E!10284, EUROFINISH, University of Borås

Purpose and goal

Development of new multifunctional textile dyeing and finishing processes as well as new finishing agents has been achieved. The sustainable textile dyeing technique in which supercritical carbon dioxide (ScCO2) is used as a medium has proven to be successful in combination with finishing agents. Thus the production of a coloured and functionalized textile in a one-step process is possible. The goals were achieved through verification in both lab and pilot plant at HB and DyeCoo respectively. In total Huntsman developed four finishing agents that were evaluated.

Expected results and effects

New knowledge was generated: synthesis of chemicals and its solubility in ScCO2; separation of functional molecules from CO2; the machine´s multifunctionality and optimal process conditions for uptake and affinity of colour- and functional molecules to different polyester fabrics. This was evaluated with a requirement specification and characterization tests of treated fabric. The outcome has led to contributing effects such as; parallel doctoral student projects, conference contributions, publications, and openings for continued and new international collaborations.

Planned approach and implementation

WP1: Selected and developed characterization methods of solubility of synthesized molecules in ScCO2 and fabric properties were suitable for evaluating the uptake and affinity of dye and functional molecule to different polyester fabrics. WP2: Optimal processing conditions for best effect of coloured and functionalized fabric were evaluated for the pilot plant. This because differences in results between lab and pilot plant were obvious. WP3: The quality assessments showed that the functional molecule requires modification before industrial field trials are feasible.