Life cycle assessment of metallised textiles. The case study of MATUROLIFE project

W artykule przedstawiona została metoda Oceny Cyklu Życia (LCA), która wspiera potrzeby producentów w zakresie pozyskiwania informacji o środowisku poprzez ocenę aspektów środowiskowych i potencjalnych wpływów w całym okresie życia wyrobu. Zaprezentowano rezultaty badań w ramach pierwszej fazy oceny cyklu życia metalizowanych tkanin, nazywanych także inteligentnymi tkaninami. Kontekst dla analizy stanowi nowy projekt pt.: „Metalizacja tekstyliów w celu uczynienia życia miejskiego osób starszych bardziej niezależnym i stylowym – MATUROLIFE”, realizowany w ramach programu HORYZONT 2020: „Zaawansowane materiały i innowacyjne projektowanie dla poprawy funkcjonalności i estetyki dóbr konsumpcyjnych o wysokiej wartości dodanej". W artykule przedstawiono najważniejsze założenia do oceny skutków środowiskowych związanych z metalizacją różnorodnych tekstyliów, w tym przede wszystkim bezprądowego powlekania miedzią, poprzez obliczenie zapotrzebowania na materiały i energię, oraz z uwzględnieniem emisji do powietrza, wody i gleby oraz poprzez ocenę ich wpływu na środowisko. Przeanalizowano zastosowanie LCA jako narzędzia zarządzania o ogromnym potencjale do podejmowania decyzji w ramach strategicznego planowania biznesowegoThis article provides an overview of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method which supports manufacturers’ environmental information needs by evaluation of the environmental aspects and potential influences throughout the lifetime of the product. In the article results are presented of the first phase of the life cycle assessment of metallised textiles and the context for the analysis is a new project: „Metallisation of Textiles to make Urban living for Older people more Independent & Fashionable – MATUROLIFE”, implemented under the HORIZON 2020 Programme – “Advanced materials & innovative design for improved functionality & aesthetics in high added value consumer goods”.The article presents the most important assumptions for assessing the environmental effects associated with the metallization of various textiles, including primarily electroless copper coating, by calculating the demand for materials and energy, and taking into account emissions to air, water and soil, and by assessing their impact on the environment. The use of LCA as a management tool with great potential for making decisions within strategic business planning was analyze

The Efficacy of Polymer Coatings for the Protection of Electroless Copper Plated Polyester Fabric

The selective metallisation of textiles is becoming a very important process in the development of electronic or e-textiles. This study investigated the efficacy of polymer coatings for the protection of copper (Cu) conductive tracks electroless plated on polyester (PES) fabric against laundering and rubbing, without essentially affecting the physical-mechanical and optical properties of the base material. After the electroless deposition of a consistent layer of Cu onto PES, four polymers were applied individually by screen-printing or padding. The physical-mechanical characterisation of coated textiles revealed that polyurethane resin (PUR) and modified acrylate resin (AR) had little effect on the air permeability, tensile strength and breaking tenacity of the PES, as compared to silicone elastomer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and epoxy resin (ER). On the other hand, PUR and PDMS had higher abrasion resistance and photo-stability under prolonged UV irradiation, as compared to AR and ER. In addition, freshly Cu plated samples were coated with polymers, washed up to 30 cycles and characterised by measuring their electrical resistivity, determination of colour changes and the examination of the surface morphology. Based on these results, PUR presented the most suitable protection of Cu tracks on PES, with the lowest impact on physical-mechanical properties. ER is not recommended to be used for protection of Cu tracks on fabrics, due to its rigidity, low photo-stability, washing and wear durability

Polysaccharide based nanofibers with pH-sensitive function

Svrha istraživanja je bila izraditi nanovlaknasti senzor na bazi polisaharida za otkrivanje promjene pH-vrijednosti u području rane. Za izradu nanovlakana od celuloznog acetata (CA) kao otapalo je korištena octena kiselina, a vlakna su izrađena u uređaju za beziglično elektroispredanje. Duga CA vlakna jednolikih svojstava, promjera od 250 do 300 nm dobivena su elektroispredanjem smjese 15 mas. % CA i 85 mas. % octene kiseline uz dodatak halokromnog bojila (Bromocrezol Green). Dodatak Bromocrezol Green bojila u masu za ispredanje nije utjecao na oblikovanje vlakana. Analizom boje CIE sustavom karakterizirani su izrađeni nanovlaknasti senzori kako bi se ocijenila promjena boje uslijed promjene pH-vrijednosti. Pri pH 4 i manje od 4 imaju žutu boju i tako simuliraju okolinu rane koja je povoljna za zacjeljivanje rane, a plavu boju kada se izlože pH 9 i većoj od 9 i tako simuliraju okolinu koja ometa zacjeljivanje rane (kronične, inficirane rane).The aim of the present study was to prepare a polysaccharide based nanofibrous sensor for detection of pH change in the wound environment. In order to prepare cellulose acetate (CA) nanofibers, acetic acid was used as a solvent, and fabrication of fibers was performed on the needle-less electrospinning apparatus. Long uniform CA nanofibers, with diameters ranging from 250 to 300 nm, were electrospun from 15 wt% CA and 85% acetic acid, with addition of halochromic dye (Bromocrezol Green). The addition of Bromocrezol Green in the spinning formulation did not affect the fiber formation. Prepared nanofibrous sensors were characterized using CIE color space analysis in order to evaluate the color due to pH change. Nanofibrous sensors exhibit yellow color when exposed to pH4 and lower, simulating the wound environment beneficial to the wound healing, and blue color when exposed to pH 9 and higher, simulating the environment that hampers wound healing (chronic, infected wounds)

Adsorption of Pollutants from Colored Wastewaters after Natural Wool Dyeing

The presented study assesses the efficiency of selected adsorbents, zeolite 4A in two particle sizes and pelletized activated carbon (AC), for the potential removal of color, chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC) and metals from wastewaters after natural wool dyeing. Firstly, the natural coloring compounds were extracted from dried common walnut (Juglans regia) leaves and used further for exhaustion dyeing of wool fibers, together with three different metallic salts in two concentrations (meta-mordanting). Effluents with higher mordant concentration were additionally treated according to a shake-flask adsorption experiment. The obtained results revealed efficient removal of exceeded metallic ions by zeolite (up to 94.7%), on account of their superior ion exchange capability as compared to AC. The zeolites also reduced turbidity and electrical conductivity significantly. On the other hand, AC was more efficient for the reduction in organic pollution, COD up to 96% and TOC up to 95%, due to its higher specific surface area and total pore volume, and, thus, higher potential for adsorption of different compounds in comparison to 4A. All three proposed adsorbents lowered wastewaters’ coloration remarkably, up to 78% (AC) and up to 71% (4A), depending on the type of effluent/mordant and inspected wavelength; although, the spectral absorbance coefficient (SAC) values remained highly above the limit values for discharge of wastewaters into watercourses

Reduction of Lead and Antimony Ions from the Crystal Glass Wastewaters Utilising Adsorption

The presented research examined five adsorbents, i.e., zeolite 4A, a mixture of three zeolites (4A, 13X, and ZSM-5), natural zeolite (tuff), activated carbon, and peat, and their potential capability for removal of exceeded ions of lead (Pb), antimony (Sb), sulphates (SO42−), and fluorides (F−) from real wastewater generated in the crystal glass industry, which was previously treated in-situ by flocculation, with the aim to attain the statutory values for discharge into watercourses or possible recycling. The screening experiment evidenced that the tuff was the most suitable adsorbent for the reduction of Pb (93.8%) and F− (98.1%). It also lowered wastewater’s pH sufficiently from 9.6 to 7.8, although it was less appropriate for the reduction of Sb (66.7%) as compared to activated carbon (96.7%) or peat (99.9%). By adjusting the pH of the initial wastewater to pH 5, its adsorption capacity even enlarged. Results from the tuff-filled column experiment revealed reduction of Pb up to 97%, Sb up to 80%, and F− up to 96%, depending on the velocity flow, and thus it could be used for post-treatment (and recycling) of wastewaters from the crystal glass industry. Moreover, the system showed an explicit buffering capacity, but negligible reduction of the SO42−

Complementary assessment of commercial photoluminescent pigments printed on cotton fabric

The presented study focuses on photoluminescent pigments applied on cotton fabric by a screen-printed procedure using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as a binder. Microscopic data depicts irregular shapes and relatively wide size distribution (3–80 µm) of pigments. Regarding composition,the Energy-Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy data complement findings suggesting the presence of Eu-doped strontium aluminate in the yellow-green,calcium aluminate in the violet pigment, and metal oxides in the blue pigment

Dopamine-Assisted Modification of Polypropylene Film to Attain Hydrophilic Mineral-Rich Surfaces

The presented study focuses on the modification of polypropylene (PP) film with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) under heterogeneous conditions via polydopamine/polyethylene imine (PDA/PEI) chemistry using a facile dip-coating procedure to attain hydrophilic mineral-rich surfaces. Thus, the resulting PP-based films were further immersed in ion-rich simulated body fluid (SBF) to deposit Ca-based minerals onto the film’s surfaces efficiently. In addition, the chemical reaction mechanism on PP film was proposed, and mineralisation potential inspected by determination of functional groups of deposits, zeta potential, hydrophilicity and surface morphology/topography using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, streaming potential, water contact angle (WCA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The obtained results show the improved wettability of samples on account of PDA inclusion (WCA was reduced from 103° for pure PP film to 28° for PDA-modified film), as well as the presence of functional groups, due to the PDA/PEI/TEOS surface functionalisation, increased the ability of minerals to nucleate on the PP film’s surface when it was exposed to an SBF medium. Moreover, the higher surface roughness due to the silica coatings influenced the enhanced anchoring and attachment of calcium phosphate (CaP), revealing the potential of such a facile approach to modify the chemically inert PP films, being of particular interest in different fields, including regenerative medicine

The impact of ultrasonic-assisted dyeing on ecological parameters

The main contribution of our research was to compare the impact of the conventional dyeing process and the power ultrasonic technique on dye-bath exhaustion and, consequently, on dye-bath effluents during the dyeing of four dissimilar fabrics (cotton, viscose, wool and polyamide) using chemically-different dyestuffs (reactive, direct, acid and 1:1 metal complex) at two concentrations, regarding different operational parameters, in order toestimate the environmental impact of numerous parameters and dyeing systems.The efficiency of various dyeing procedures was verified by measuring on-line absorbance, followed by the calculation of exhaustion rate. After dyeing, the selected pollution parameters were monitored in dye-baths effluents, i.e. pH, total organic carbon (TOC), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5). The obtained results indicated superior exhaustion of dyestuffs during ultrasound assistance in comparison to conventional dyeing, thus causing a reduction in dyeing time and energy consumption. Moreover, the selected pollution parameters were diminished in all the dye-baths effluents after ultrasonic dyeing, thus also enhancing environmental protection

Washing Durability and Photo-Stability of NanoTiO2-SiO2 Coatings Exhausted onto Cotton and Cotton/Polyester Fabrics

The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the durability of TiO2-SiO2 coatings applied in three concentrations onto two lightweight cellulose-based fabrics diverse in the composition against two external factors, repeated washings and prolonged intensive UV irradiation, by observing the changes in surface morphology, investigation of optical properties, and identification of specific molecular vibrations. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) profiles and fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectra implied equal distribution of TiO2-SiO2 nanoparticles over the surfaces of both fabrics after exhaustion procedures, regarding the concentration of colloidal paste and the type of material used, followed by a slight reduction of nanoparticles after twenty washing cycles. Moreover, the newly gained, good to very good UV protective functionality proved the suitability of the employed procedure and the sufficient durability of the selected coatings. Additionally, UV irradiation mainly caused damages to the cotton. Cotton/polyester became yellower under UV, although the application of TiO2-SiO2 protected the material against yellowness