Improvement in Tensile Strength of Bamboo Knitted Fabric by Sol-Gel Coating

Abstract

Textiles made of bamboo regenerated fibre are reported to have lower tensile strength than the other cellulosic fibres, due to high porosity of the fibre. This paper was aimed to modify the bamboo knitted fabric by the sol-gel coating to improve the tensile strength with minimum effect on its inherent morphology and ultimate relevant properties such as good absorbency and air permeability. The paddry- bake process was employed for the coating where tetraethyl-orthosilicate and nano-titanium-dioxide were used as the active ingredients. The treated fabrics were tested for the tensile behaviour in terms of breaking strength and elongation and the sol-gel process recipe and parameters were optimised. The absorbency, air-permeability and washing durability of the coating were also tested for the optimised process. Results showed the increase in tensile strength of the fabric by sol-gel coating, whereas absorbency and air-permeability were almost unaffected. The coating results were unaffected even after a washing treatment (equivalent to 5 industrial washings). Additionally, the wrinkle recovery angle of the coated fabric was also tested and found improved.

Keywords

• Bamboo Fibre
• Sol-Gel Coating
• Tensile Strength
• Air Permeability