fibers
SURFACE TREATMENT OF TEXTILE FIBERS WITH SORTEX™ TECHNOLOGY
Even today, the pre-treatment of textiles predominantly relies on wet chemical processes. While these achieve the desired results, they come with a range of disadvantages: The storage, application, and disposal of chemicals involve significant effort, supply and energy costs are elevated, and the extensive use of chemicals is often viewed negatively by end-users.
The textile industry is thus consistently researching new, innovative, and cost-effective technologies for the pre-treatment of textiles, such as fabric strands or panels. Plasma treatment stands out as a promising key technology in this context. SOFTAL is proud to have been part of numerous research projects that have consistently highlighted the benefits of corona technology in this sector.
Plasma treatment of textiles offers an improved alternative, yielding comparable results. The cost savings arise because ALDYNE™ facilitates a reduction in operating expenses (e.g., drying units for wet chemicals) and the considerable costs associated with the storage, application, and disposal of chemicals. Plasma treatment is conducted within a closed system, making the process both reliable and environmentally friendly.
RESULTS
Environmentally friendly process
No wet chemicals
Improved dyeing
High wettability
Station series for SORTEX™
In early 2008, SOFTAL delivered the first SORTEX™ system as part of a joint cooperation with other companies and research institutes. Measuring roughly 8 m in length, 4 m in width, and 6 m in height, and weighing approximately 20 t with an installed overall plasma power of more than 100 kW, this system ranked among the largest corona systems worldwide. The newly developed technology was tailored specifically to cater to the extreme thermal sensitivity of textile fibers and their unique characteristics. The previously employed wet chemical treatment using a sodium hypochlorite solution was seamlessly replaced by a plasma discharge.
