep those same workers comfortable, allowing them to safely complete their strenuous tasks while working in such extreme conditions.
The most widely used fabrics for protection against molten metal utilize a thin aluminum laminate on their surfaces. The aluminum exterior reflects much of the radiant heat generated by the metal and/or furnace, allowing personnel to work in close proximity to these industrial heat sources. Aluminized fabrics are the standard components for this type of exposure.
Our CarbonX FL-100A has been used for this very purpose for some time. CarbonX FL-100A is an aluminized fleeced knit that is lightweight and flexible, and therefore it is a relatively comfortable option for protection against metal splash. However, as with almost all other aluminized fabrics, the aluminum film used in laminating the outside of these fabrics is a solid layer, and therefore non-breathable.
To create a more comfortable Aluminized Fabric, CarbonX Breathable Aluminized combines the level of protection one would expect in a CarbonX fabric while elevating the comfort aspects of the garment using two key factors: Moisture Wicking and Breathability.
To create a moisture wicking substrate, we’ve combined a multi-layer non-woven felt as the base fabric used in this fabric. One layer includes a layer of hydrophobic fibers, the other layer includes a layer of hydrophilic fibers. The hydrophobic fibers do not like moisture, while the hydrophilic fibers love moisture. The hydrophilic fibers are placed in the layer away from the skin, and because of their orientation in relation to the hydrophobic fibers and the wearer, they pull the sweat and moisture away from the body and to the outside of the garment. (side note…we’ve even added a strengthening scrim layer between those two layers of fibers to keep the fabric strong and durable!)
To give the garment breathability, we have used Tex Tech’s vast experience in needling technology to perforate the aluminum to create a breathability aspect to the aluminized surface. In simple terms, we’ve poked thousands of tiny holes in the surface of the fabric! When the moisture is wicked away from the body via the hydrophilic fibers it can then escape the holes on the surface of the aluminum. The airflow and the water evaporating after seeping through the holes as a dramatic cooling effect. The outdoor apparel industry has utilized this cooling process in soft-shell technology for jackets and coats for some time now, and now we are using the same method to keep our steel workers cool!
Of course it does!While the holes are small enough to allow air permeation, those holes are not large enough to significantly affect the level of radiant heat protection that the outer layer of aluminum provides.Likewise, when exposed to molten splash, the holes are small enough and the metal splash hot enough that the holes seal when hit with molten metal.The perforated fabrics still meet the ASTM F 955 standard, which is the “Standard Test Method for Evaluating Heat Transfer for Protective Clothing Upon Contact with Molten Substances.”
The CarbonX Breathable Aluminized fabric provides an unmatched level of comfort in an aluminized garment using breathability and moisture wicking to add to CarbonX level protection!
Many workers are presented with thermal hazards such as molten metals, arc flash, hot liquids, and flame. In environments where these hazards are present, flame-resistant (FR) personal protective equipment (PPE) is of paramount importance. When selecting such gear there are many important terms that one may be confronted with. The most common distinction is inherent vs. treated fabrics.
A piece of protective equipment can be classified as an inherent fabric if it is woven using some percentage of a fiber that is itself chemically flame-resistant. These are generally oxidized fibers or fibers synthetically derived from petrochemicals that have been chemically altered. In such garments, the flame-resistant properties are inherently present in the fiber’s polymer structure and can never be lost due to washing the garment.
Protective equipment may be labeled as a treated fabric if fibers have been chemically treated to achieve FR properties, either before weaving or as a chemical finish on the garment. Some treated fabrics can lose their FR capabilities over time or with frequent or improper washing, although advances in the FR field have produced treated fabrics that retain their protective qualities for the entire lifetime of the product. The first such treated fabric was introduced in 1987, and the difference in efficacy between treated and inherent FR fabrics has been shrinking ever since. Even so, many purchasers of FR equipment turn instead to inherent fabrics due to the ongoing misconception that all treated FR garments will lose their protective properties over time.
Heat-treated fabrics are materials made from the addition of flame-retardant chemicals to provide some level of flame resistance. The additive forms a strong bond with the polymer of the fiber, which is often itself not flame-resistant. This bond is difficult or impossible to remove when proper laundering and care is applied. One potential pitfall of such gear is that there is no way to visually inspect that the FR quality of the equipment is intact. If outside the useful lifetime of the equipment, or if improperly laundered, the FR qualities may be reduced or removed with almost no way to determine that this has happened.
This problem is not present with inherent FR fabrics, as the chemical properties of the fibers themselves cannot be washed out. This may cause inherent fabrics to sell at higher costs since they typically offer longer useful lifetimes. Since there is no regulatory body governing the use of this term, however, it has often been applied loosely—often to garments containing no more than 15% FR fibers blended with naturally flammable fibers. Some garments that are woven of natural fibers treated before the weaving process have even been marketed as inherent, so to some extent, the term has lost meaning.
The primary advantages of inherent FR fabrics include:
The most notable disadvantages of inherent FR fabrics include:
Here are some of the primary advantages of treated FR fabrics:
The largest disadvantages of treated fabrics include:
Even with an understanding of the differences and usages of terms such as treated and inherent, the key factor is ultimately the safety and protective value offered to the wearer. In this regard, a more important distinction is proven vs. unproven. Tex Tech and our CarbonX brand have repeatedly proven effective in laboratory testing, as well as in the field—all with the added benefits of comfort and affordability. We work primarily with inherent fabrics.
Tex Tech Industries has been a leader in the engineered textile industry for over a century. Throughout this time, we have devoted enormous resources to research and development in the areas of textile and fiber solutions. We have pioneered more than 7,000 of the best performing products in the marketplace and a wide range of high-performance materials.
We provide innovative solutions for all engineered fabric requirements, backed with best-in-class customer service. We invite you to contact our experienced engineers to discuss how Tex Tech can provide the material solutions you need.
We were thrilled to welcome Susan Collins, United States Senator for Maine, to our facility earlier this month.
“I congratulate you for your innovation in what I know is a difficult time.”
Check out the video of her recent visit:
For workers who require protection from COVID-19 while working in dangerous areas with threats of fire or arc flash, the CarbonX® Defender Masks provide a safe solution for both.
At Tex Tech Industries, we’ve added CarbonX® Defender Masks to our line of flame-resistant (FR) PPE to provide the protection industrial workers need. These masks are reusable, comfortable, washable, and offer superior protection against most common industrial hazards.
At CarbonX®, we strive to do our part to provide protection in applications where safety is of the utmost importance. Our FR Defender Masks are created from breathable, non-flammable CarbonX® fabric front covering backed with a non-woven filter made from polyester. All masks are customizable with your company logo. We offer two different mask varieties:
The CarbonX® Defender Mask 1 offers the following features:
The CarbonX® Defender Mask 2 provides the following:
For comparison purposes, the N95 mask offers 95% particulate filtration and breathability of 32 cfm. Of note, the Defender masks are designed for industrial and commercial use and are non-medical grade. The above statistics are the result of in-house testing by Tex Tech and have not yet been verified by an independent third-party.
While wearing a face mask may feel uncomfortable, your own health and the safety of others paramount. In an effort to ensure the proper and safe use of our protective masks, we’ve provided the following wear and care guidelines below.
Your mask has been carefully packed and does not need to be washed prior to wearing. The CarbonX® Defender Mask 1 is machine washable, but hand washing is recommended. DO NOT machine dry. DO NOT machine wash or dry the CarbonX® Defender Mask 2.
At CarbonX®, we specialize in the fabrication of high-performance, flame-resistant PPE for use in even the harshest environments. CarbonX® products are designed not only for maximum protection, but maximum comfort. Our lightweight, flexible fabrics dry quickly and are soft to the touch, which is highly important for masks intended to be worn for long periods. We hope that our line of FR Defender Masks will help to keep industrial workers safe during this trying time.
For more information about CarbonX® Defender Masks, please contact Adam Mitchell at amitchell@textechindustries.com. For more information about CarbonX® or our products and services, please contact us.
Tex Tech Industries Inc. is a leading developer and supplier of engineered, high-performance materials globally, and we are committed to providing innovative solutions for each of our customers. We serve wide-ranging industries, including aerospace, protective apparel, automotive, law enforcement, coatings, filtration, 3D weaving, and high-performance materials. Contact us today to learn more about our offerings, or request a quote to get started.