The Research of Anion Fiber and Textiles

 

2、The Research Progress in Anion Generating MaterialsAnion textiles have the ability to release negative ions,because of the addition of anion additives. With the people's attention to anion products, the research of anion additives is also more and more popular with researchers. On the one hand, additives，which have a high-efficiency anion-releasing function, can be obtained by compounding the composite powder. For example, the rare earth compound salt or oxide for the tourmaline dispersion medium can effectively improve the capacity of tourmaline to produce negative air ions. On the other hand, the research on ultrafine processing of negative ion additives is studied. The size of anion additives in the production of fiber have some certain requirements, especially in the production of fine denier fiber process, otherwise, there will be nozzle hole blockage,breakage, floating wire and so on in the silk process. At the same time, anion generation capacity will be improved with the negative ion material particle size refinement. Some of the commonly used negative ion generating materials are described below.

 

3、Natural ore Which Containing a Trace of Radioactive In 1982, Professor Thomas?Mubarak, University of Missouri, studied obtained that these ores contain trace amounts of natural thorium, uranium and other radioactive substances which can release faint radiation, and particles in the air, and in this long-term impact it will be weak ionizing radiation to produce negative ions.

 

4、Tourmaline, Wizards Stone, Opal and Other Crystal Materials Tourmaline is characterized with boron silicate materials.Wizards stone is an inorganic porous material, and mainly containing silicates, iron, and aluminum oxide. Opal is amorphous or other organic silicate material. Because of this type of ore’s thermoelectric and piezoelectric, it can cause potential different change between the mineral crystals when the temperature and pressure of environments have slight variations. The formation of electrostatic voltage can promote the ionization of the surrounding air, and the ionization of electrons combined with adjacent water and oxygen molecules, converted into air anion finally.

 

5、Seabed Sediments, Coral Fossils, Seaweed Charcoal, et al Submarine sediments, coral fossils, seaweed charcoal and other substances are the inorganic porous material, with a permanent spontaneous electrode. When subject to external temperature and pressure of small changes, it can make its surrounding air ionization.

 

6、Photocatalyst Material

Photocatalyst material is photocatalyst. TiO2 is the main component of photocatalyst material, which is a photosensitive semiconductor material. Absorbing ultraviolet light, the energy in the ultraviolet excitation can produce positively charged holes and negatively charged electrons.Positively charged holes and water, negatively charged electrons and oxygen react, respectively. They will produce strong oxidation of hydroxyl radicals which have a bactericidal effect of negative oxygen ions, and at the same time, the free harmful substances in the air and microbial will be decomposed into carbon dioxide and water, thereby purifying the air, sterilization and disinfection.

 

7、Composite Anion Generating Material The composite anion generating material is prepared by mixing two or more natural minerals into a material which has the function of releasing anion and far-infrared. Jin Zongzhe [14] had ZnO, CaCO3 and Al(OH)3 mixed, the anion powder mixture can release of about 1000/cm3 of the negative ions.

 

8、The Research Status of Anion Fiber and Textiles Anion generating materials attracted people's attention gradually from the 90s last century. In the international market, the anion functional textiles show many characters,such as excellent quality, good function, various types, specifications and more patterns and so on. Japan, which is the earlier starting country in the world, has done a lot of research and develop work in this area. In the Japanese market, anion textiles have had a certain scale, showing a good momentum of development.

In the anion processing materials, the Japanese company KomatsuSeiren has been successfully developed natural mineral fixed technology in the fabrics using finishing technology, and these minerals can produce negative ions,which make people feel good and refreshing. Toray Industries of Japan has studied a new finishing technology"Aquaheal". The finishing technology uses the deep seabed raw materials as an anion-generating material. After finished with Aquaheal, the fabrics can be widely used in work clothes, underwear, sportswear, bedding and home decorations. Japan's bell spinning synthetic fiber company developed Ionsafe acrylic fiber, and the fiber incorporates minerals which can produce negative ions. This mineral is a special ceramic powder, which can continuously generate negative ions when it is kneaded and uniformly dispersed in the fiber.

In the mid-1990s, China has began to develop anion textiles, and coastal areas as the center, and take the product into the interior, as well as the world gradually. However, the development and application of anion textiles in China mainly stay in the stage of chemical fiber, usually using ceramic powder or tourmaline powder and other anion additives to make negative ion functional masterbatch, and then use blending or copolymerization method to modify the fiber. Some companies in China has successfully developed many anion fiber and its textile products, such as the Shanghai (China) Chemical Fiber Co., Ltd.’s anion far-infrared viscose fiber, Chengdu (China) Fuxing health care textile company developed series of anion far-infrared health care textiles and Shanghai Petrochemical Company developed "singular fiber" anion fiber which can be used as a filler of medical textiles, bedding or car seats.Compared with Japan, whether it is basic research or applied research, China's development and application work of anion textile is still in its infancy. However, China has a unique geographical advantage in Xinjiang (China), Inner Mongolia (China), Guilin (China) and Yunnan (China) and other places, where are rich in mineral resources, and the natural resources to be further development and utilization.

With this natural advantage, there will be broad market prospects in in-depth study of anion fibers and develop more functional health anion textiles.

 

9、The Research Progress of Testing Methods for Anion Functional Textiles

The Research Progress of Detection for Textile Anion Concentration

The anion concentration detection process for anion functional fiber and textile: controlling a certain temperature and humidity conditions first, and then stimulating anion fabric negative ions using generating devices, and last testing the anion concentration using the air anion concentration tester [16]. Chen Yuehua [17] studied the anion concentration test method of soybean protein fiber, and they used a similar hand rub friction mechanical transmission system as the negative ion generating device, which can ensure the friction be quantified and stability. Cai Shujun [18] studied the anion function of fabrics, which are fabricated by sol-gel technique.

In order to simulate the friction between the textile and the actual wearing process, a flat-type rubbing fastness meter was used as the negative ion exciting device. Through analyzing a large number of test results under the closed and open environment, the test conditions of textile anion release concentration were got. He Xiuling [19] studied the process of friction produced negative ions, the test results show that the occurrence of negative ions will not continue with the unlimited increase physical stimulation of the external role,and its with saturation.

 

10、The Testing Methods for Anion Functional Textiles

At this stage the domestic textile laboratories use hand rub method and FCL fabric anion test method as textile anion concentration detection methods [20]. Hand rub method is open measurement, the operation is relatively simple, but the error is large; at the same time, the test environment is open,the negative ions will be diluted with the flow of air, and air positive charge and dust and other neutral particles will also neutralize a part of negative ions, leading a certain chance to test results [21]. FCL fabric negative ion test method is a closed measurement, and it is a new method for negative ion textiles production and standard status. The test principle of the method is not fundamentally different from that of the hand rub method, but the test result is more accurate and reproducible. Now the most widely used is the closed test system, which can reduce the error of each measurement to a certain extent.

 

11、The Research Prograss of Testing Standards for Textile Anion Concentration

At present, there is no standard, complete and unified anion assessment and testing standard in the world. The earliest study of the function of air anions is a Japanese scientist, and the research results are also get the attention of some scientists in other countries quickly. China has done some work in the detection of anion concentration and standard formulation. Although there is no uniform and international recognized standard for assessment of air anions in the world, the development of anion standard work at home and abroad has achieved some results. According to a research survey, it shows that a total of five domestic and international textile anion testing standards.