SOIL RELEASE AND ANTISTATIC FINISH

INTRODUCTION:
In the world of high performance fibres, use of Synthetic fibre is increasing. These fibres
have very low moisture content due to which it acquires static charge and result in
accumulation of soil or dirt.
Soiling generally means smearing or staining of a large surface of the fabric with dust or dirt
and oil or grease or both. The problem of soiling is not a new one. Natural fibers and
synthetic fibers both attract dirt and get soiled but synthetic fibers attract soil to a grater
extent than natural fibers; apart from this, they do not release soil easily during washing. Due
to absorption and retention of soil, the whiteness and brightness of a fabric is spoiled and it
appears yellowish and dirty. Soil release finish is a chemical finish that permits relatively
easy removal of soil with ordinary laundering. These finishes are necessary because
hydrophobic fibers and resins have very low water absorbency. It accomplishes the result of
making the fiber more absorbent (hydrophilic), thus permitting better wettability for improved
soil removal.
Antistatic finishes act via decreasing the static charge on the fibre surface or by increasing
the electrical conductance of the fibre.
Mechanism of Soiling:
A fabric gets soiled mainly by three types of mechanism.
1. Mechanical adhesion of soil to the cloth
By direct contact with a soiled surface or by rubbing of the garments against the skin or
picking up dirt from liquors or from air; fabric construction facilitates such adhesion as the
soil gets entrapped in inter fiber and inter yarn spaces or even into the capillary spaces of
the fiber where it gets firmly deposited. Also soil which is oily in nature can diffuse into the
fiber.
2. Adhesion by electrical forces Due to attraction of dust particles from air by electrically charged fiber surface. This
phenomenon occurs mainly with synthetic fibers because of their low moisture regain.
Positively charged fabric surface is soiled more than negatively charged surface.

3. Redeposition of soil during washing

This occurs particularly with nylon and polyester fabrics; the redeposition on these fibers
takes place because of their oleophilic nature. Another aspect of soiling is the effect of time
lag between soiling and washing. When a soiled fabric is allowed to lie unwashed for many
days, the soil diffuses inside the fiber and it becomes difficult to remove it.
Factors influencing Soiling:

Moisture regain
Natural fibers and regenerated cellulose rayons have high moisture regain and have little
tendency to accumulate static electricity. Therefore, the problem of soiling and soil removal
is not very acute in the case of fibers having high moisture regain. Synthetic fibers have low
moisture regain, therefore they accumulate static electricity which attracts dirt and dust from
atmosphere. Lower the moisture regain, higher is the attraction of soil.

Electrostatic charge
This is also an important factor which influences soiling. Synthetic fibers accumulate static
charge during manufacture and during wear. Charged fibers attract soil from the
atmosphere, positively charged fabric attracting more soil than the negatively charged one.

Fabric Structure
Fabric construction, yarn count, twist and the cross section of the fiber influence soiling.
Smaller the denier, greater is the tendency to soil. A circular cross sectional fiber retains
less soil than one with an irregular cross section. Higher the twist in the yarn, greater is
the soil retention. Fabric with protruding fibers assists soiling. Loosely woven and open
knitted fabrics are more prone to soiling than closely woven fabrics but removal of soil
from loosely woven fabrics is easy. Fabrics made from filament yarn do not get soiled as
fast as those made from spun yarns.

Particle size of Soil
The smaller the size of the soil particles, grater is the soil retention by the fabric.

SOIL RELEASE FINISH

A soil release finish does not prevent soil from entering the fabric but it simply allows it to
leave faster. It removes soil from the fabric and transfers it to the detergent; it protects the
fiber from attack by soiling matter; it prevents redeposition of soil which has been dissolved
or dispersed and lastly it prevents dust from being attracted and held by electrical charges
on the fabric surface.
Soil-release chemistry
Following are some of the chemical structure based ways of imparting soil release finish to
the fabric.
1. Carboxy-based finishes
Composition of this finish is based on acrylic and methacrylic acid and ester copolymers.
An ester to acid ratio of 70:30 is typical. This ratio seems to provide the proper blend of
hydrophilicity and oleophobicity (hydrophilic-lipophilic balance, HLB) required for a soil
release finish. The HLB scale is often used or the pre-selection of surfactants and ranges
from about 0 (very hydrophobic) to nearly 20(very hydrophilic). For good soiling
performance, HLB values of about 15 are favored. But this is only for rough orientation,
because the important copolymer block arrangements are not expressed by these HLB
values. Greater hydrophilicity would strongly reduce durability to laundering. The ease of
incorporating different acrylic monomers into copolymers has led to a wide variety of
available finishes. Other carboxy polymers that have been used as soil-release finishes
include styrene-maleic anhydride copolymers and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose.
2. Hydroxy-based finishes
Starch and cellulose based products that have been used as soil release agents include
methyl

cellulose,

ethyl

cellulose,

hydroxypropyl

starch,

hydroxyethyl

cellulose,

hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose and hydrolyzed cellulose acetates. With some expectations

these finished lack the laundering durability desired in finish expected to last of a garment
and must be applied in combination with a binder or cross-linking agent.

3. Ethoxy-based finishes
One important group of soil-release agents for polyester fibers is based on condensation
copolymers of terephthalic acid with ethylene glycol and polyethylene glycol. The structure
of this polyesterether copolymer contains blocks of polyethylene terephthalate that
provide a structure that has regions of hydrophilicity interspersed with hydrophobic regions
that have a strong attraction for the polyester surface. These products can provide
extremely durable soil-release properties for polyester fabrics by either exhaust or pad
applications with about 0.5% solids add-on. It is possible to exhaust apply these products
during the dyeing process. A modification of the condensation copolymer compounds
involves incorporating anionic character into the polymer chain by use of sulfonated
monomers. High soil-release performance, excellent softness and combinability with
fluorocarbon finishes may be achieved by special silicone/polyalkylene oxide copolymers.
4. Fluorine-based finishes
These unique polymers have the unusual property of being hydrophobic and oleophobhic
in air and hydrophilic and oil-releasing during laundering process. This is called dualaction mechanism. The hydrophilic blocks are shielded by the fluorocarbon segments
when dry, presenting a repellent surface. After immersion in the wash bath, the hydrophilic
blocks can swell and actually reverse the interfacial characteristics of the surface, yielding
the hydrophilic surface necessary for oily soil release. Typically, these modified
fluoropolymers are pad applied to fabrics in combination with the durable press crosslinking
agents to increase the durability of the finish. The higher cost of the fluorochemical soil
release agents compared to the acrylic copolymers is somewhat compensated by the low
add-on required for soil-release performance. Mixtures of both polymers types provide a
common compromise between efficiency and costs.
ROSSARI BIOTECH has developed a soil release finish that can be readily applied to
fabrics or garments.
Rosil Dylachem SRA liq- Hydrophilic and durable soil release agent for polyester and
polyester blends and fabrics.

APPLICATION:
Rosil Dylachem SRA liq. can be applied by pad or in normal dyeing operations.

Padding:

Rosil Dylachem SRA liq.- 40.0 - 60.0g/l

pick-up 100%
Pad dry

Exhaust:

pH 5.0 6.0
Rosil Dylachem SRA liq.- 3.0 - 5.0%
Temperature- 40oC.
Time 30 mins, Drain and Hydro extract.
EVALUATION OF SOIL RELEASE:
The ideal evaluation method for a soil-release finish would be to stain the fabric with the
same material that will
soils consumers clothes
and then to wash the
fabric with the detergents
in the washing machine at
the water temperatures
that consumers will use.
The American Association
of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) has developed standardized procedures for
evaluating soil-release finished that provide a strong indication of the actual finish
performance in the real world. Evaluation of soil-release effects after washing is mostly
visually done by comparison with photographic standards, but also by reflectance
measurements and other instrumental techniques, including microscopy.

Chemical mechanisms of soil-release finishes

The kinetics of detergency of liquid and mixed (liquid-solid) oily soil from cellulosic and
synthetic fabrics has been investigated. A three-step soil-release mechanism is postulated
involving
(a) An induction period during which soil removal is slow,
(b) A rapid soil-removal period during which the amount of soil retained decreases linearly
with the logarithm of washing time, and
(c) A final period during which soil retention is essentially constant. The soil-release rate is
related to the diffusion rate of water into the soiled fabric. The ability of a fabric to release soil
is not related to the rate at which the liquid front of a hydrophilic liquid (water, an aqueous
detergent, ethylene glycol, etc) advances on the unsoiled fabric, but to the diffusion of water
into the entire capillary system of the fabric. Diffusion of water into the fiber bundle facilitates
soil release. Studies were made of the release of oily soil as affected by amount of soil (0.787% owf), wash temperature, agitation, and viscosity of oily soil in contact with an aqueous

detergent. It is shown that soil which forms a highly viscous emulsion with water or an
aqueous detergent solution is especially difficult to remove by aqueous detergency.
ANTISTATIC FINISHES:
Antistatic agents are chemicals that are applied to the surface of fibres, polymer yarns or
fabrics to control the propensity of the textile materials that accumulate static electricity. This
could be achieved either by decreasing the generation of the electrical charge or by
increasing the electrical conductance of the textile fibres. In practice, most antistatic agents
and finishes function by increasing the conductivity.
Static Generation:
When two materials are placed in contact with each other, some electrons will always be
transferred in both directions from one surface to another, so that one surface ultimately
gains a net negative charge. Rubbing the materials together gives rise to frictional charging,
which generally increases the charge transfer, when the two materials are separated, the
charge transfer becomes apparent as an electrostatic build up in the two materials.
Consequences of static charge:
In modern high-speed processing of fibres, filaments, slivers, rovings, yarns, fabrics, control
of the material can be hopelessly inadequate if the material has not been treated with an
antistatic agent. As a consequence of which it gives rise to following problems:

Fibres being repelled from each other

Fibres being caused to lap round rollers

Yarn ballooning

Dust and lint being attracted to fabrics

Static shocks to operator eg. In printing dry heat transfer of synthetics.

While walking on carpets, especially in rooms in which computers are used, because
of computers and their electrical components synthetic fabrics are prone to generate
static charge and give shock.

Static electricity also causes fabrics to cling, when two layers of clothing rub
together, causing discomfort.
A wide spectrum of fibres is used in textile processing and natural fibres such as cotton and
silk are strongly hydrogen boded and absorb significant amount of water from the
surrounding atmosphere. Presence of moisture in such fibres greatly increases their
electrical conductivity. However, while the cortex of wool absorbs moisture, the surface of
the wool fibre is more hydrophobic, so that the fibre is classed as an insulator at medium
values of relative humidity.

Synthetic fibres such as polyester, polypropylene, acrylic, modacrylic, nylon are relatively
hydrophobic and the effect of water in decreasing the accumulation of static charge is much
less marked.
The following list indicates charge on the different material, on top is positive with respect to
the material below it, which is negative.
Asbestos
Glass
Human hair
Nylon
Wool
Viscose
Nylon 6,6
Fur
Silk
Lead
Aluminium
Paper
Cotton
Steel
Sealing wax
Hard rubber
Acetate
Nickel
Copper
Brass
Silver
Synthetic rubber
Polyester
Acrylic
Leather
Pvc
Polypropylene
Teflon
Silicone rubber

Log10 of fibre surface resistivity

Antistatic agents:
Antistatic finishes are based upon the use of chemicals such as solutions of electrolytes, or
liquids of high dielectric constant are normally volatile and thus their effectiveness may be
temporary rather than long term. Most antistatic agents are hygroscopic, while many are
based upon electrolytes, the presence of ionic species being highly effective in decreasing
static electricity.

Typical classes of chemical compounds used for antistatic finish

formulations are illustrated below:

Polyglycols

Fatty polyglycol esters

Fatty amide polyglycol esters

Ethoxylated amines

Amine oxides

Ammonium salts


Quaternary Ethoxylated amines

Quaternary fatty amide amines

Alkyl polyglycol sulphates

Phosphoric esters

Phosphoric salts of ethoxylated alcohols

Ammonium salts of phosphoric esters

Quaternary polymers

Quaternarycopolymers
Water, which has a high electrical conductivity has, when it is pure, a specific resistance of
108cm, which is around 108 times lower than synthetic fibres, water that contains dissolved
electrolytes (e.g. tap water) has conductivity as much as 103 times greater than pure water.
However, the maximum contribution to the conductivity of the fibre is retained by ensuring
that water present on the fibre surface exists in a continuous phase. Thus, for the highest
efficiency, the antistatic finish must be present on the fibre surface so that the fibre-surface
conductivity is increased.
Properties required by antistatic agent:

Antistatic agent must be compatible with other finishing agent so as to apply for coapplication.

Products that are readily dilutable in water and applied by aqueous exhaustion or
spraying, padding and low-wet pick-up application method fulfill the criterion.

It should not decompose, vaporize or diffuse into the fibre interior during thermal
treatments like drying, curing or heat setting, as these agents are also applied as
spin finishes.

Antistatic agents must also be non-toxic, non-dermatitic.
Although antistatic (metallic or carbon fibre) yarns are available for high-technology fabrics,
for apparel use topical anti-static finishes are generally used, but these have a number of
faults: they are either soft handling, but non-durable or are durable but with a very harsh
handle
Rossari Biotech has developed a chemical finish that
5

can be readily applied to fabrics or garments.

4.5

Rosil Exiontic liquid -A highly durable antistatic

3.5

finish for application to 100% Polyester, Polyamide

3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Untreated
(unwashed)

Untreated
(washed)

Exiontic
(unwashed)

Exiontic
(washed)

and Wool fibres, as well as blends of synthetic and natural fibres.

It will significantly reduce the effects of static electricity but without affecting the natural
handle and drape of the fabric, nor causing discolouration.
The finish has been shown by testing to be durable for up to100 domestic wash cycles
without losing its effect.
The effect can be demonstrated by measuring the rate of charge decay that is, how quickly
a charge reduces to a low, safe level or by simple, practical tests such as the cigarette ash
test where the level of pick-up of ash on a charged fabric is evaluated
Application
Padding
PH 5.0 6.0
Rosil Exiontic liq.- 40.0 - 60.0g/l
pick-up 100%
Pad dry
Exhaust
pH 5.0 6.0
Rosil Exiontic liq.- 4.0 - 6.0%
Temperature- 40oC
Time 30 mins, Drain and Hydro extract

PRODUCT

EXHAUST METHOD

Hydrostat BM Liquid 1.0 - 3.0 %

POLYESTER YARN

Adjust pH 5 5.5, treat at 40- 60C for 20-30

mins., dry

Hydrostat Liquid

1.0 - 2.0 %

Adjust pH 5 5.5, treat at 40- 60C for 20-30

Lubril HDR Paste

0.5- 2.0 %

mins., dry

EVALUATION OF ANTISTATIC FINISH:

Measurement of half value decay time (HVDT)
The sample is charged to a pre-determined voltage. The time required for the voltage to drop
to half of its original value is then measured. This time is termed HVDT (the half value decay
time of an electrical field) and is a measurement of the efficiency of an antistatic agent. For
measurement a static voltmeter with a plug-in resistance measuring electrode for yarns and
fabrics is used. The arithmetic mean of the individual measurements is given as HVDT in
seconds.

Surface Electrical Resistance

Illustration Antistatic finish

Untreated

Treated

Cigarette ash test

Untreated

Treated

STATIC CHARGE ESTIMATION RESULTS ASTM D 4238 -95

Dosages of Hydrostat BM Liq

Untreated

1%

2%

3%

Total charge developed (volts)

2300

420

250

10

Half decay time (seconds)

>200

10

5.6

0.1

Instrument: Static Honestometer

Sample Distance: 15mm

Charging volts: 10 KV

Relative Humidity: 45 5%

Temperature: 27 2oC