S1002: New Technologies for the Utilization of Textile Materials (S272)

(Multistate Research Project)

Status: Inactive/Terminating

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SAES-422 Reports

Annual/Termination Reports:

[03/18/2003] [10/20/2004] [06/23/2005] [01/20/2006]

Date of Annual Report: 03/18/2003

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 09/30/2002 - 10/01/2002
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2001 - 09/01/2002

Participants

See the participants in the meeting minutes at http://msa.ars.usda.gov/la/srrc/crees/main.htm

Brief Summary of Minutes

See http://msa.ars.usda.gov/la/srrc/csrees/main.htm

Accomplishments

A series of objectives of the new project S-1002, listed below, were emphasized by the participants in the first year of activity, as described in the following: Objective 1. To Develop Value Added Products from Renewable/Recyclable Resources. Synthesis and Characterization of Glucose-Based Polyhydroxylated Nylons (Glylons). Glylon 6,6, which is the correspondent of petroleum-based Nylon 6,6, has been prepared at LSU-LA from activated glycaric acid (lactone form) and 1,6 hexamethylene diamine. Since the polymer decomposes right after melting (160-180 aC), a solvent has been identified for Glylons allowing the preparation of solutions for fiber spinning and film casting. Composite blends have been prepared from Glylon 6, 6 and pulp (DP = 640). Concentrated solutions of Glylon 6, 6 and of blends showed a shear-induced organization which was shear-rate and temperature dependent. Characterization of Plant-Derived Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). A new LSU project concerned the characterization of plant-originating polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a family of aliphatic polyesters made by converting sunlight and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere using microbial or plant bio-factories. Work is underway in cooperation with Metabolix, Inc. from Cambridge, MA, the LSU Audubon Sugar Institute and the LSU Institute for Ecological Infrastructure Engineering to produce PHAs from cane sugar molasses by fermentation or directly from sugar cane plant - much like natural rubber is obtained directly from certain types of trees today. Preliminary data indicated that PHA obtained by fermentation has a melting temperature similar to that of polypropylene, PP. PHA melt blown nonwovens will be produced in cooperation with the TANDEC unit from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN. Developing Value-Added Products from Bast Fibers. A preliminary investigation was directed at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, towards identifying natural colorants for dyeing of flax. Flax fabrics were dyed with four natural colorants of plant and insect origin. Pre-mordanting and simultaneous mordanting methods were compared. Tests were done to evaluate washing fastness, perspiration fastness and crocking fastness. The data illustrated that variation in origin and species, extraction procedure and dyeing procedure causes more variation with natural colorants than it would with synthetic dyestuffs of known compositions. Results of washing and perspiration fastness underscored the effect of pH on color of fabrics dyed with natural colorants. Crocking fastness was good for all the investigated natural colorants. Plasma Induced Grafting for Starch-Based Composites. Hydrophobic starch was produced at University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, in a cooperative effort with LSU, through silicon tetrachloride plasma induced graft polymerization of silicone as a substitute for petrochemical-based plastics. It was suggested that this silicone grafted starch might be used as reinforcing components in silicone rubber materials. Use of Wood Fibers and Polymers for Preparation of Stable Sandwich-Type Materials. Wood fibers were reacted at LSU with maleic anhydride in order to increase compatibility with synthetic polymers. Bread-butter-bread sandwich type laminates have been prepared from wood (bread) by hot-pressing using synthetic polymers (butter). Thermal transitions and mechanical properties were upgraded when maleic anhydride was added. Wood will be replaced with other fibrous cellulosics derived from annual plants, such as bagasse and straw. Kenaf, Bagasse, and Ramie Fibers for Automotive Nonwovens. Three types of nonwovens, kenaf/PP (70/30), bagasse/PP (50/50), and ramie/PP (70/30), were fabricated at LSU in collaboration with the USDA SRRC to construct two kinds of sandwich structures. The tailored nonwoven structures were suitable for molding in the manufacture of automotive interior trim parts. Tensile and compressive properties of the nonwoven structures were measured. Nonwoven thermal properties and absorbency after molding were evaluated. Chemical Treatment for Improving Kenaf Spinnability. Kenaf fiber bundles were treated at LSU by chemical methods and softened to improve fiber properties. Comparative analysis of the kenaf fiber in terms of fiber length, fiber fineness, and strength has shown that after the chemical treatment, fiber fineness, softness and elongation at break were improved, but the fiber bundle strength and length were decreased. Researches at LSU and SU-LA have cooperated on improving kenaf yarns for apparel applications. Kenaf fiber was extracted from raw kenaf grown at Southern University or purchased from Mississippi State University using bacterial and chemical retting methods, then spun into kenaf/cotton yarns on ring or rotor spinning frames. Chemically retted kenaf was spun into yarn at SRRC. Textile Life Cycle Waste Management and Resource Recovery Model. This is a new cooperative effort between University of Louisiana at Lafayette and LSU. Bread-butter-bread sandwich type nonwovens have been prepared based on bagasse and cotton webs (bread) using a solution of cellulose obtained from recyclable cotton fabrics (butter). Stable all cellulosic nonwoven materials have been obtained after pressing at 150aC, washing out the solvent and drying. Development of Kenaf Value-Added Products for Textiles and Crafts. Raw kenaf plants, Everglades 41, were harvested from agronomic plot at Southern University and transported to LSU, SRRC in New Orleans, LA and University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, AR for processing. AR performed biological retting method. The retted fibers were mailed to CO and SRRC for further processing and experiments. One value-added product, a tote bag holding at least 10 lbs, has been developed at AR using spun kenaf yarn. Development of Elastic and Absorbent Biodegradable Cotton-Surfaced Nonwovens (CSNs). Cotton-rich webs (20-80%) were bonded at TN to one or both sides of a base structure, generally spunbond, SB, polypropylene, PP. Essentially biodegradable CSNs were produced by replacing the non-biodegradable PP SB substrate in the laminate with biodegradable polymer Eastar Bio GP Copolyester (Eastman Chemical Corporation). Furthermore, the thermoplastic PP staple fiber, which was blended with cotton fibers in carded or air-laid webs to improve thermal bonding of cotton-surfaced webs, was replaced with a largely biodegradable bi-component (bico) staple fiber with a core of PP (50%), to reduce elasticity for ease of carding, and a sheath of Eastar Bio (50%) for greater biodegradation and enhanced adhesion/thermal bonding. An essentially biodegradable CSN was prepared for ultrasonic bonding by laying an unbounded carded web of 70% bleached cotton and 30% bico staple fibers onto a SB polylactic acid, PLA provided by Cargill-Dow. Development of Absorbent Biodegradable Cotton-Core Nonwovens (CCNs). These materials, developed at TN, are thermally bonded laminates having cotton cores with outer layers of melt blown, MB, or SB webs. In biodegradable CCNs PP in the SB and MB fabrics, as well as PP staple fibers in the cotton core, are replaced with biodegradable polymers. Physical test performed for CSNs and CCNs materials include determination of basis weight, air permeability, tenacity, tearing strength, wicking and water absorption properties. Objective 2. To Develop Bioprocessing and Related New Technologies for Textiles. To develop environmentally friendly enzymatic treatments for processing bast fibers. Initial studies are being conducted at Colorado State University to determine the suitability of enzymes for wet processing of flax fiber. Cellulase, pectinase and viscozyme are some enzymes under study as potential biochemical replacements for traditional chemicals currently used by the industry. Effect of Processing Parameters on Digitally Printed Fabrics. Two main studies in digital textile printing were conducted at SU. The first investigated the effect of steaming time on color change and the second looked at colorfastness to crocking and laundering of digitally printed fabrics. Findings indicated that color change beyond one hour of steaming was not significant. One-Step Inkjet Printing and Durable Press Finishing of Cellulosic Fabrics. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska reported an inkjet printing technology that combines printing and durable press finishing in one process. Both acid and reactive dyes were examined. Alkaline catalysts were not required for reactive printing. Dimethyloldihydroxyethylene urea, DMDHEU, and butanetetracarboxylic acid, BTCA, were evaluated as crosslinking agents. Fabrics pretreated with crosslinkers and their catalysts and then printed with acid or reactive inks demonstrated that it was possible to inkjet print cotton fabrics with satisfactory dye fixation, colorfastness, and wrinkle resistant/DP properties. The whole process was very similar to conventional inkjet printing, save for an additional step of curing (heat treatment at elevated temperature) after drying. In addition to the improvement of wrinkle resistance and DP ability, this technology also provides possibilities of coloring cotton and other cellulosic fabrics with acid inks. It also provides a convenient solution to the printing of blends of cellulose with polyamides and or proteins using a single set of inks. Biodegradation of Effluents from Coloration of Textiles with Metallic Salts. Biodegradation of all effluents from coloration of textiles (and leather) with metallic salts in conjunction with tannic acid occurred naturally in open atmosphere at ambient temperature. A series of microorganisms developed in waste waters from coloration of silk and leather, respectively, with gold, iron and titanium salts. They have been observed by optical microscopy and their identification is underway in order to !‘seed!( the spent effluents with such organisms for a faster degradation. Objective 4. To Develop and Evaluate Textiles with Enhanced Resistance (or Susceptibility) to Environmental Degradation. Preparation of Cotton/Bagasse/Kenaf Nonwoven for Horticulture End-Use. This LSU research studied an approach to converting bagasse into a biodegradable nonwoven material for making flowerpots. A chemical method was used to extract bagasse fiber. The extracted fiber was cleaned and mixed with kenaf and cotton fibers with a ratio of 50:20:30. The fiber blend was carded and needle-punched to form nonwoven structure. The nonwoven fabric was further padded with starch paste and dried in an oven to increase nonwoven stiffness and strength. Application for horticulture container was studied. Preparation and Characterization of Nonwoven Materials Based on Natural and Synthetic Fibers. This LSU cooperation with TN, AR and the USDA SRRC allowed the preparation of biodegradable nonwoven composites based on bagasse, cotton, ramie, or kenaf fibers containing biodegradable Eastar Bio polyester melt-bound nonwovens or lyocell derived from cotton solutions. Mechanical and thermal properties have been investigated and reported.

Publications

Chen, Y., Instrumental Method to Evaluate Leather Compressive Properties, Journal of Testing and Evaluation, 2002, 30, No.3, 258-261. Chen, Y., O. Chiparus, X. Cui, T. Calamari, and F. Screen, Bagasse Fiber Nonwoven Composite. Proceedings of 11th Annual International TANDEC Nonwovens Conference. November 6-8, 2001. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, pp. 3.6-1 3.6-10. Chen, Y., O, Chiparus, X. Cui, T. Calamari, and F. Screen, Cotton/Bagasse/Kenaf Nonwoven for Horticultural End-Use, Proceedings of Beltwide Cotton Conferences, January 2002, Atlanta, GA. Chen, Y., O. Chiparus, I. Negulescu, D. V. Parikh, and T. A. Calamari. Kenaf/Bagasse/Ramie Fibers for Automotive Nonwovens. Proceedings of 2002 International Nonwovens Technical Conference. Sept. 24-26, 2002, Atlanta, GA. Chiparus, O., Negulescu, I., Chen Y., and Warnock, M., Nonwovens based on bagasse, kenaf and biodegradable polyesters, Book of Papers CD-ROM AATCC International Conference & Exhibition, Charlotte, North Carolina, October 1-4, 2002. Collier, J. R., Negulescu, I. I., and Collier, B. J., US Patent 6,511,746 "Cellulosic Microfibers" issued to LSU on January 28 2003. Cucu, M., Negulescu, I. I., and Laine, R. A., Polyhydroxylated Nylons: Glylon 6,6. Book of Papers CD-ROM AATCC International Conference & Exhibition, Charlotte, North Carolina, October 1-4, 2002 Denes, F., Manolache, S., Sarmadi, M., Ganapathy, R., Martinez-Gomez, A., Process for Intercalation of Spacer Molecules Between Substrates and Active Biomolecules, US Patent 6,402,899, June 2002. Huang, H.-Y., Characterization of Factors that Affect Charge Decay in Fibrous Electret, Ph. D. Dissertation, UT Knoxville, December 2001. Kimmel, L., Negulescu, I., Chen, Y., Von Hoven, T., Graves, E., and Goynes, W., Naturally Colored Cotton for Specialty Textile Products, AATCC Review, Vol. 2(5), 25-29 (2002). Lu, J. Z., Negulescu, I. I., and Wu, Q., Thermal and Dynamic-Mechanical Properties of Wood-PVC Composites, Book of Papers 6th Pacific Rim Bio-Based Composites Symposium, & Workshop on The Chemical Modification of Cellulosics, Portland, Oregon, November 10-13, 2002. Lu, J. Z., Wu, Q., and Negulescu, I. I., The Influence of Maleation on Polymer Adsorption and Fixation, Wood Surface Wettability, and Interfacial Bonding Strength in Wood-PVC Composites, Wood and Fiber Science, 34(3), 434-459 (2002). Ma, Y. C., Manolache, S., Sarmadi, M. and Denes, F., Plasma-Enhanced Maltodextrin-Polydimethylsiloxane Grafted Cop0lymers, J. Applied Polymer Sciece, 80(8), 1120-1128 (2001). Ma, Y. C., Silicone Tetrachloride Plasma Induced Grafting for Starch-Based Composites, Ph.D. Dissertation, UW-Madison, August 2002. McLean, E. C., Jr., Wadsworth, L. C., Sun, Q., Zhang, D., and Shaker, G., Development of Highly Absorbent Cotton-Core Nonwovens, Book of Papers CD-ROM INDA/TAPPI International Technical Conference, Atlanta, GA, September 24-26, 2002. Negulescu, I., Chen, Y, Chiparus, O., Warnock, M., and Wadsworth, L., Biodegradable Nonwovens Based on Bagasse and Polyesters, Book of Papers CD-ROM 2002 Beltwide Cotton Conferences, Fifth Nonwovens Conference, Atlanta, GA, Jan 11-12, 2002. Negulescu, I., Chen, Y, Chiparus, O., Warnock, M., and Wadsworth, L., and Yachmenev, V. G., Biodegradable Sandwich-Type Cellulosics/Polyester Nonwovens: Manufacture and Properties, Book of Papers CD-ROM INDA/TAPPI International Technical Conference, Atlanta, GA, September 24-26, 2002. Negulescu, I., Young, N., and Todd, W., Metal Coloration of Textiles: Biodegradation of Residuals, Book of Papers CD-ROM AATCC International Conference & Exhibition, Charlotte, North Carolina, October 1-4, 2002 Parikh, D.V., Calamari, T. A., Sawhney, A. P. S., Briggs, R., Rigat, R., and Warnock, M. Improving Production Efficiency of a Cotton Swab Manufacturing Operation: A Case Study, Colourage, 35-42 (2002). Parikh, D.V., Calamari, T. A., Sawhney, A. P. S., Blanchard, E. J., Screen, F. J., Warnock, M., Muller, D. H., and Stryjewski, D. D., Textile Research Journal, 72(7), 618-624 (2002). Sarkar, A.K., Seal, C.M, and Willbur, J.S. (2002). Science and art of dyeing flax with natural dyes, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference, New York, NY. Schreuder-Gibson, H., Gibson, P. W., Wadsworthh, L. C., Hemphill, S. M., and Vontorcik, J., Effect of Filter Defformatn on the Filtration and Air Flow for Elasttic Nonwoven Media, Proceedings, AFS 15th Annual Technical Conference and Exposition, American Filtration & Separation Society, Galveston, TX, April 9-12, 2002. Shaker, G., A Study of Nonwoven Composites, M.S. Thesis, UT Knoxville, May 2002. Sun., Q., Zhang, D., Wadsworth, L. C., and Slaten, B. L., Assessment of Comfort and Barrier Properties of Finished Cotton-Surfaced Nonwovens, Proceedings, Fourth International Nonwovens Symposium, Anaheim, CA, January 11-13, 2001, Seesion 6, Paper 3. Wadsworth, L. C., Shaker, G., Zhang, D., Sun, Q., and McLean, E. C., Highly Absorbent Biodegradable Cotton Composites, Book of Papers CD-ROM 2002 Beltwide Cotton Conferences, Fifth Nonwovens Conference, Atlanta, GA, Jan 11-12, 2002. Wadsworth, L. C., Sun, Q., Zhang, D., Zhao, R., Schreuder-Gibson, H. L., and Gibson, P., Process-Properties Study of Melt Blowing Polyurethane for Elastic Military Protective Apparel Garments, Book of Papers CD-ROM INDA/TAPPI International Technical Conference, Atlanta, GA, September 24-26, 2002. Zhang, T., Y. Chen, G. Namwamba, D. Dixon, L. Kimmel, and X. Cui. Chemical Treatment for Improving Kenaf Spinnability. Poster for 2002 AATCC International Conference and Exhibition. Oct. 1-4, 2002, Charlotte, NC. Zhao, R., An Investigation of Bicomponent Polypropylene/Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) Melt Blown Microfiber Nonwovens, Ph. D. Dissertation, UT Knoxville, December 2001. Zhao, R., Wadsworth, L. C., Zhang, D., and Sun, C., Polymer Distribution During Bicomponent Melt Blowing of Polypropylene/Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) and Its Improvement, J. Applied Polymer Sciece, 85, 2885-89 (2002).

Impact Statements

Obtaining of fiber-forming bio-derived polymers made by converting sunlight and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere using microbial or plant bio-factories will impact positively the ailing petroleum-based industry for synthesis of polyesters, nylons and other manufactured textile fibers.
Chemically treatment of annual fibers (kenaf) or of other plant-derived products (starch) will aid processing or will open new avenues for their use
Developing a palette of value-added products from bast fibers include such diverse applications as the preparation of automotive nonwovens (bagasse, kenaf and ramie) or craft products (kenaf tote bags).
Biodegradability and environmental compatibility are major selling points for many products. Preparation of composite nonwoven materials using biodegradable polymers, or the use of plant derived dyes for textile coloration will experience a sharp increase of popularity over time.
Improvements in digital textile printing open new ways of applying surface designs to fabrics made of fiber blends and reduce production time for textile inkjet printing, making it possible to combines printing and durable press finishing in one process.

Date of Annual Report: 10/20/2004

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 09/12/2004 - 09/13/2004
Period the Report Covers: 10/01/2003 - 10/01/2004

Participants

Shulstad, Robert (rshulstad@agecon.uga.edu); Buschle-Diller, Gisela (giselabd@eng.auburn.edu); Chen, Yan "Jonathan" (chenyan@unix1.sncc.lsu.edu); Leonas, Karen (kleonas@fcs.uga.edu); Namwamba, Grace (grace_namwamba@cxs.subr.edu); Negulescu, Ioan (inegule@lsu.edu); Ramaswamy, Gita (ramaswam@humec.ksu.edu); Sarkar, Ajoy (sakar@cahs.colostate.edu); Sarmadi, Majid (majidsar@wisc.edu); Yang, Yiqi (yyang@unl.edu); Warnock, Mary (mwarnock@uark.edu).

Participants Attachment:

Attachment

Brief Summary of Minutes

Guests: Narendra Reddy and David Karst, Graduate Students (University of Nebraska-Lincoln)

Program:

Call to order and introductions by Dr. Ajoy Sarkar (2004 Chair of S1002 Committee) presiding.

Dr. Gita Ramaswamy recognized for local arrangements.

Comments from Dr. Robert Shulstad, Administrative Advisor: Dr. Shulstad commented that he was pleased to be new Administrative Advisor for our group. He reminded members that minutes from meetings, list of participants along with e-mail contact addresses and other particulars on our web page should always be current as well as the Committee's history. Members were also reminded that the present project ends in 2006 and were pleased to hear that we had begun planning for the new proposal. He also reminded the group that the projects should represent regional interaction and the interaction between the states should be greater that if working independently so we need to be sure to show evidence of interaction. Dr. Shulstad congratulated the group on previous work.

Dr. Sarkar announced that the station reports would be limited to 10 minutes to allow time for discussion of the new proposal. Station Reports from Technical Committee Members were presented by the following stations: Auburn University, University of Arkansas-Fayetteville, Colorado State University, The University of Georgia, Kansas State University, Southern University, Louisiana State University, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Tennessee, University of Wisconsin.
Election of 2004 Officers

The Nomination Committee (Drs. Ramaswamy, Sarkar, and Sarmadi) proposed the following members/offices:

Chair - Dr. Karen Leonas

Secretary - Dr. Yiqi Yang

Local Arrangements - Dr. Grace W. Namwamba

All proposed officers were unanimously accepted.

Minutes of the 2003 meeting were approved.

Appreciation expressed to the 2004 officers, Drs. Sarkar, Leonas and Ramaswamy.

New Proposal Discussion

Dr. Gita Ramaswamy was asked to serve as the Editor for the new proposal and she accepted.

The working title of the next proposal is "Textile, Materials and Technology addressing Energy, Health and Other National Security Issues." Objectives, objective editors, and objective participants were decided and proposed as follows:

Objective 1 - Protection against biological threats; Sub-editor - Dr. Larry Wadsworth; and Participants: Drs. Karen Leonas, Gita Ramaswamy, Majid Sarmadi, Ajoy Sarkar, and Larry Wadsworth.

Objective 2 - New biobased textile products/processes for a replacement of petrol/intensive materials; Sub-editor - Dr. Ioan I. Negulescu; and Participants - Dr. Yan "Jonathan" Chen, Grace W. Namwamba, Ioan I. Negulescu Majid Sarmadi, Ajoy Sarkar, Yiqi Yang.

Objective 3 - Fire Safety of Textiles Materials, Sub-editor, Dr. Gita Ramaswamy; and Participants - Drs. Gisela Buschle-Diller, Grace W. Namwamba, Gita Ramaswamy, Majid Sarmadi, and Mary Warnock.

Participants should send background information to the sub-editors by January 15, 2005.

A meeting to discuss the proposal was scheduled for the first week in March 2005 (March 4-5, 2005). It will be held at the Doubletree Inn (Hotel) in New Orleans, LA and Dr. Grace Namwamba agreed to handle the local arrangements.

Next Annual Meeting:

To be organized in conjunction with the 2005 AATCC IE&C (Boston, MA, October 2005). Dr. Grace Namwamba will be responsible for the local arrangements.

Closing Remarks:

Dr. Shulstad thanked members of the committee for a productive meeting and commented that he was extremely pleased with the progress made. He went on to comment on how efficient we were and there was great energy. He mentioned that the future proposal will be judged on previous performance as shown on the website so it needs to be historically accurate.

Dr. Ajoy Sarkar was recognized for serving as Committee Chair and doing a good job.

Meeting adjourned at 5.00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Karen K. Leonas

2004 Secretary, S-1002 Committee

Accomplishments

Objective 1: To develop value-added products from renewable and recyclable resources. Kansas State University reported on the following three projects. First a novel method was developed to characterize morphology of fibers without expensive equipment. As the crystalline regions are impermeable to solvents, an equation was developed to predict morphology of aramid fibers using dissolution time (DT) data of kevlar and nomex multifilament yarns, which were heat, set at various temperatures. The degree of crystallinity of the fibers was also characterized by WAXS. The coefficient of correlation between DT and the x-ray measurement was found to be greater than 0.94 for both fibers. This also allows the prediction of dissolution times for completely amorphous and fully crystalline fibers. Second electrospinning of hyaluronic acid was achieved. Hyaluronic acid aids in cellular repair and exists in human cells for keeping skin moist and also to heal wounds faster. Nonwoven nano webs of hyaluronic acid has been made and the webs are being tested in wound healing and compared to the Vaseline gauze present on the market. Third both the State of California and the federal government are working towards stricter regulations regarding flammability issues and since these will impact cotton fiber as cotton is used to a great extent in upholstery, bed clothing, household products, etc., cotton blends and FR treated cotton performance will be significant. Therefore, basic fabric properties and flammability characteristic of nonwoven blends of 70% by weight of cotton and 30% by weight of selected flame resistant fibers - Celanese PBI®, Lenzing FR® viscose rayon, and BASF Basofil® melamine, FR polyester, Pyron, were evaluated. Flammability characteristic was measured by the Oxygen Index flammability test. This study also addressed the feasibility of using these blends in two applications: childrens sleepwear and textiles for automotive interior, based on their ability and flammability characteristics. The Vertical Flammability Test was used to determine the applicability of these blend fabrics for childrens sleepwear. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard - 302 guidelines were used to determine the suitability of the blend fabrics for automotive application. The various blends of flame resistant fibers and cotton as fillings for bed clothing was evaluated according to TB-604. The use of non-woven flame resistant fiber barriers with commercial polyester filling for bed clothing application was evaluated. The performance criteria in California Technical Bulletin 604 was used for the comparative study of various blends intended for filled bed clothing application. To develop kenaf value-added products for textiles and crafts. Southern University reported further studies on retting kenaf were conducted. Microscopic characterization of the kenaf fibers has also been done to determine the effects of retting method on the microscopic characteristics of the fibers. Kenaf fibers that had been subjected to bacterial retting, softening with dilute NaOH, and chemical retting, were microscopically examined. Samples of the he fiber cross sections and longitudinal samples were prepared and examined using various microscopic techniques including electron microscopy and polarized light microscopy. Results showed that application of NaOH caused fibers to swell and become rounder without changing fiber bundle diameter significantly. There was significant difference in fiber diameter by retting method. Fiber bundle shape varied greatly for chemically retted fibers, which also showed signs of deterioration. Examination of longitudinal shape showed that fiber bundles of chemically retted fibers were more separated, uneven and appeared more brittle than the bacterially retted fibers. Under cross-polarized light, bacterially retted fibers showed a higher degree of anisotropy, birefringence, and pleochroism than chemically retted fibers. Fiber diameter increased with chemical treatment. Taunung kenaf bundles were more elongated in shape than Everglades. Everglades variety had smaller fibers and fiber bundles than Taunung. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that NaOH improved fiber regularity of kenaf fibers but caused weakening of the fibers; excessive chemical treatment damages fiber bundle integrity, loosening short kenaf fibers, resulting in rougher yarn of fabric. Everglades variety has finer fibers and bundles and could be more suited for apparel applications. Surface Modification of Cellulosic Fibers. Auburn University reported on the following two-part project. First cellulosic materials were chemically and enzymatically modified and the changes in their surface characteristics investigated. Surface energies are important properties since they determine the interactions of materials at the interface. For this project agricultural fibers, such as different straws, kenaf, hemp and flax, as well as cotton fibers were investigated regarding their surface properties. Cotton fibers were additionally chemically and enzymatically modified to accentuate the measurable effect. Fibers were bleached, mercerized, reactive dyed, chemically cross-linked with a DMDHEU-based resin, and hydrophobically finished to create increasingly hydrophobic materials. Enzymatic treatment was comprised of biopolishing with cellulases. With the help of electrokinetic measurements all hydrophilic cotton samples showed predominantly dispersive nonpolar surfaces with slightly higher acidity. All samples containing non-cellulosic matter, such as lignin, were less hydrophilic and slightly basic due to phenolic ether groups. In greige cotton and in the hydrophobic samples the access to the electrolyte solutions used in EKA was limited. IGC confirmed the observations made by EKA, while DCA gave less reliable results which might be due to swelling of the samples which is not taken into account in the DCA calculations. The study was performed in cooperation with the USDA, ARS, WRRC, in Albany, CA. Especially in California, there is a strong interest in the re-use of agricultural waste, such as rice and wheat straws. The second part of this project is a continuation of the first. The effect of lignin and other natural non-cellulosic materials on the surface energy left several questions open, which will be investigated in this years project. Linen fibers, raw, scoured and bleached with different amounts of lignin are currently assessed with EKA, DCA and IGC to determine surface energies. Lignin mimic compounds will then be applied to study the effect of phenolic ether groups and substituents. Development of kenaf value-added products for textiles and crafts. University of Arkansas developed patterns for two value-added products composed of 80/20 cotton/kenaf yarns (MS). One product was a hat and the other was an expandable tote bag. A project to determine the effects of dyeing and laundering on the colorfastness of cotton, kenaf fibers and cotton/kenaf blended yarns (MS) was initiated. The cotton fibers were Deltapine 50 cultivar and kenaf fibers were Everglades 44. Cotton/kenaf blended yarns (80/20) were supplied by Mississippi State. Dyes included Procion Red MX 305 (reactive dye) and a color matched direct dye from Pro Chemical. Dyeing procedures have been determined and all fibers and yarns have been dyed. A Tex-Omat machine was used for dyeing purposes. Colorimeter data following dyeing and laundering processes have been collected. Microscopy work to show dye penetration within all fiber and yarn types is in progress. Preparation and characterization of nonwoven materials based on biobased materials. This cooperation with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, LA (Dr. Jacquelene Robeck) and the USDA Southern Regional Research Center from New Orleans, LA (Drs. Val Yachmenev, Timothy Calamari and Dharnid V. Parikh) allowed the preparation of biodegradable nonwoven composites based on bagasse, cotton, ramie, or kenaf fibers and synthetic or bio-derived polymers. The foreseen application is in the auto industry. Mechanical and thermal properties have been investigated and reported. Textile life cycle waste management and resource recovery model. This cooperative effort between University of Louisiana at Lafayette (Dr. Jacquelene Robeck) and LSU continued by preparing new Bread-Butter-Bread Sandwich type nonwovens based on bagasse and cotton webs (Bread) using a solution of cellulose (Lyocell) prepared from recyclable cotton fabrics (Butter). Stable all cellulosic nonwoven materials have been obtained after pressing at 150°C, washing out the solvent and drying. Use of wood fibers and polymers for preparation of stable sandwich-type materials. This project has been developed through the cooperation with the LSU Department of Renewable Resources (Dr. Qinglin Wu and Dr. John Z. Lu). Wood fibers have been reacted with maleic anhydride in order to increase compatibility with synthetic polymers. Thermal transitions, wettability and mechanical properties were determined. Comparison of disperse dye exhaustion, color yield, and colorfastness between PLA and PET University of Nebraska-Lincoln reported ten popular disperse dyes with different energy levels and chemical constitutions were used to compare their exhaustion, color yield, and colorfastness on PLA and PET. Only two out of the ten dyes had exhaustions higher than 80% on PLA at 2 % owf. Five out of the ten dyes had exhaustions less than 50%. All ten dyes had more than 90% exhaustion on PET, while 6 of them had exhaustions of 98% or higher. There was no obvious pattern as for which energy level or which structure class provided dye exhaustion better than others. Although PLA had lower disperse dye exhaustion than PET, it had higher color yield. Based on the ten dyes examined, the color yield of PLA was about 30% higher than PET. This means that even with low dye uptake, PLA could have the similar apparent shade depth to PET if the same dyeing conditions are applied. Our study supported that the lower reflectance, or reflectivity, of PLA contributes to the higher color yield of PLA than PET. Quantitative relation between the shade depth of PLA and PET based on their dye sorption was developed. Disperse dyes examined had lower washing and crocking fastness on PLA than on PET. The differences were about 0.5 to 1.0-Class. If the comparison was based on the same dye uptake, the differences might be larger. The differences in light fastness between the two fibers were smaller than that in washing and crocking fastnesses. The light fastness of disperse dyes on PLA is expected to be even better if the comparison is based on the same dye uptake on both fibers. Objective 2: To Develop Bioprocessing and Related New Technologies for Textiles To develop digital printing systems that meet consumer and industry standards for depth of shade and fastness properties. Southern University completed studies to determine the effect of various parameters during steaming on color intensity. Color determinations were made using a handheld spectrophotometer with CIE-Lab values. Color change during processing of digitally printed fabrics continues to be documented. Individual one-inch CMYK bands were repeatedly printed at 100% strength using an ENCAD 1500 TX ink-jet digital textile printer using fiber reactive dyes. Six yards of pre-treated 100% cotton sheeting fabric was used. The fabrics were steamed in a vertical steamer at 240 Degrees Fahrenheit for 30, 45, and 60 minutes. Fabric was rolled on eight layers for each steaming time (a total of two yards for each treatment). The fabric was soaked in Jacquard Cotton-Wash post-treatment and rinsed in a commercial washing machine and dried in a commercial dryer. A warm iron, no steam, was applied to the digitally printed fabrics to completely smooth the surface for measuring color with the spectrophotometer. Instrumental determination of color value was done according to AATCC Evaluation Procedure 7 using a Color Guide 45/0 spectrophotometer. L* a* b* values were obtained prior to steaming, after steaming and again after washing. Data were analyzed using SPSS ver. 10.0. The GLM procedure was used to compare means of DE*, L*, a*, b*. Post hoc multiple comparisons were made using the LSD model. Descriptive statistics were computed Roll position (distance from the steaming source) did not have significant effect on overall color change. However, the middle rolls/layers had the highest intensity. The inner layers are shielded from direct steam and may experience less hydrolysis. Steaming the fabric for 30 minutes yielded the highest color intensity. There was no significant differences in color change for fabrics steamed for 45 and 60 minutes. Color had significant effect on color change. Black produced the least color change, followed by cyan, magenta and yellow. Yellow intensified the most after steaming, but became lighter after washing. Fabrics became lighter after washing but still maintained a brilliant color. Fabrics became lighter after washing but still maintained a brilliant color. Although there is no statistically significant differences in color across rolls, visual observation shows that the highest color intensity is in the inner rolls (starting from 3). It is recommended that when steaming, wrap the steaming core with another fabric two or three times before rolling on your printed fabrics. An additional three layers should be wrapped around the outermost layer. Fabrics should be steamed for no more than thirty minutes in a regular upright steamer. Steaming time may vary for pressured steamers. We launched digitally printed Su Ag. Center logo merchandise in May 2004. The digital printing research is being applied to develop optimal methods of improving the process. In addition to gathering scientific data, the researchers are developing specifications for setting up a digital printing enterprise. This information will be used for outreach to clientele that may be interested in doing this kind of business. Electrospinning of biodegradable/bioresorbable polymers. Auburn University continued work on the electrospinning of biodegradable polymers and polymers that can be resorbed by the human body. electrospinning set-up has been expanded and refined to a more continuous process. A pump and pick-up mechanism have been added, and the apparatus has been isolated to avoid discharge outside the target area. Biopolymers to be produced in the micro- to nano-range by electrospinning have mostly been formed from solution. Extensive studies have been performed using collagen with the goal of creating a scaffolding material for artery replacement. In experiments the fibers were first spun onto different carriers, such as braided polyester or nets of different shape. These materials will be exposed to endothelial cells and their behavior in such environment will be studied. Further intensive investigations were concerned with chitosan and other biopolymers as well as with solutions of cellulose. These experiments were performed in a joint effort with the Fraunhofer Institute of Applied Polymer Research in Germany. Results will be presented at this years AATCC meeting in Greenville, SC, as well as at the Fiber Society meeting in Ithaca, NY. Enzyme kinetics. Colorado State University reported that of the many enzymes suitable for textile applications, cellulase is one of the most important. To harness the full potential of cellulase and discover additional novel uses for this enzyme in cotton processing, it is imperative to gain an insight into the kinetics of the enzymatic action of cellulase on cotton cellulose. In this study, enzymatic hydrolysis of cotton fibers cellulose by a cellulase mixture was monitored by measuring products of hydrolysis as a function of time in a test reaction vessel. Subsequently, an empirical equation, where; Pt = product concentration at time t (mg/ml) S0 = initial substrate concentration (mg/ml) Pt/S0 = fractional conversion was applied to the data to characterize the cotton cellulose-cellulase system. In spite of its simple form, the empirical equation provided a fairly good fit to experimental data for cotton fibers. In addition, the empirical equation was shown to provide pertinent mechanistic information without resorting to the use of complex kinetic models. For example, the parameter, k, is a measure of overall rate of the reaction. It was observed that an increase in the flow rate or agitation resulted in an increase in the rate of enzymatic hydrolysis. From a fiber processing perspective the result has important implications since it implies that effective hydrolysis of cotton by cellulase is dependent on effective agitation of the reaction mixture. Therefore, cellulase treatment of cotton should be done in jets, rotating drum washers and becks, all of which are batch processes with high levels of agitation. Parameter, x, was also important as it depends on the sterical structure of the system ranging from 1 for very thin films to 0.5-0.6 for high resistance structures with intermediate values describing varying degrees of structural resistance of the system. For the cotton fibers cellulose-cellulase system in this study, the values of x suggested that cotton fibers were resistant to the cellulase treatment. The resistance to treatment was due to the raw condition of the fibers. Further work is being done regarding the applicability of the empirical equation to other substrates including non-textile substrates. Cotton fabric inkjet printing with acid dyes. University of Nebraska-Lincoln reported on the inkjet printing of cotton fabrics with acid dyes. Quaternary ammonium (choline chloride (CC)), and crosslinking agents (DMDHEU and BTCA), were used for the examination in the uptake of acid dyes on cotton. The concentrations of the chemicals, the finishing conditions, and the inkjet printing processes were explored. It was found that with the aid of crosslinkers, acid inks could be used satisfactorily on cotton. Using CC in addition to the crosslinkers improved acid dye uptake only slightly more than using the crosslinking agent alone. A disadvantage of using CC was that the loose dye stained onto white unprinted areas during laundering. It was proposed that the main function of crosslinkers was not only to chemically link the dye to cellulose, but also to form a crosslinked network to block the entrance of the fiber pores where the dye molecules previously penetrated. In addition, steaming time and temperature, wrapping paper, and the position of the fabric in the steamer are investigated for the consideration of color consistency of reactive inkjet printed cotton fabrics. Two of the commonly used steamers, a high temperature and an atmospheric steamers were examined. The reactive dye fixation and hydrolysis concepts were used to explain the shade variations. Recommendable steaming conditions for both steamers are provided. The information provided and discussed in this paper should be interesting to the textile and apparel designers, textile producers and inkjet steamer manufacturers. Friction Factor Calculator Software. At Texas Tech University, a VBA based friction factor calculator software has been developed. The software is user-friendly and is built on peer-reviewed and well-accepted friction concept/factor, R. Most recently, the PI (Ramkumar) has been successful in delineating the scientific concept behind the use of the simple friction factor was delineatied. The method has generated a lot of interest from academic communities and industries such as Ford Motor Company, Next, PLC, England, etc. Nanofiber Research. Texas Tech University also reported that an electrospinning technique was successfully used to develop nanowebs that have both filtration and catalytic activities. Objective 3: To Develop and Evaluate Textile Systems for Protective and Medical Applications. Enhancement of Barrier Fabrics with breathable Films and of Face Masks and Filters with Protective finishes for Safety from Biological Threats. The University of Tennessee reported multi-ply breathable barrier fabrics have been developed at the Textiles and Nonwovens Development Center (TANDEC) which have at least one barrier fabric layer which is impermeable to liquids such as water and body fluids, but which allows the transport of moisture vapor through the micropores of a microporous (MP) film or by chemical absorption of water through a monolithic (ML) membrane, which may have additional barrier layers to includes MB and nanofiber/MB composites. Also, respirable barrier fabrics (face masks and respirators) have been developed which may contain antimicrobial (AM), fluorochemical (FC), latex binder for better retention of AM or to control surface linting of body-side (BS) cotton components, and other protective finishes. MB or nanofiber/MB composites, which are preferably electrostatically charged, comprise the filter media in the face masks or respirator fabric ensembles. Furthermore, the protective finishes may be incorporated into any or all of the components of the garment and face mask fabrics and all of the protective laminates contain a porous or absorbent fabric or film on the BS for enhanced thermal comfort. In addition, other additives may be included into the fabric ensembles to absorb odors or toxic chemicals. Electrostatic charging of the MB PP filter media increased filtration efficiency (FE) of the face masks and respirator laminates by a factor of three and resulted in Bacterial Filtration Efficiencies (BFEs) greater than 98% and Viral Filtration Efficiencies (VFEs) of greater than 99%. The pressure drop (resistance to breathing) of all the filter fabrics were acceptably low. Extractions of the face mask laminates were performed after the BFE test and it was determined that the percent reduction of bacterial (Staphylococcus aureus) after the BFE test was 99.9+% (log reduction of 4.75) with AM and combinations of AM with FC or Latex finishes. All of the finished SB/MP/Cotton-Surfaced Spunbond Nonwoven (CSN) laminates containing FC, AM , latex, or combinations of these finishes passed the Synthetic Boold Penetration Test (ASTM F 1670). The MP and PE MP Films and the garment fabrics containing CSNs with 20 g/m2 of 60% cotton/40% PP staple on 17 g/m2 SB PP all passed ASTM 1670, except the base fabric with the CSN containing 13 g/m2 Cotton/PP on 17 g/m2 SB PP had one failure out of three tests. Surprisingly, these three SB/MP PP/CSN finished garment fabrics failed the Viral Penetration Test (ASTM F 1671), although 1-2 individual tests passed. The bonding pressure/temperature may have been too high causing pin holes. The SB/MP PP/CSN and SB/ MP PE/CSN laminates had high MVTR rates of up to 3635 g/m2/24 hr and up to 7805 g/m2/24 hr, respectively, compared to 5000 with the starting MP PP film. Good kill rates of 99+%; log reductions of 2.39-3.43) of S. aureus (AATCC-100) were obtained on the CSN sides of the garment fabrics were obtained on the CSN BS of the AM treated fabrics. Applying AM alone or the combination of FC + AM to the SB side appeared to be less effective in killing bacteria then when AM finishes were applied to the cotton side.. Nevertheless, un-finished SB/MP PP/CSN and the un-finished SB/MP PE CSN both passed the Viral Penetration Test (ASTM F 1671) after being coated on the SB outer side with Noveon Breathable (ML) Coating. Remarkably, the simple ML Coated CSN consisting of 20 g/m2 of 60% cotton/40% PP on 12 g/m2 SB PP also passed ASTM F 1671. MVTRs in decreasing order were: ML Coated CSN; SB/MP PE/CSN; and SB/MP PP/SB Evaluation of the performance of surgical gowns and facemasks. The University of Georgia reported that 11 surgical facemasks were evaluated and the properties of weight, thickness, pore size, repellency, resistance to liquids and bacterial filtration efficiency was determined. LSCM was used to evaluate the movement of the microorganism sized particles through the facemasks. Particles averaging 1 mm and .01 mm in size were evaluated. Studies completed several years ago showed that there was a relationship between barrier effectiveness of outer garments of agricultural workers and the undergarment fabrics when evaluating pesticide transmission. This may also be a factor in the barrier protectiveness of surgical gowns. Fabrics typically found in undergarments (3 woven and 3 knit fabrics of cotton, cotton/polyester blends and polyester*). Six reusable surgical gowns were pre-washed and then properties related to the barrier effectiveness measured. All gown/undergarment combinations were evaluated in accordance with a modified ASTM 1670-1998: Standard Test Method for Resistance of Materials Used in Protective Clothing to Penetration by Synthetic Blood (the test was modified to hold multiple fabric samples). There was no difference in test results (pass/fail) as a result of undergarments or not, or type of undergarment. Those gowns that passed this test were subjected to ASTM Test Method ASTM E 1671-98 Standard Test Method for Resistance of Materials used in Protective Clothing to Penetration by Blood-Borne Pathogens using Viral Penetration as a Test System and all gowns tested passed this test. Deposition of antibacterial functionalities by plasma polymerization of nitrogen containing compounds. The University of Wisconsin-Madison reported the research on medical textiles with new value added properties have increased tremendously due to its relevance to public health. The incorporation of antimicrobial functionalities has been an active research area bridging the gap between material chemistry and microbiology. Free polycationic structures (quaternary ammonium, pyridinium-type functional polymers, polyacrylates etc.) exhibit antibacterial characteristics. The literature suggests that interaction of positively charged end-groups of the polycation chains with the negatively charged bacteria surface result in the disruption of cell membranes. These functional groups are immobilized onto selected substrates using wet chemistry. Cold Plasma chemistry is more environment friendly and opens up novel and efficient ways for the synthesis of antimicrobial surfaces through dry-chemistry reaction mechanisms. The main objective of the work is to develop nitrogen containing polycationic antibacterial surfaces. The surfaces are functionalized with saturated and unsaturated nitrogen containing gases and subsequent synthesis of bioactive groups using in situ or ex situ surface functionalization reactions. This study used filter paper (cellulose) as substrate and macromolecular thin layers were deposited from acrylonitrile (AN), acetonitrile (AcN) and ethylene diamine (ED) as the plasma gases. The relative surface atomic composition of plasma-modified surfaces has been evaluated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and the nature of surface functionalities have been analyzed using high resolution spectra and Fourier transform IR spectroscopy. The spectroscopic measurements of films deposited from AN-plasma show the presence of imine and amide groups. The oxygen incorporated is due to the post-plasma contamination. The nitrile functionalities decreased as the treatment time was increased arid were completely absent in the 4 min treatment. This suggests that the plasma treatments are energy efficient to break the unreactive bonds like nitrile groups with high bond energy. The density of nitrogen containing functionalities present in the surface layer from AcN-plasma is higher than AN-plasma and this is due to the increase N/C ratio in the precursor. The AcN-plasma polymerized structure had imine and amine functionalities. The ED plasma polymerization was done at two commercial RF power frequencies of 40 kHz and 13.56 MHz. The XPS results reveal that the oxygen from post-plasma oxidation decreased at higher frequency and the nitrogen content was also higher. The polymerized structure predominantly contains saturated nitrogen functionalities and has primary, secondary and tertiary amine functionalities present. The next step is to develop the bioactive functionalities using the subsequent gas-phase stabilization reactions dependent on grafted functionalities. Also, to increase the nitrogen content, pulsed-plasma treatments at 13.56 MHz RF will be investigated. These surfaces will be characterized using XPS, FTIR and GC-MS. The antibacterial efficiency of synthesized polymer structures will be tested. Similar protocols will be followed for the materials used in surgeries and medicine. Developing Cotton and Cotton Based Needlepunched Fabrics. The contoured needle zone H1 technology was successfully used to develop light weight (50 GSM-80 GSM) 100% cotton needle webs. These needled webs were used to develop flexible decontamination wipe. Objective 4: To develop and evaluate textiles with enhanced resistance (or susceptibility) to environmental degradation. University of Arkansas reported that the nonwoven webs have not been received so no work has been initiated.

Publications

Buschle-Diller, G., Inglesby, M. K., Wu, Y. Physicochemical Properties of Chemically and Enzymatically Modified Cellulosic Surfaces. Colloids and Surfaces, (submitted 7/2004). Buschle-Diller, G., Inglesby, M., Wu, Y., Fanter, C. Surface Energy and Accessibility Measurements on Chemically and Enzymatically Modified Cotton. 227th National ACS meeting, Anaheim, CA, March 26-April 1, 2004. Chen, Y. J., Chiparus, O. I., Sun, L., Negulescu, I. I., Kuttruff, J., Yachmenev, V. G. Comparative Study on Kenaf Nonwoven for Automobile Headliner. International Development of Kenaf and Allied Fibers, Aimin Liu Editor, CCG International Inc., Minneapolis, MN, pp. 65-83, 2004. Chen, Y., Chiparus, O., Sun, L., Negulescu, I. I., Parikh, D. V. and Calamari, T. A. Waste Bagasse for Production of Nonwoven Composites. International Sugar Journal, 106(NO 1262): 86-92, 2004. Chinnasami, S., and Ramkumar, S. S., (2003), Development of a Fabric Friction Calculator, AATCC Review, 3 (11), 20-23. Das, T. and Ramaswamy, G. N. Enzyme Treatment of Wool and Specialty Hair Fibers: Alterations in Physical and Chemical Properties. Textile Research Journal, (in review). Dixon, D. L. and Namwamba, G. W. (2004). Effect of Steaming Time and Distance from Steam Source on Color Intensity of Individual CMYK Bands of Digitally Printed Cotton Fabrics. Abstract published on-line at www.aatcc.org. in the proceedings of the 2004 AATCC International Conference. Hawkins, A. and Buschle-Diller, G. Characterization of Polymer Solutions Intended for Electrospinning. The Fiber Society, Annual Meeting and Conference, Ithaca, NY, October 10-12, 2004 (accepted). Hawkins, A., Woods, J., Buschle-Diller, G. Advances in Electrospinning of Biopolymers. AATCC Intern. Conf. & Exhibition 2004, Greenville, SC, September 12-17, 2004. Hermann, D., Ramkumar, S. S., Seshaiyer, P. Parameswaran, S. (2004), Frictional Study of Woven Fabric: Relationship Between Friction and Velocity of Testing, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 92 (4), 2420-2424. Kambam, M., Ramaswamy, G. N., Parikh, D. V., Ramkumar, S., Chinasami, S. (2004). Cotton and Inherently Flame Resistant Fiber Blends: Their Flammability Characteristics and Applications. Proceedings of INDA-TAPPI Conference, Toronto, Sept 21-25, 2004. Kang, J-Yun, Deivasigamani, J., Sarmadi, M. Dyeability of Cotton Fabric Cross-linked with BTCA. AATCC Review, 2004. Kang, J-Yun and Sarmadi, M. Plasma Treatment of Textiles - a Review of Literature: Part I: Natural Fibers. AATCC Review, October 2004. Kang, J-Yun and Sarmadi, M. Plasma Treatment of Textiles - a Review of Literature: Part II: Synthetic Fibers. AATCC Review, (in press 2004). Lee, Youn Eung (Dissertation Chair Larry C. Wadsworth). Process Property Studies of Melt Blown Thermoplastic Polyurethane Polymers, 240 p, August 2004. Leonas, K. K. Using LSCM to Study the Barrier Effectiveness of Textiles used in Medical Textile Protective Apparel. Proceedings Microscopy and Microanalysis, 2004, pp 186-187. Leonas, K. K. Influence of Undergarments on Surgical Gowns as Barriers. Medical Textiles Conference Proceedings Clemson University, 2004. *Leonas, K. K. and Jones, C. R. The Relationship of Fabric Properties and Bacterial Filtration Efficiency for Selected Surgical Masks. Journal of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management, Volume 3, Issue 2, 2003. Lu, Z. J., Negulescu, I. I., et al. Surface and Interfacial Characterization of Wood-PVC Composites: Thermal and Dynamic Mechanical Properties. Wood and Fiber Science, 36(4): 500-510, 2004. Lu, J. Z., Wu, Q., Negulescu, I. I. Wood-fiber/High-Density-Polyethylene Composites: Compounding Process. J. Applied Polymer Science, Vol. 93, 2570-78, 2004. Ma, Y. C., Manolache, S., Sarmadi, M., Denes, F. "Synthesis of Starch Copolymers by Silicon Tetrachloride Plasma Induced Graft Polymerization. Starch/Stärke, Vol. 56, pp.47-57, 2004. Namwamba, G. (2003). Using an Electronic Swatch Kit to Enhance Experimental Learning in Textiles. Proceedings of the International Textiles and Apparel Association Conference, November, 2003. Namwamba, G. W. and Dixon, D. L. (2004). Microscopic Characterization of Bacterially and Chemically Retted Kenaf Fibers. Abstract published on-line at www.aatcc.org. in the proceedings of the 2004 AATCC International Conference. Namwamba, G. W. and Dixon, D. L. (2003). Effect of Steaming and Washing on Shrinkage of Inkjet Printed Cotton Fabric. Abstract published on-line at www.aatcc.org. in the proceedings of the 2003 AATCC International Conference. Namwamba, G. W., Dixon, D. L., Ghebreiyessus, Y., Chen, Y., Zhang, T., Kimmel, L. (2003). Effect of Retting Method on the Color of Kenaf Fiber. Abstract published on-line at www.aatcc.org. Poster presented at the 2003 AATCC International Conference. Namwamba, G., Scott, P., Dixon, D., Jackson, B. (2003). Summer Splash: African inspired outfit made with digitally printed fabric, an original design. Design abstract accepted for publication in the proceedings of the 2003 International Textiles and Apparel Association Conference in November. Negulescu, I. I., Chen, Y., Chiparus, O. I., Parikh, D. V. Composite Nonwoven Materials Based on Kenaf and Other Natural Fibers. International Development of Kenaf and Allied Fibers, Ed. Aimin Liu, CCG International Inc., Minneapolis, MN, pp. 84-98, 2004. Negulescu, I. I., Chen, Y., Robeck, J., Zhang, X., Sun, L. Biodegradable Composite Nonwoven Materials Based on Recyclable Cotton Textiles. Recycling in Textiles, Edited by Y. Wang, Woodhead Publishing Ltd., London, 2005. Ramaswamy, G. N., Sellers. T., Tao, W. and Crook, L. G. (2003). Kenaf Nonwovens as Substrates for Laminations. Journal of Industrial Crops and Products, 23, pp. 1-8. Ramaswamy, G. N., Singh, P. K., Ramkumar, S., Gatewood, B. M. and Das, T. Bioscouring of Kenaf/Cotton Fabrics. The Journal of Biotechnology, (in review). Ramkumar, S. S., Rajanala, R., Parameswaran, S., Paige, R., Shaw, A., Shelly, D. C., Anderson, T. A., Cobb, G. P., Mahmud, R., Roedel, C., and Tock, R.W. (2004), Experimental Verification of Failure of Amontons' Law in Polymeric Textiles, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Vol. 91 (6), pp. 3879-3885. Ramkumar, S. S., and Roedel, C., (2003), A Study of the Needle Penetration Speeds on the Frictional Properties of Nonwoven Webs: A New Approach, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 89 (13), 3626-3631. Ramkumar, S. S., Umrani, A., Shelly, D. C., Tock, R. W., Parameswaran, S. and Smith, M. L. (2004), Study of the Effect of Sliding Velocity on the Frictional Properties of Nonwoven Substrates, Wear, 256, 221-225. Sarkar, Ajoy K. Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Cotton Fibers: Modeling Using an Empirical Equation. Journal of Cotton Science, (in review). Shen, H. and Leonas, K. K. Investigation of Penetration of Small Particles through Surgical Face Masks. Medical Textiles Conference Proceedings Clemson University, 2004. Uppal, R. and Ramaswamy, G. N. (2004). A Novel Method to Characterize Morphology of Fibers. Textile Research Journal, (in review). Virk, R. K. and Ramaswamy, G. N. (2003). Plasma and Antimicrobial Treatment of Nonwoven Fabrics for Surgical Gowns. Textile Research Journal, (in press). Wang, J. and Ramaswamy, G. N. (2004). Effects of Chemical Processing on Hemp and Kenaf: Part I. Physical Properties and Chemical Composition. AATCC Review, (in press). Wang, J. and Ramaswamy, G. N. (2004). Effects of Chemical Processing on Hemp and Kenaf: Part II. Dyeing Properties. AATCC Review, (in press). Wang, J. and Ramaswamy, G. N. (2003). One-step Processing and Bleaching of Mechanically Separated Kenaf Fibers: Alterations in the Physical and Chemical Properties. Textile Research Journal, 73 (4), 339-344. Yang, Y. and Naarani, V. Effect of steaming conditions on color and consistency of inkjet printed cotton using reactive dyes. Coloration Technology, 120(3), 127-131(2004). Yang, Y. and Huda, S. Comparison of disperse dye exhaustion, color yield, and colorfastness between polylactide and poly(ethylene terephthalate). J. Applied Polymer Sci., 90(12), 3285-3290 (2003). Yang, Y. and Li, S. Cotton fabric inkjet printing with acid dyes. Textile Res. J., 73(9), 809-814(2003). Zhou, R. and Wadsworth, L. C. Study of Polypropylene/Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Bicomponent Melt-blowing Process: The Fiber Temperature and Elongational Viscosity Profiles of the Spinline. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 89, 1145-1150 (2003). Zhao, R., Wadsworth, L. C., Zhang, D., Sun, C. Attenuating PP/PET Bicomponent Melt Blown Microfibers. Polymer Engineering and Science, 43 (2), 463-469 (2003). Zhao, R., Wadsworth, L. C., Zhang, D., Sun, C. Properties of PP/PET Bicomponent Melt Blown Microfiber Nonwovens After Heat Treatment. Polymer International, 52(1), 133-137 (2003). *stringent review Patents and Invention Disclosures: S. S. Ramkumar, Development of Leather Based Ballistic Protection Composites Shield, (Notice of Allowance received and Patent will be published soon). S. S. Ramkumar, Method of Producing Chemical Protective Composite Substrate, (Patent Pending). S. S. Ramkumar and S. Thandavmoorthy, Electrospun Nano Metal Oxide Nanofiber Web, Invention Disclosure filed. Thandavmoorthy Subbiah and S. S. Ramkumar, Annular Nozzle Design for Electrospinning Nanofiber Coated with Particles, Invention Disclosure filed on June 2, 2004. Thandavmoorthy Subbiah and S. S. Ramkumar, Electrospinning Bicomponent Polymeric Nanofibers, Invention Disclosure filed on June 2, 2004.

Impact Statements

Digital textile printing has the ability to provide on-demand access and a reduction in cost in the application of surface designs.
Production of new environmental compatible products is critical to the environment.
Effective protective apparel is critical to the health and safety of those in work positions related to healthcare and homeland security.
The development of products useful in reducing health care costs (resorbable polymers, enhanced wound healing properties) will benefit those requiring medical treatment.

Date of Annual Report: 06/23/2005

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 03/03/2005 - 03/05/2005
Period the Report Covers: 09/01/2004 - 10/01/2005

Participants

Shulstad, Robert (shulstad@uga.edu) - Univ. of Georgia (Administrative Advisor); Chen, Yan (chenyan@lsu.edu) - Louisiana State University; French, Al (afrench@srrc.ars.usda.gov) - SRRC-USDA; Leonas, Karen (kleonas@fcs.uga.edu) - Univ. of Georgia; Namwamba, Grace W. (grace_namwamba@suagcenter.net) - Southern University; Negulescu, Ioan (inegule@lsu.edu) - Louisiana State University; Parikh, D. V. (parikh@srrc.ars.usda.gov) - SRRC-USDA; Ramaswamy, Gita (ramaswam@humec.ksu.edu) - Kansas State University; Sarmadi, Majid (majidsar@facstaff.wisc.edu) - University of Wisconsin-Madison; Yang, Yiqi (yyang@une.edu) - University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Warnock, Mary (mwarnock@comp.uark.edu) - University of Arkansas-Fayetteville; Wadsworth, Larry (lwadswor@utk.edu) - University of Tennessee.

Brief Summary of Minutes

Call to order and introductions by Dr. Karen Leonas at 8:30 am on March 4, 2005 (2005 Chair of S1002 Committee).

SRRC-USDA was acknowledged for providing the facility for our March 4 meeting and for helping arranging the motel for us to stay. Dr. Grace Namwamba was also recognized for local arrangements.

Dr. Robert Shulstad, Administrative Advisor, acknowledged the team for an early start on the preparation of the new proposal.

Dr. Gita Ramaswamy, the Editor for the new proposal, provided details for the work every group had done before this meeting and what would be the key points that we needed to consider during our two-day work in New Orleans.

Dr. Karen Leonas reported that Auburn University would not participate in S1002, Some other Universities still want to participate but will not contribute to the development of the proposal.

The group recommended that the Universities who wanted to participate should have their work fitted into one or more of the objectives in the new proposal. Karen will contact these Universities that did not come for the proposal development but wanted to participate.

Dr. Shulstad suggested that we include the economic impacts of what we had done in the previous project and what we were proposing into the new project. He also discussed with the team about the future of the HATCH program.

Break at 9:55 am and the team resumed their work at 10:10am into three groups focused on three different objectives, respectively.

11:30 am to 1:00pm, S1002 members attended the AATCC Gulf Section Spring Meeting. Dr. Karen Leonas presented "Biomedical Textiles and Their Applications".

Group tour of the SRRC from 1 to 2 pm.

Three groups resume writing objectives at 2pm.

Motion on the annual S1002 meeting in conjunction with AATCC IC&E was carried.

Motion on have the S1002 meeting Monday 24th at 1pm and Tuesday 25th of October, 2005 from 8 to 5pm was carried. AATCC IC&E will be from 25th to 27th of October in Boston. Grace will arrange the meeting place.

Gita reported that Grace would include her work into Obj. 2b-4, instead of Obj. 3.

The possibility of including nanotechnology into the proposal was discussed.

The March 4 meeting at SRRC-USDA adjourned at 5 pm, and resumed at 9am on March 5, 2005 at the Wingate Inn-Kenner to continue the proposal development.

Some important dates for everyone to follow:

1. By March 14, Ioan should send the Methods section of Objective 3 to Gita.

2. By March 14, all the participating members should send publications, presentations, and theses/dissertations from 2001 to Gita for the proposal.

3. By March 21, Grace should send her section of research to Gita.

4. March 28, Gita will send the DC report and let Dr. Shulstad input the information online.

5. May 1, Gita will send the final proposal to Dr. Shulstad.

Karen will send the teams condolences to Grace and her husband on her father-in-laws death.

Acknowledgement

1. Dr. Gita Ramaswamy for her leadership in preparing the new proposal.

2. Dr. Grace Namwamba for local arrangement.

3. Drs. Jonathan Chen and Ioan Negulescu for providing transportations for the team.

4. SRRC-USDA for providing facility for the meeting, an excellent tour of the
laboratories, and a delicious lunch.

5. Dr. Karen Leonas for organizing a successful meeting.

6. Dr. Karen Leonas for the very interesting presentation at the AATCC Gulf section meeting.

Meeting adjourned at 10:30am on March 5, 2005.

Respectfully submitted,

Yiqi Yang
2005 Secretary, S-1002 Committee

Accomplishments

A series of objectives for project S-1002 are listed below with updates from participants for the period of 1 October 2003-30 September 2004, as described in the following: Objective 1: To develop value-added products from renewable and recyclable resources. New Technologies for the Utilization of Textile Materials. Kansas State University reported on the following three projects. First a novel method was developed to characterize morphology of fibers without expensive equipment. As the crystalline regions are impermeable to solvents, an equation was developed to predict morphology of aramid fibers using dissolution time (DT) data of kevlar and nomex mutifilament yarns which were heat set at various temperatures. The degree of crystallinity of the fibers was also characterized by WAXS. The coefficient of correlation between DT and the x-ray measurement was found to be greater than 0.94 for both fibers. This also allows the prediction of dissolution times for completely amorphous and fully crystalline fibers. Second electrospinning of hyaluronic acid was achieved. Hyaluronic acid aids in cellular repair and exists in human cells for keeping skin moist and also to heal wounds faster. Nonwoven nano webs of hyaluronic acid has been made and the webs are being tested in wound healing and compared to the Vaseline gauze present on the market. Third both the State of California and the federal government are working towards stricter regulations regarding flammability issues and since these will impact cotton fiber as cotton is used to a great extent in upholstery, bed clothing, household products, etc., cotton blends and FR treated cotton performance will be significant. Therefore, basic fabric properties and flammability characteristic of nonwoven blends of 70% by weight of cotton and 30% by weight of selected flame resistant fibers - Celanese PBI®, Lenzing FR® viscose rayon, and BASF Basofil® melamine, FR polyester, Pyron, were evaluated. Flammability characteristic was measured by the Oxygen Index flammability test. This study also addressed the feasibility of using these blends in two applications: childrens sleepwear and textiles for automotive interior, based on their ability and flammability characteristics. The Vertical Flammability Test was used to determine the applicability of these blend fabrics for childrens sleepwear. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard - 302 guidelines were used to determine the suitability of the blend fabrics for automotive application. The various blends of flame resistant fibers and cotton as fillings for bed clothing was evaluated according to TB-604. The use of non-woven flame resistant fiber barriers with commercial polyester filling for bed clothing application was evaluated. The performance criteria in California Technical Bulletin 604 was used for the comparative study of various blends intended for filled bed clothing application. To develop kenaf value-added products for textiles and crafts. Southern University reported further studies on retting kenaf were conducted. Microscopic characterization of the kenaf fibers has also been done to determine the effects of retting method on the microscopic characteristics of the fibers. Kenaf fibers that had been subjected to bacterial retting, softening with dilute NaOH, and chemical retting, were microscopically examined using various techniques. The fiber cross sections were made using AATCC Procedure for fiber cross sectioning. Longitudinal samples were also prepared. The samples were examined using various microscopic techniques including electron microscopy and polarized light microscopy. Photomicrographs were taken using a Zeiss Axiocam HRc Color digital video camera and axiovision image analysis software was used to analyze photomicrographs of the fibers to determine fiber characteristics and to measure fiber parameters. The data was analyzed using SPSS ver. 10 to determine descriptive statistics. Results showed that application of NaOH caused fibers to swell and become rounder without changing fiber bundle diameter significantly. There was significant difference in fiber diameter by retting method. Fiber bundle shape varied greatly for chemically retted fibers, which also showed signs of deterioration. Examination of longitudinal shape showed that fiber bundles of chemically retted fibers were more separated, uneven and appeared more brittle than the bacterially retted fibers. Under cross-polarized light, bacterially retted fibers showed a higher degree of anisotropy, birefringence, and pleochroism than chemically retted fibers. Fiber diameter increased with chemical treatment. Taunung kenaf bundles were more elongated in shape than Everglades. Everglades variety had smaller fibers and fiber bundles than Taunung. Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that NaOH improved fiber regularity of kenaf fibers but caused weakening of the fibers. It can also be concluded that excessive chemical treatment damages fiber bundle integrity, loosening short kenaf fibers, resulting in rougher yarn of fabric. These factors have to be taken into consideration when applying chemical treatments to kenaf. Everglades variety has finer fibers and bundles and could be more suited for apparel applications. Surface Modification of Cellulosic Fibers. Auburn University reported on the following two-part project. First cellulosic materials were chemically and enzymatically modified and the changes in their surface characteristics investigated. Surface energies are important properties since they determine the interactions of materials at the interface. For example, in composite materials cohesion between reinforcing fiber and matrix is controlled by available functional groups. With the help of inverse gas chromatography (IGC) surface energies as well as acid/base constants can be determined for materials in the dry state. Streaming potential measurements (EKA) and dynamic contact angle determinations (DCA) yield similar information on surfaces in the wet state. For this project agricultural fibers, such as different straws, kenaf, hemp and flax, as well as cotton fibers were investigated regarding their surface properties. Cotton fibers were additionally chemically and enzymatically modified to accentuate the measureable effect. Fibers were bleached, mercerized, reactive dyed, chemically cross-linked with a DMDHEU-based resin, and hydrophobically finished to create increasingly hydrophobic materials. Enzymatic treatment was comprised of biopolishing with cellulases. With the help of electrokinetic measurements all hydrophilic cotton samples showed predominantly dispersive nonpolar surfaces with slightly higher acidity. All samples containing non-cellulosic matter, such as lignin, were less hydrophilic and slightly basic due to phenolic ether groups. In greige cotton and in the hydrophobic samples the access to the electrolyte solutions used in EKA was limited. IGC confirmed the observations made by EKA, while DCA gave less reliable results which might be due to swelling of the samples which is not taken into account in the DCA calculations. The study was performed in cooperation with the USDA, ARS, WRRC, in Albany, CA. Especially in California, there is a strong interest in the re-use of agricultural waste, such as rice and wheat straws. The findings of the project were presented at several meetings and a publication has been submitted (see below). The second part of this project is a continuation of the first. The effect of lignin and other natural non-cellulosic materials on the surface energy left several questions open which will be investigated in this years project. Linen fibers, raw, scoured and bleached with different amounts of lignin are currently assessed with EKA, DCA and IGC to determine surface energies. Lignin mimic compounds will then be applied to study the effect of phenolic ether groups and substituents. Development of kenaf value-added products for textiles and crafts. University of Arkansas developed patterns for two value-added products composed of 80/20 cotton/kenaf yarns (MS). One product was a hat and the other was an expandable tote bag. Project to determine the effects of dyeing and laundering on the colorfastness of cotton, kenaf fibers and cotton/kenaf blended yarns (MS) was initiated. The cotton fibers were Deltapine 50 cultivar and kenaf fibers were Everglades 44. Cotton/kenaf blended yarns (80/20) were supplied by Mississippi State. Dyes included Procion Red MX 305 (reactive dye) and a color matched direct dye from Pro Chemical. Dyeing procedures have been determined and all fibers and yarns have been dyed. A Tex-Omat machine was used for dyeing purposes. Colorimeter data following dyeing and laundering processes have been collected. Laundering was accomplished in an Atlas Launder-Ometer. Microscopy work to show dye penetration within all fiber and yarn types is in progress. Preparation and characterization of nonwoven materials based on biobased materials. This cooperation with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, LA (Dr. Jacquelene Robeck) and the USDA Southern Regional Research Center from New Orleans, LA (Drs. Val Yachmenev, Timothy Calamari and Dharnid V. Parikh) allowed the preparation of biodegradable nonwoven composites based on bagasse, cotton, ramie, or kenaf fibers and synthetic or bio-derived polymers. The foreseen application is in the auto industry. Mechanical and thermal properties have been investigated and reported. Textile life cycle waste management and resource recovery model. This cooperative effort between University of Louisiana at Lafayette (Dr. Jacquelene Robeck) and LSU continued by preparing new Bread-Butter-Bread Sandwich type nonwovens based on bagasse and cotton webs (Bread) using a solution of cellulose (Lyocell) prepared from recyclable cotton fabrics (Butter). Stable all cellulosic nonwoven materials have been obtained after pressing at 150°C, washing out the solvent and drying. Use of wood fibers and polymers for preparation of stable sandwich-type materials. This project has been developed through the cooperation with the LSU Department of Renewable Resources (Dr. Qinglin Wu and Dr. John Z. Lu). Wood fibers have been reacted with maleic anhydride in order to increase compatibility with synthetic polymers. Thermal transitions, wettability and mechanical properties were determined. Comparison of disperse dye exhaustion, color yield, and colorfastness between PLA and PET University of Nebraska-Lincoln reported ten popular disperse dyes with different energy levels and chemical constitutions were used to compare their exhaustion, color yield, and colorfastness on PLA and PET. Only two out of the ten dyes had exhaustions higher than 80% on PLA at 2 % owf. Five out of the ten dyes had exhaustions less than 50%. All ten dyes had more than 90% exhaustion on PET, while 6 of them had exhaustions of 98% or higher. There was no obvious pattern as for which energy level or which structure class provided dye exhaustion better than others. Although PLA had lower disperse dye exhaustion than PET, it had higher color yield. Based on the ten dyes examined, the color yield of PLA was about 30% higher than PET. This means that even with low dye uptake, PLA could have the similar apparent shade depth to PET if the same dyeing conditions are applied. Our study supported that the lower reflectance, or reflectivity, of PLA contributes to the higher color yield of PLA than PET. Quantitative relation between the shade depth of PLA and PET based on their dye sorption was developed. Disperse dyes examined had lower washing and crocking fastness on PLA than on PET. The differences were about 0.5 to 1.0-Class. If the comparison was based on the same dye uptake, the differences might be larger. The differences in light fastness between the two fibers were smaller than that in washing and crocking fastnesses. The light fastness of disperse dyes on PLA is expected to be even better if the comparison is based on the same dye uptake on both fibers. Objective 2: To Develop Bioprocessing and Related New Technologies for Textiles Specific Objective To develop digital printing systems that meet consumer and industry standards for depth of shade and fastness properties. Studies were conducted at Southern University to determine the effect of various parameters during steaming on color intensity. Color determinations were made using a handheld spectrophotometer with CIE-Lab values. Color change during processing of digitally printed fabrics continues to be documented. Further experiments are underway to improve colorfastness of digitally printed fabrics. The following studies have been completed. Individual one-inch CMYK bands were repeatedly printed at 100% strength using an ENCAD 1500 TX ink-jet digital textile printer using fiber reactive dyes. Six yards of pre-treated 100% cotton sheeting fabric was used. The fabrics were steamed in a vertical steamer at 240 Degrees Fahrenheit for 30, 45, and 60 minutes. Fabric was rolled on eight layers for each steaming time (a total of two yards for each treatment). The fabric was soaked in Jacquard Cotton-Wash post-treatment and rinsed in a commercial washing machine and dried in a commercial dryer. A warm iron, no steam, was applied to the digitally printed fabrics to completely smooth the surface for measuring color with the spectrophotometer. Instrumental determination of color value was done according to AATCC Evaluation Procedure 7 using a Color Guide 45/0 spectrophotometer. L* a* b* values were obtained prior to steaming, after steaming and again after washing. Data were analyzed using SPSS ver. 10.0. The GLM procedure was used to compare means of DE*, L*, a*, b*. Post hoc multiple comparisons were made using the LSD model. Descriptive statistics were computed Results showed the following. Roll position (distance from the steaming source) did not have significant effect on overall color change. However, the middle rolls/layers had the highest intensity. The inner layers are shielded from direct steam and may experience less hydrolysis. Steaming the fabric for 30 minutes yielded the highest color intensity. There was no significant differences in color change for fabrics steamed for 45 and 60 minutes. Stripe color had significant effect on color change. Black produced the least color change, followed by cyan, magenta and yellow. Yellow intensified the most after steaming, but became lighter after washing. Fabrics became lighter after washing but still maintained a brilliant color. Fabrics became lighter after washing but still maintained a brilliant color. Although there is no statistically significant differences in color across rolls, visual observation shows that the highest color intensity is in the inner rolls (starting from 3). It is recommended that when steaming, wrap the steaming core with another fabric two or three times before rolling on your printed fabrics. An additional three layers should be wrapped around the outermost layer. Fabrics should be steamed for no more than thirty minutes in a regular upright steamer. Steaming time may vary for pressured steamers. We launched digitally printed Su Ag. Center logo merchandise in May 2004. The digital printing research is being applied to develop optimal methods of improving the process. In addition to gathering scientific data, the researchers are developing specifications for setting up a digital printing enterprise. This information will be used for outreach to clientele that may be interested in doing this kind of business. Potential Impact Digital textile printing has great potential to revolutionize coloration of textile products. On-demand access to printing of textiles has emerged as a very important factor. The process is not widely applied for printing yardage and is mostly limited to printing banners, posters and smaller piece goods. Limitations of previous thermal inkjet options have been overcome by advancing both processes and materials developed synergistically to successfully print on textiles. Digital printing permits unlimited colors to be printed, unlimited repeat sizes and print quality that could be impossible on traditional rotary machines. It also eliminates the necessity of engraving costly nickel screens and allows for a clean processing environment. Digital textile printing is one of the latest technologies in the textile industry. The process opens new ways of applying surface designs to a fabric and reduces production time for textile prints. The research being conducted will provide information that will be useful in characterization of digitally printed textiles and to develop optimal methods of improving the process. Environmental compatibility is a major selling point for many products. It is hypothesized that biodegradable kenaf fibers will increase in popularity over time. It is important, therefore to develop new textile products form non-traditional sources and to characterize these products. Electrospinning of biodegradable/bioresorbable polymers. Auburn university is also working on biodegradable polymers and polymers that can be resorbed by the human body have gained increasing importance for numerous medical and industrial applications. Some results of this project have been reported at last years meeting. This year the electrospinning set-up has been expanded and refined to a more continuous process. A pump has been added as well as a pick-up mechanism and the apparatus has been isolated to avoid discharge outside the target area. Biopolymers to be produced in the micro- to nano-range by electrospinning have mostly been formed from solution. Extensive studies have been performed using collagen with the goal of creating a scaffolding material for artery replacement. In experiments the fibers were first spun onto different carriers, such as braided polyester or nets of different shape. These materials will be exposed to endothelial cells and their behavior in such environment will be studied. Further intensive investigations were concerned with chitosan and other biopolymers as well as with solutions of cellulose. These experiments were performed in a joint effort with the Fraunhofer Institute of Applied Polymer Research in Germany. Results will be presented at this years AATCC meeting in Greenville, SC, as well as at the Fiber Society meeting in Ithaca, NY. Enzyme kinetics. Colorado State University reported that of the many enzymes suitable for textile applications, cellulase is one of the most important. Cellulase is used in biopolishing of cotton fibers to improve fabric smoothness and softness and in biofinishing denim garments to produce a worn look. To harness the full potential of cellulase and discover additional novel uses for this enzyme in cotton processing, it is imperative to gain an insight into the kinetics of the enzymatic action of cellulase on cotton cellulose. In this study, enzymatic hydrolysis of cotton fibers cellulose by a cellulase mixture was monitored by measuring products of hydrolysis as a function of time in a test reaction vessel. Subsequently, an empirical equation, where; Pt = product concentration at time t (mg/ml) S0 = initial substrate concentration (mg/ml) Pt/S0 = fractional conversion was applied to the data to characterize the cotton cellulose-cellulase system. In spite of its simple form, the empirical equation provided a fairly good fit to experimental data for cotton fibers. In addition, the empirical equation was shown to provide pertinent mechanistic information without resorting to the use of complex kinetic models. For example, the parameter, k, is a measure of overall rate of the reaction. It was observed that an increase in the flow rate or agitation resulted in an increase in the rate of enzymatic hydrolysis. From a fiber processing perspective the result has important implications since it implies that effective hydrolysis of cotton by cellulase is dependent on effective agitation of the reaction mixture. Therefore, cellulase treatment of cotton should be done in jets, rotating drum washers and becks, all of which are batch processes with high levels of agitation. Parameter, x, was also important as it depends on the sterical structure of the system ranging from 1 for very thin films to 0.5-0.6 for high resistance structures with intermediate values describing varying degrees of structural resistance of the system. For the cotton fibers cellulose-cellulase system in this study, the values of x suggested that cotton fibers were resistant to the cellulase treatment. The resistance to treatment was due to the raw condition of the fibers. Practically, this means that cellulase hydrolysis will be more effective when fibers are pretreated prior to finishing with cellulase. Further work is being done regarding the applicability of the empirical equation to other substrates including non-textile substrates. Cotton fabric inkjet printing with acid dyes. University of Nebraska-Lincoln reported on the following two projects. Cotton fabric inkjet printing with acid dyes was investigated. Quaternary ammonium (choline chloride (CC)), and crosslinking agents (DMDHEU and BTCA), were used for the examination in the uptake of acid dyes on cotton. The concentrations of the chemicals, the finishing conditions, and the inkjet printing processes were explored. It was found that with the aid of crosslinkers, acid inks could be used satisfactorily on cotton. Using CC in addition to the crosslinkers improved acid dye uptake only slightly more than using the crosslinking agent alone. A disadvantage of using CC was that the loose dye stained onto white unprinted areas during laundering. It was proposed that the main function of crosslinkers was not only to chemically link the dye to cellulose, but also to form a crosslinked network to block the entrance of the fiber pores where the dye molecules previously penetrated. Steaming conditions and color consistency of reactive inkjet printed cotton. Steaming time and temperature, wrapping paper, and the position of the fabric in the steamer are investigated for the consideration of color consistency of reactive inkjet printed cotton fabrics. Two of the commonly used steamers, a high temperature and an atmospheric steamers were examined. The reactive dye fixation and hydrolysis concepts were used to explain the shade variations. Recommendable steaming conditions for both steamers are provided. The information provided and discussed in this paper should be interesting to the textile and apparel designers, textile producers and inkjet steamer manufacturers. Friction Factor Calculator Software. A VBA based friction factor calculator software has been developed. The software is user-friendly and is built on peer-reviewed and well accepted friction concept/factor, R. Most recently, the PI (Ramkumar) has been successful in delineating the scientific concept behind the use of the simple friction factor and published in peer-reviewed journals such as Textile Research Journal, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Wear and AATCC Review. The method has generated a lot of interest from academic communities and industries such as Ford Motor Company, Next, PLC, England, etc. Texas Tech University has released a news release on friction factor development on March 22, 2004. Nanofiber Research. The electrospinning technique was successfully used to develop nanowebs that have both filtration and catalytic activities. Research is currently underway and results will be presented in the next S-1002 annual meeting. Objective 3: To Develop and Evaluate Textile Systems for Protective and Medical Applications. Enhancement of Barrier Fabrics with breathable Films and of Face Masks and Filters with Protective finishes for Safety from Biological Threats. The University of Tennessee reported multi-ply breathable barrier fabrics have been developed at the Textiles and Nonwovens Development Center (TANDEC) which have at least one barrier fabric layer which is impermeable to liquids such as water and body fluids, but which allows the transport of moisture vapor through the micropores of a microporous (MP) film or by chemical absorbtion of water through a monolithic (ML) membrane, which may have additional barrier layers to includes MB and nanofiber/MB composites. Also, respirable barrier fabrics (face masks and respirators) have been developed which may contain antimicrobial (AM), fluorochemical (FC), latex binder for better retention of AM or to control surface linting of body-side (BS) cotton components, and other protective finishes. MB or nanofiber/MB composites, which are preferably electrostatically charged, comprse the filter media in the face masks or respirator fabric ensembles. Furthermore, the protective finishes may be incorporated into any or all of the components of the garment and face mask fabrics and all of the protective laminates contain a porous or absorbent fabric or film on the BS for enhanced thermal comfort. In addition, other additives may be included into the fabric ensembles to absorb odors or toxic chemicals. Electrostatic charging of the MB PP filter media increased filtration efficiency (FE) of the face masks and respirator laminates by a factor of three and resulted in Bacterial Filtration Efficienes (BFEs) greater than 98% and Viral Filtration Efficiences (VFEs) of greater than 99%. The pressure drop (resistance to breathing) of all the filter fabrics were acceptably low. Extractions of the face mask laminates were performed after the BFE test and it was determined that the percent reduction of bacterial (Staphylococcus aureus) after the BFE test was 99.9+% (log reduction of 4.75) with AM and combinations of AM with FC or Latex finishes. All of the finished SB/MP/Cotton-Surfaced Spunbond Nonwoven (CSN) laminates containing FC, AM , latex, or combinations of these finishes passed the Synthetic Boold Penetration Test (ASTM F 1670). The MP and PE MP Films and the garment fabrics containing CSNs with 20 g/m2 of 60% cotton/40% PP staple on 17 g/m2 SB PP all passed ASTM 1670, except the base fabric with the CSN containing 13 g/m2 Cotton/PP on 17 g/m2 SB PP had one failure out of three tests. Surprisingly, these three SB/MP PP/CSN finished garment fabrics failed the Viral Penetration Test (ASTM F 1671), although 1-2 individual tests passed. The bonding pressure/temperature may have been too high causing pin holes. The SB/MP PP/CSN and SB/ MP PE/CSN laminates had high MVTR rates of up to 3635 g/m2/24 hr and up to 7805 g/m2/24 hr, respectively, compared to 5000 with the starting MP PP film. Good kill rates of 99+%; log reductions of 2.39-3.43) of S. aureus (AATCC-100) were obtained on the CSN sides of the garment fabrics were obtained on the CSN BS of the AM treated fabrics. Applying AM alone or the combination of FC + AM to the SB side appeared to be less effective in killing bacteria then when AM finishes were applied to the cotton side.. Nevertheless, un-finished SB/MP PP/CSN and the un-finished SB/MP PE CSN both passed the Viral Penetration Test (ASTM F 1671) after being coated on the SB outer side with Noveon Breathable (ML) Coating. Remarkably, the simple ML Coated CSN consisting of 20 g/m2 of 60% cotton/40% PP on 12 g/m2 SB PP also passed ASTM F 1671. MVTRs in decreasing order were: ML Coated CSN; SB/MP PE/CSN; and SB/MP PP/SB Future work planned for 2005 includes FC and FC + AM finishes will be applied to the SB side and AM and AM + latex will be applied to the cotton side of face masks and protective garment fabrics by Foam Finihing for better uniformity and to save energy in drying fabrics. The face mask laminate with a MB center will then be charged by Tantret" Technique II. Kill rate to bacteria and viruses will be determined in the U.S. and China. Continue to compare the advantages and any disadvantages of utilizing the much higher MVTR MP PE compared to MP PP and determine optimum bonding conditions for SB/ MP PE versus MP PP/ CSN or hydroentanged cotton/synthetic blended fabric (HEC/SF) to minimize pin holes to pass ASTM 1671 with and without Noveon ML coating. Determine optimum compositions and finishes required for Noveon ML coated CSNs to pass both ASTM F 1670 and ASTM F1671. Evaluation of the performance of surgical gowns and facemasks. The potential for occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B, has received much attention in recent years. Healthcare organizations on a national and international level have developed guidelines and standards for health care workers to minimize risks of exposure. Use of protective apparel is a key factor in these recommendations. Protective surgical apparel can play an important role in minimizing disease transmission in the operating theater. Bacterial and viral diseases are spread through both airborne and blood-borne pathways. Surgical apparel can reduce the transfer of microorganisms by creating a physical barrier between the infection source and a healthy individual. Surgical gowns and medical facemasks are common protective apparel used by healthcare workers to reduce exposure. At the University of Georgia, research evaluating surgical gowns and facemasks performance is underway. Surgical Face Masks: This year 11 surgical facemasks were evaluated and the properties of weight, thickness, pore size, repellency, resistance to liquids and bacterial filtration efficiency was determined. LSCM was used to evaluate the movement of the microorganism sized particles through the facemasks. Particles averaging 1 mm and .01 mm in size were evaluated. Surgical Gowns: Studies completed several years ago showed that there was a relationship between barrier effectiveness of outer garments of agricultural workers and the undergarment fabrics when evaluating pesticide transmission. This may also be a factor in the barrier protectiveness of surgical gowns. Fabrics typically found in undergarments (3 woven and 3 knit fabrics of cotton, cotton/polyester blends and polyester*). Six reusable surgical gowns were pre-washed and then properties related to the barrier effectiveness measured. All gown/undergarment combinations were evaluated in accordance with a modified ASTM 1670-1998: Standard Test Method for Resistance of Materials Used in Protective Clothing to Penetration by Synthetic Blood (the test was modified to hold multiple fabric samples). There was no difference in test results (pass/fail) as a result of undergarments or not, or type of undergarment. Those gowns that passed this test were subjected to ASTM Test Method ASTM E 1671-98 Standard Test Method for Resistance of Materials used in Protective Clothing to Penetration by Blood-Borne Pathogens using Viral Penetration as a Test System and all gowns tested passed this test. Deposition of antibacterial functionalities by plasma polymerization of nitrogen containing compounds. The University of Wisconsin-Madison reported the research on medical textiles with new value added properties have increased tremendously due to its relevance to public health. The incorporation of antimicrobial functionalities has been an active research area bridging the gap between material chemistry and microbiology. Free polycationic structures (quaternary ammonium, pyridinium-type functional polymers, polyacrylates etc.) exhibit antibacterial characteristics. The literature suggests that interaction of positively charged end-groups of the polycation chains with the negatively charged bacteria surface result in the disruption of cell membranes. These functional groups are immobilized onto selected substrates using wet chemistry. Cold Plasma chemistry is more environment friendly and opens up novel and efficient ways for the synthesis of antimicrobial surfaces through dry-chemistry reaction mechanisms. The main objective of the work is to develop nitrogen containing polycationic antibacterial surfaces. The surfaces are functionalized with saturated and unsaturated nitrogen containing gases and subsequent synthesis of bioactive groups using in situ or ex situ surface functionalization reactions. This study used filter paper (cellulose) as substrate and macromolecular thin layers were deposited from acrylonitrile (AN), acetonitrile (AcN) and ethylene diamine (ED) as the plasma gases. The relative surface atomic composition of plasma-modified surfaces has been evaluated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and the nature of surface functionalities have been analyzed using high resolution spectra and Fourier transform IR spectroscopy. The spectroscopic measurements of films deposited from AN-plasma show the presence of imine and amide groups. The oxygen incorporated is due to the post-plasma contamination. The nitrile functionalities decreased as the treatment time was increased arid were completely absent in the 4 min treatment. This suggests that the plasma treatments are energy efficient to break the unreactive bonds like nitrile groups with high bond energy. The density of nitrogen containing functionalities present in the surface layer from AcN-plasma is higher than AN-plasma and this is due to the increase N/C ratio in the precursor. The AcN-plasma polymerized structure had imine and amine functionalities. The ED plasma polymerization was done at two commercial RF power frequencies of 40 kHz and 13.56 MHz. The XPS results reveal that the oxygen from post-plasma oxidation decreased at higher frequency and the nitrogen content was also higher. The polymerized structure predominantly contains saturated nitrogen functionalities and has primary, secondary and tertiary amine functionalities present. The next step is to develop the bioactive functionalities using the subsequent gas-phase stabilization reactions dependent on grafted functionalities. Also, to increase the nitrogen content, pulsed-plasma treatments at 13.56 MHz RF will be investigated. These surfaces will be characterized using XPS, FTIR and GC-MS. The antibacterial efficiency of synthesized polymer structures will be tested. Similar protocols will be followed for the materials used in surgeries and medicine. Developing Cotton and Cotton Based Needlepunched Fabrics. The contoured needle zone H1 technology was successfully used to develop light weight (50 GSM-80 GSM) 100% cotton needle webs. These needled webs were used to develop flexible decontamination wipe. Feature/news articles on the decontamination wipe development have appeared in: a) Textile World, April 2004 - Quality Fabric of the Month b) Cotton Grower Magazine, June 2004 - Cotton to Protect Our Troops. Objective 4: To develop and evaluate textiles with enhanced resistance (or susceptibility) to environmental degradation. University of Arkansas reported that the nonwoven webs have not been received so no work has been initiated.

Publications

Buschle-Diller, G., Inglesby, M. K., Wu, Y. "Physicochemical Properties of Chemically and Enzymatically Modified Cellulosic Surfaces." Colloids and Surfaces, (submitted 7/2004). Buschle-Diller, G., Inglesby, M., Wu, Y., Fanter, C. "Surface Energy and Accessibility Measurements on Chemically and Enzymatically Modified Cotton." 227th National ACS meeting, Anaheim, CA, March 26-April 1, 2004. Chen, Y. J., Chiparus, O. I., Sun, L., Negulescu, I. I., Kuttruff, J., Yachmenev, V. G. "Comparative Study on Kenaf Nonwoven for Automobile Headliner." International Development of Kenaf and Allied Fibers, Aimin Liu Editor, CCG International Inc., Minneapolis, MN, pp. 65-83, 2004. Chen, Y., Chiparus, O., Sun, L., Negulescu, I. I., Parikh, D. V. and Calamari, T. A. "Waste Bagasse for Production of Nonwoven Composites." International Sugar Journal, 106(NO 1262): 86-92, 2004. Chinnasami, S., and Ramkumar, S. S., (2003), "Development of a Fabric Friction Calculator," AATCC Review, 3 (11), 20-23. Das, T. and Ramaswamy, G. N. "Enzyme Treatment of Wool and Specialty Hair Fibers: Alterations in Physical and Chemical Properties." Textile Research Journal, (in review). Dixon, D. L. and Namwamba, G. W. (2004). "Effect of Steaming Time and Distance from Steam Source on Color Intensity of Individual CMYK Bands of Digitally Printed Cotton Fabrics." Abstract published on-line at www.aatcc.org. in the proceedings of the 2004 AATCC International Conference. Hawkins, A. and Buschle-Diller, G. "Characterization of Polymer Solutions Intended for Electrospinning." The Fiber Society, Annual Meeting and Conference, Ithaca, NY, October 10-12, 2004 (accepted). Hawkins, A., Woods, J., Buschle-Diller, G. "Advances in Electrospinning of Biopolymers." AATCC Intern. Conf. & Exhibition 2004, Greenville, SC, September 12-17, 2004. Hermann, D., Ramkumar, S. S., Seshaiyer, P. Parameswaran, S. 2004), "Frictional Study of Woven Fabric: Relationship Between Friction and Velocity of Testing," Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 92 (4), 2420-2424. Kambam, M., Ramaswamy, G. N., Parikh, D. V., Ramkumar, S., Chinasami, S. (2004). "Cotton and Inherently Flame Resistant Fiber Blends: Their Flammability Characteristics and Applications." Proceedings of INDA-TAPPI Conference, Toronto, Sept 21 - 25, 2004. Kang, J-Yun, Deivasigamani, J., Sarmadi, M. "Dyeability of Cotton Fabric Cross-linked with BTCA." AATCC Review, 2004. Kang, J-Yun and Sarmadi, M. "Plasma Treatment of Textiles - a Review of Literature: Part I: Natural Fibers." AATCC Review, October 2004. Kang, J-Yun and Sarmadi, M. "Plasma Treatment of Textiles - a Review of Literature: Part II: Synthetic Fibers." AATCC Review, (in press 2004). Lee, Youn Eung (Dissertation Chair Larry C. Wadsworth). "Process Property Studies of Melt Blown Thermoplastic Polyurethane Polymers," 240 p, August 2004. Leonas, K. K. "Using LSCM to Study the Barrier Effectiveness of Textiles used in Medical Textile Protective Apparel." Proceedings Microscopy and Microanalysis, 2004, pp 186-187. Leonas, K. K. "Influence of Undergarments on Surgical Gowns as Barriers." Medical Textiles Conference Proceedings Clemson University, 2004. *Leonas, K. K. and Jones, C. R. "The Relationship of Fabric Properties and Bacterial Filtration Efficiency for Selected Surgical Masks." Journal of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management, Volume 3, Issue 2, 2003. Lu, Z. J., Negulescu, I. I., et al. "Surface and Interfacial Characterization of Wood-PVC Composites: Thermal and Dynamic Mechanical Properties." Wood and Fiber Science, 36(4): 500-510, 2004. Lu, J. Z., Wu, Q., Negulescu, I. I. "Wood-fiber/High-Density-Polyethylene Composites: Compounding Process." J. Applied Polymer Science, Vol. 93, 2570-78, 2004. Ma, Y. C., Manolache, S., Sarmadi, M., Denes, F. "Synthesis of Starch Copolymers by Silicon Tetrachloride Plasma Induced Graft Polymerization." Starch/Stärke, Vol. 56, pp.47-57, 2004. Namwamba, G. (2003). "Using an Electronic Swatch Kit to Enhance Experimental Learning in Textiles." Proceedings of the International Textiles and Apparel Association Conference, November, 2003. Namwamba, G. W. and Dixon, D. L. (2004). "Microscopic Characterization of Bacterially and Chemically Retted Kenaf Fibers." Abstract published on-line at www.aatcc.org. in the proceedings of the 2004 AATCC International Conference. Namwamba, G. W. and Dixon, D. L. (2003). "Effect of Steaming and Washing on Shrinkage of Inkjet Printed Cotton Fabric." Abstract published on-line at www.aatcc.org. in the proceedings of the 2003 AATCC International Conference. Namwamba, G. W., Dixon, D. L., Ghebreiyessus, Y., Chen, Y., Zhang, T., Kimmel, L. (2003). "Effect of Retting Method on the Color of Kenaf Fiber." Abstract published on-line at www.aatcc.org. Poster presented at the 2003 AATCC International Conference. Namwamba, G., Scott, P., Dixon, D., Jackson, B. (2003). "Summer Splash: African inspired outfit made with digitally printed fabric, an original design." Design abstract accepted for publication in the proceedings of the 2003 International Textiles and Apparel Association Conference in November. Negulescu, I. I., Chen, Y., Chiparus, O. I., Parikh, D. V. "Composite Nonwoven Materials Based on Kenaf and Other Natural Fibers." International Development of Kenaf and Allied Fibers, Ed. Aimin Liu, CCG International Inc., Minneapolis, MN, pp. 84-98, 2004. Negulescu, I. I., Chen, Y., Robeck, J., Zhang, X., Sun, L. "Biodegradable Composite Nonwoven Materials Based on Recyclable Cotton Textiles." Recycling in Textiles, Edited by Y. Wang, Woodhead Publishing Ltd., London, 2005. Ramaswamy, G. N., Sellers. T., Tao, W. and Crook, L. G. (2003). "Kenaf Nonwovens as Substrates for Laminations." Journal of Industrial Crops and Products, 23, pp. 1 -8. Ramaswamy, G. N., Singh, P. K., Ramkumar, S., Gatewood, B. M. and Das, T. "Bioscouring of Kenaf/Cotton Fabrics." The Journal of Biotechnology, (in review). Ramkumar, S. S., Rajanala, R., Parameswaran, S., Paige, R., Shaw, A., Shelly, D. C., Anderson, T. A., Cobb, G. P., Mahmud, R., Roedel, C., and Tock, R.W. (2004), "Experimental Verification of Failure of Amontons' Law in Polymeric Textiles," Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Vol. 91 (6), pp. 3879-3885. Ramkumar, S. S., and Roedel, C., (2003), "A Study of the Needle Penetration Speeds on the Frictional Properties of Nonwoven Webs: A New Approach," Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 89 (13), 3626-3631. Ramkumar, S. S., Umrani, A., Shelly, D. C., Tock, R. W., Parameswaran, S. and Smith, M. L. (2004), "Study of the Effect of Sliding Velocity on the Frictional Properties of Nonwoven Substrates," Wear, 256, 221-225. Sarkar, Ajoy K. "Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Cotton Fibers: Modeling Using an Empirical Equation." Journal of Cotton Science, (in review). Shen, H. and Leonas, K. K. "Investigation of Penetration of Small Particles through Surgical Face Masks." Medical Textiles Conference Proceedings Clemson University, 2004. Uppal, R. and Ramaswamy, G. N. (2004). "A Novel Method to Characterize Morphology of Fibers." Textile Research Journal, (in review). Virk, R. K. and Ramaswamy, G. N. (2003). "Plasma and Antimicrobial Treatment of Nonwoven Fabrics for Surgical Gowns." Textile Research Journal, (in press). Wang, J. and Ramaswamy, G. N. (2004). "Effects of Chemical Processing on Hemp and Kenaf: Part I. Physical Properties and Chemical Composition." AATCC Review, (in press). Wang, J. and Ramaswamy, G. N. (2004). "Effects of Chemical Processing on Hemp and Kenaf: Part II. Dyeing Properties." AATCC Review, (in press). Wang, J. and Ramaswamy, G. N. (2003). "One-step Processing and Bleaching of Mechanically Separated Kenaf Fibers: Alterations in the Physical and Chemical Properties." Textile Research Journal, 73 (4), 339 - 344. Yang, Y. and Naarani, V. "Effect of steaming conditions on color and consistency of inkjet printed cotton using reactive dyes." Coloration Technology, 120(3), 127-131(2004). Yang, Y. and Huda, S. "Comparison of disperse dye exhaustion, color yield, and colorfastness between polylactide and poly(ethylene terephthalate)." J. Applied Polymer Sci., 90(12), 3285-3290 (2003). Yang, Y. and Li, S. "Cotton fabric inkjet printing with acid dyes." Textile Res. J., 73(9), 809-814(2003). Zhou, R. and Wadsworth, L. C. "Study of Polypropylene/Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Bicomponent Melt-blowing Process: The Fiber Temperature and Elongational Viscosity Profiles of the Spinline." Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 89, 1145-1150 (2003). Zhao, R., Wadsworth, L. C., Zhang, D., Sun, C. "Attenuating PP/PET Bicomponent Melt Blown Microfibers." Polymer Engineering and Science, 43 (2), 463-469 (2003). Zhao, R., Wadsworth, L. C., Zhang, D., Sun, C. "Properties of PP/PET Bicomponent Melt Blown Microfiber Nonwovens After Heat Treatment." Polymer International, 52(1), 133-137 (2003). *stringent review Patents and Invention Disclosures: S. S. Ramkumar, "Development of Leather Based Ballistic Protection Composites Shield," (Notice of Allowance received and Patent will be published soon). S. S. Ramkumar, "Method of Producing Chemical Protective Composite Substrate," (Patent Pending). S. S. Ramkumar and S. Thandavmoorthy, "Electrospun Nano Metal Oxide Nanofiber Web," Invention Disclosure filed. Thandavmoorthy Subbiah and S. S. Ramkumar, "Annular Nozzle Design for Electrospinning Nanofiber Coated with Particles," Invention Disclosure filed on June 2, 2004. Thandavmoorthy Subbiah and S. S. Ramkumar, "Electrospinning Bicomponent Polymeric Nanofibers," Invention Disclosure filed on June 2, 2004.

Impact Statements

Date of Annual Report: 01/20/2006

Report Information

Annual Meeting Dates: 11/19/2005 - 11/19/2005
Period the Report Covers: 01/01/2004 - 11/01/2005

Participants

Dr. Robert Shulstad (conference call), Administrative Advisor; Yan "Jonathan" Chen (Louisiana State University); Rinn Cloud (Florida State Univ); Pat Crews (University of Nebraska-Lincoln); Karen Leonas (The University of Georgia); Grace W. Namwamba (Southern University); Ioan I. Negulescu (Louisiana State University); Gita Ramaswamy (Kansas State University); Seshadri Ramkumar "Ram" (Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX); Ajoy Sarkar (Colorado State University); Majid Sarmadi (University of Wisconsin-Madison); Larry Wadsworth (University of Tennessee); Mary Warnock (University of Arkansas - Fayetteville); Yiqi Yang (University of Nebraska-Lincoln); Dr. Karen LaBat (Univ. of Minnesota); Dr. Gang Sun (UC Davis).

Both Dr. LaBat and Dr. Sun are from NC170 to communicate with our team on the research activities between the two committees.

Brief Summary of Minutes

Program:

Call to order and introductions by Dr. Karen Leonas (2005 Chair of S1002 Committee) at 8:30 am on November 19, 2005.

Remarks from NC 170 guests

Dr. Sun conveyed Dr. Marylyn DeLong's suggestion on having focused research projects. He said that NC170 wanted to explore the possibility of having a joint committee with S1002 to have a focused protective clothing research group, and that NC 170 wanted to learn what S1002 was doing. Dr. LaBat stated that the purpose of their visit to S 1002 was not for merging with S1002 but to understand what S1002 was doing, to explore the possibilities of joint researches between NC170 and S1002 and to make sure that two groups were not duplicating each other's work. Dr. Sun stated that they had organized a Network for protective clothing nationally, and using NTC as an initial funding source.

Dr. Ramkumar recommended that S 1002 form a subcommittee to explore USDA funding on fiber/textile researches.

Dr. Ramkumar had a motion to form a subcommittee of S1002 to explore USDA funding of a committee to address fiber/textile researches. Dr. Negulescu seconded the motion. Three agree and eight oppose. Motion failed.

Comments from Dr. Robert Shulstad, Administrative Advisor

Proposal revision

Some reviewers were assessing the proposal as if it was similar to an NSF project. Therefore they thought that the proposal needed more focused objectives and approaches. Dr. Shulstad recommended that in our revision, we should state specifically that each of the objectives will be addressed by researchers from multiple states and that the three objects when completed will all fit together to address the overall goal of the project. He also stated that we might need to have a separate document to address any issues raised by individual reviewers that we believed were off target.
Dr. Shulstad also recommended that we add outreach activities to the proposal.

Regarding the communication between NC170 and S1002, Dr. Shulstad said that there was no pressure from administrative advisors for such a merge. The possible overlaps in protective clothing researches were discussed. However, Dr. Shulstad stated that the advisors did not think that the overlaps between the two groups were a concern at this time.

Station Reports from Technical Committee Members:

University of Arkansas - Fayetteville, Colorado State University, Florida State University, University of Georgia, Kansas State University, Southern University-Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Tennessee, Texas Tech University, and University of Wisconsin.

Comments from NC 170 guests

Dr. Sun congratulated the research work of S1002 and stated that there were lots of similarities between NC170 and S1002, although there were no duplications. He expressed his interests in jointing S1002. He stated that a joint effort between the groups would give us better opportunities to gain funds from federal agents.

Dr. LaBat stated that developing new materials for protective clothing were very interesting, and to have a better way to learn from each other between the two groups would be very helpful.

Minutes from the previous meetings

Approval of minutes of September 12-13, 2004.

Motion to approve from Dr. Sarmadi and seconded by Dr. Wadsworth, motion approved unanimously.

Approval of minutes of March 4 and 5, 2005.

Motion to approve from Dr. Sarmadi and seconded by Dr. Ramkumar, motion approved unanimously.

New Proposal Discussion

The reviewers might not receive the correct version of our proposal, and that might affect their evaluation of our proposal. We would like to address the comments from the reviewers and make sure that they have the correct copy of our proposal.

Drs. Leonas and Ramaswamy will be responsible for the collecting and editing of all responses from the committee members regarding the reviewers comments, and will address the reviewers comments together. The responses from the committee members regarding the reviewers comments should be sent to Drs. Leonas and Ramaswamy no later than Nov. 30. Drs. Negulescu, Sarmadi and Wadsworth will be the readers of the revised proposal.

Recognition/Acknowledgement

S1002 members expressed their gratitude to NC 170 guests for their visit and for the excellent recommendations from the guests.

Dr. Crews was congratulated for the recognitions and awards she received lately at the ITAA national conference and at the Florida State University.

Dr. Leonas congratulated all the excellent work and science of the researches presented at the meeting.

Dr. Gita Ramaswamy was recognized for the local arrangements and for all her excellent work on the development of the new proposal.

The committee thanked the 2005 officers, Dr. Karen Leonas (Chair) and Dr. Yiqi Yang (Secretary) for their work.

Election of 2006 Officers

The Nomination Committee proposed the following officers:

Chair - Dr. Yiqi Yang
Secretary - Dr. Larry Wadsworth.
Both proposed officers were unanimously accepted.

Next Annual Meeting:

Oct. 31, 2006 in Atlanta, GA, from 8am to 5pm. This will be in conjunction with the 2006 AATCC IE&C (Oct. 31-Nov. 2, at Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, GA).

Dr. Karen Leonas kindly offered her responsibility for the local arrangements for our 2006 annual meeting.

Meeting adjourned at 5.00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Yiqi Yang
2005 Secretary, S-1002 Committee

Minutes Attachment:

Attachment

Accomplishments

Objective 1: To develop value-added products from renewable and recyclable resources. Development of kenaf value-added products for textiles and crafts. University of Arkansas reported the development of various textile products from kenaf. Raw kenaf plants, Everglades 41, were harvested from an agronomic plot located in Sedalia, Missouri. Plants were biologically retted; fibers extracted, dried and carded; fibers were used to produce value-added products, such as baskets, wall paper flocking, etc. Last project was the development of hat and flower patterns used to produce knitted products from 50/50 cotton/kenaf yarn supplied by Mississippi State University. Automotive textiles and filling for bed clothing with flame resistance. The Kansas State University reported the development of automotive textiles and filling for bed clothing with flame resistance using inherently flame resistant fibers blended with cotton to accomplish the varied demands regarding cost, protection, and performance. The first part of the study explored the basic fabric properties and flammability characteristic of nonwoven blends of 70% by weight of cotton and 30% by weight of selected flame resistant fibers - Celanese PBI®, Lenzing FR® viscose rayon, and BASF Basofil® melamine. The second part of this study addressed the feasibility of using these blends in textiles for automotive interior, based on their flammability characteristics as determined by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard - 302 guidelines. The third part of the study compared various blends of flame resistant fibers and cotton as fillings for bed clothing based on performance criteria in California Technical Bulletin 604. All the blends with PBI and Basofil were very well suited for automotive interior textile application. The comparison of various blends of flame resistant fibers and cotton as fillings for bed clothing showed that 30/70 PBI/cotton, 50/50 PBI/cotton, 60/40 Basofil/cotton, and 70/30 Basofil/cotton blends are very well suited for bed clothing application. The use of nonwoven flame resistant fiber barriers with commercial polyester filling improved their performance over the test by reducing the weight loss as compared to filling with only commercial polyester. Evaluation of Wipe Nonwoven Softness. This research from Louisiana State University addressed an objective method of evaluating softness of wipe nonwoven products. Six types of commercial baby wipes were studied. The mechanical properties of these wipe nonwovens in terms of extension, shear, bending, compression, and surface friction and roughness were measured using the KES-FB instruments. Obtained KES-FB data helped "fingerprint" the softness of these three wipe nonwoven samples. A computing technique of neural network was used to establish a neuro-fuzzy model for the wipe softness grading (softness index values between 0 indicating the worst softness and 1 indicating the best softness. Softness of new wipe products was able to be graded using the established model. The method of discriminant analysis was also applied to describe softness differences among the commercial wipes. The established model was capable of being updated routinely in a dynamic industrial environment, so that manufacturers and customers could instrumentally evaluate softness of new wipe products or numerically compare softness quality of different wipe products on marketplace. Nonwoven Drapeability and Formability. This study was conducted by Louisiana State University in collaborated with the University of Tennessee, Florida State University, and University of Delaware. A major effort is the evaluation of a group of polypropylene and elastic copolyether ester nonwovens for apparel application. Compressive, bending, and shearing properties of the nonwovens were measured using the KES-FB instruments for formability calculation and comparison with a range of woven fabrics. Subjective evaluation of the nonwoven drapebility was performed by apparel designers to assess their acceptance of nonwovens for specific construction and aesthetic features. The research indicated that the fabric bending and shearing properties were important for apparel drape and formability. Nonwovens typically had high resistance to shearing and bending resistance that was dependent on basis weight and thickness. As expected, shear stiffness of all nonwovens except the elastic nonwoven samples were higher than for woven fabrics. Bending stiffness however was within the range of the woven fabrics, but dependent on basis weight. The research also indicated that the elastic copolyether ester nonwovens could be appropriate fabrics for apparel because of a lower bending stiffness and required formability necessary to fit body curves. For the polypropylene spunbond nonwovens, the processing variables did not appear to affect the mechanical properties after allowing for basis weight differences. Sound Absorbability of Automotive Floor Materials. This Study was conducted by Louisiana State University in cooperation with the USDA Southern Regional Research Center. A research effort was to evaluate acoustical absorption of nonwoven materials made of recycled fibers (shoddy) and synthetic fibers for auto floor covering and lining. Four commercial floor covering products and four commercial floor lining products were acquired from a primary European manufacturer and were tested using the B&K acoustical instrument. The results revealed that the floor covering systems exhibited excellent performance in sound absorption of high frequency waves, especially above 2000 Hz. The sound absorption of the systems at the medium and low frequency could be improved by increasing the thickness. Additionally, the low cost velour fabrics helped improve the highly desirable car fuel efficiency while maintaining décor aesthetics, comfort, and safety. The highloft insulation pads made with 80% to 90% recycled fibers were equally desirable because they were economical and environmentally benign. Preparation and characterization of nonwoven materials based on biobased materials. This Study was conducted by Louisiana State University in cooperation with the USDA Southern Regional Research Center from New Orleans, LA (Drs. Val Yachmenev and Dharnid V. Parikh) allowed the preparation of biodegradable nonwoven composites made of bagasse and cotton fibers and bio-derived polyesters [1-3]. Durable and non-durable (washable) fire retardant formulae have been applied. The foreseen applications are in buildings and auto industries. Fire retarding efficiency has been tested according to MVSS 302 methodology for testing materials for automotive interiors (KSU). Mechanical and thermal properties have been investigated and reported. Use of Wood Fibers and Polymers for Preparation of Stable Sandwich-Type Materials. This project has been developed through the cooperation between Louisiana State University and the LSU Department of Renewable Resources (Dr. Qinglin Wu and Dr. John Z. Lu). Short wood fibers have been blended with synthetic polymers (PVC, polyolefins) and the composition was pressed to obtain laminate products of variable thickness. Thermal transitions, wettability and mechanical properties were determined. Preparation of Biobased Plasticizers for Polymer Industry. In view of the advances in technologies for recovering aconitic acid from sugar cane that should lower its cost and continued need within the sugar cane industry to find alternative products, the study was undertaken by Louisiana State University to re-evaluate the industrial potential of aconitates and provide its comparison as a PVC plasticizer with citrates and phthalates. It has shown by dynamo-mechanical analysis that tributyl aconitate, a "green" derivative, has the same activity as a plasticizer for PVC as commercial citrates, lowering the Tg of this polymer from 76°C to 49°C if used as 15% vs. the weight of the resin. This activity is even better than that of the di-isononyl phthalate (Tg = 53°C for 15% DINP), the horse plasticizer of the PVC industry. Improvement in Resistance to Hydrolysis and in Dye Sorption of PLA. University of Nebraska-Lincoln reported their study on the arrangements of L-lactide and D-lactide in poly(L-lactide-co-D-lactide) copolymers that give polylactide improved resistance to hydrolysis are found using molecular modeling. Amorphous structures of these copolymers were created, and molecular dynamics simulations and energy minimizations were run to calculate their potential energies before and after hydrolysis. The interaction energies between the L-lactide and D-lactide segments and between themselves were reported, and their effect on hydrolysis of the copolymers were explained. The effect of nanoclay on dye sorption was investigated for potential use in PLA to improve its dyeability and to decrease its hydrolysis during dyeing. Nanoclay has excellent sorption of anionic and nonionic dyes, much better than any fibers currently available on market. The study indicated that it is possible to use nanoclay in PLA fiber to improve the dye uptake of PLA. The potential advantages and possible disadvantages of using nanotechnology for textiles were explored. Objective 2: To Develop Bioprocessing and Related New Technologies for Textiles Enzymetic treatment for insect resistance to hair fibers. The Kansas State University evaluated the efficiency of enzymes (xylanase, pectinase, savinase, resinase) in providing insect resistance to wool (merino and rambouillet) and specialty hair fibers (llama, alpaca, mohair and camel). Chemical (FTIR spectroscopy and amino acid analysis), structural (fiber surface characteristics studied with SEM), and biological (insect resistance) properties were evaluated to study the resultant changes in the fibers processed with enzymes. Xylanase, and pectinase were found to be for scouring treatment. None of these enzymes caused any physical damage to the fibers, as confirmed by fiber tenacity values, and SEM images. Savinase was found to have the best insect resistance while xylanase and pectinase had moderate insect resistance. To develop digital printing systems that meet consumer and industry standards for depth of shade and fastness properties. Southern University conducted studies to determine optimum conditions for pre-treatment that will lead to the best color depth of digitally printed cotton fabrics. Specific parameters investigated are: 1) the effect of roller speed during padding on the color depth of digitally printed cotton fabrics; 2) the effect of fabric layers during padding on the color depth of digitally printed cotton fabrics; and 3) the effect of roller pressure during padding on the color depth of digitally printed cotton fabrics. Results indicated that roller speed had a significant effect of the shade depth of the fabric. Fabrics padded at 40rpm produced the darkest shades. Padding at a lower speed of 20 rpm did not produce the darkest fabrics as expected because the increased uptake of the padding formulation due to slow speed resulted in higher viscosity, which interfered with dye penetration. There was no significant difference in the two layers of fabric on all color dimensions. This finding is significant because wider fabrics can folded and padded on the 36' padder without compromising color quality. Evaluation of Spray Adhesives for Quilts. University of Nebraska-Lincoln reported the evaluation of two new formulations of Sullivans popular spray adhesive in terms of light and heat ageing and compared to two other commercially available spray adhesive products (Sulky=s and Spray and Fix) marketed to quilters to eliminate time-consuming hand basting. Both cotton and polyester battings were evaluated; the battings included a needle-punched cotton, and three types of polyester batting B needle-punched, resin-bonded and thermal-bonded. Treated specimens were exposed to 40 AFUs of xenon light exposure or to 6 and 36 hours of accelerated heat ageing followed by a home laundering treatment (none or one). Changes in color and breaking strength were evaluated. Results showed that Spray and Fix treated specimens exhibited the least yellowing following the accelerated light and heat ageing. One of the Sullivans formulations performed as well as the Spray and Fix in terms of yellowing, but it had very poor adhesive properties. The other Sullivans reformulation was associated with significant yellowing of the aged specimens. Laundered specimens exhibited more yellowing than unlaundered specimens, which indicates that home laundering will not mitigate the undesirable long term effects of the spray adhesive products. Polyacrylamide as textile finish. Colorado State University reported the application of polyacrylamide in finishing baths. In the present study, 0.5 g/L polyacrylamide was included as an auxiliary in a finishing bath containing a water repellent and the flow of water through a treated 100% cotton twill fabric was measured by AATCC Test Method 42-2000, Water Resistance: Impact Penetration Test. Results showed that inclusion of a small amount of polyacrylamide in a water repellent bath led to a dramatic drop in flow of water through the 100% cotton twill fabric. Additionally, it was shown that when polyacrylamide is included in the bath a lower concentration of water repellent can be used without sacrificing water repellent properties of the fabric. Polyacrylamide is believed to function by the following mechanism: The hydrophobic polymer backbone is instantaneously absorbed from solution onto the hydrophobic surfaces of the textile material but the hydrophilic groups on the polymer remain in solution along with the fabric. The result of this polymeric orientation is that more of the wet processing bath is dragged along with the substrate increasing the reservoir of padbath behind the squeeze rolls. As the fabric expands on exiting the squeeze rolls the abundant pad liquor is pushed into the capillary spaces of expanding fabric resulting in increased pickup of bath. The theory was tested by determining the percent pickup of the water repellent baths. It was found that without polyacrylamide in the padbath the pickup was 65%, and with polyacrylamide the pickup increased to 71%. Color Repeatability of Inkjet Prints. University of Nebraska-Lincoln investigated the cause of poor color repeatability of inkjet prints. Unlike traditional printing, inkjet printing has thickeners and other auxiliaries evenly distributed in the fabric and dried before printing, and uses inks with very low viscosity. Because of these differences and other uniqueness, color repeatability of inkjet printed fabrics is poor. A E (CIE) larger than 5 is commonly observed from the same fabrics with the same treatment and inks, and from the same printer. In order to control the color variations in inkjet printing, we have studied the effects of steaming and printhouse conditions on color repeatability. Parameters investigated include steaming time and temperature, wrapping paper, the position of fabrics in the steamer, and the printhouse humidity and temperature. The possible approaches in minimizing shade variations in inkjet printing are recommended. The sliding friction method. At Texas Tech University, the sliding friction method has been perfected and the normalized composite factor is gaining acceptance as a useful factor to quantify the hand-related surface mechanical properties of textile materials. This research activity has enabled the re-activation of the RA-89 Research Committee of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists. Objective 3: To Develop and Evaluate Textile Systems for Protective and Medical Applications. Improvement of Cotton-Comfortable Multi-Ply Breathable Liquid Barrier Fabrics by Foam Application of Protective Finishes. The University of Tennessee reported the further improvement of cotton-comfortable multi-ply breathable liquid barrier fabrics developed during 2004 at The University of Tennessee's Textiles and Nonwovens Development Center (TANDEC) by foam application of protective finishes. These protective fabrics have at least one barrier fabric layer that is impermeable to liquids such as water and body fluids. Furthermore, the protective fabric provides wearing comfort by transporting perspiration from the body as moisture vapor through the micropores of a microporous (MP) film. In addition, a cotton-rich nonwoven layer is incorporated on the body side to provide the aesthetics and comfort of cotton. All of the spray and pad finished spunbond (SB)/MP/Cotton-Surfaced SB Nonwoven (CSN) liquid barrier laminates containing fluorochemical (FC), antimicrobial (AM) , latex, or combinations of these finishes passed the Synthetic Blood Penetration Test (ASTM F 1670), but failed the Viral Penetration Test (ASTM F 1671). Nevertheless, even un-finished SB/MP PP/CSN and un-finished SB/MP PE CSN laminates passed ASTM F 1670 after being coated on the SB outer side with a breathable monolithic (ML) impervious film. During 2005, additional tri-laminates were produced and different protective finishes were applied to each side using the 40-inch Foam Finishing Technology (FFT) treatment system in tandem with a tenter frame at Cotton Incorporated to achieve more controlled and uniform application of finishes. These FFT finished tri-laminates were also ML coated and tested by ASTM F 1670 and F 1671, as well as for effectiveness of AM finish. The ML coated tri-laminates, which were first foam treated with FC on the outer SB side and with Latex plus AM on the cotton side passed ASTM 1670, and had a virtually 100% kill rate to bacteria. Furthermore, representative fabrics that were FFT treated with FC on the SB side and Latex plus AM on the cotton side passed ASTM 1671. Evaluation of the performance of surgical gowns and facemasks. The University of Georgia reported their studies on surgical gowns and facemasks performance. The researches included the evaluation of the effects of repellent finish, fluid pressure and layering order on the fluid resistance of surgical face masks, and the determination of the barrier effectiveness of gown fabrics to Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli after being wetted by various liquids. The study on the effects of repellent finish, fluid pressure and layering order on the fluid resistance of surgical face masks demonstrated that repellent finish, fluid pressure and layering order all affected the fluid resistance of surgical face masks significantly. The filtration layer was the primary contributor to the barrier effectiveness. Although repellent finish decreased the filtration ability of the cover layer, it did not affect the filtration ability of the filtration layer. Fluid resistance decreased with increasing fluid pressure. A statistical model was developed to describe the relationship between the fluid resistance and repellent finish, fluid pressure and layering order qualitatively as well as quantitatively. This model can also be used to predict the fluid resistance of any face mask with specific parameters and the optimum parameters. According to repellent finish and layering order, a face mask treated with 4.5% add-on of Zonyl® PPR protector on the cover fabric and layering order of cover, support, filtration, then shell would provide 100% pass probability of fluid resistance at 160 mmHg with the lowest cost. The research on determination of the barrier effectiveness of gown fabrics to Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli after being wetted by various liquids similar to those commonly found in operating theaters found that the bacterial transmission through gown fabrics was significantly increased when they were wet. Six surgical gowns were tested for characteristics known to influence liquid and microorganism transmission in accordance with standard test methods. Bacterial transmission through two of the six gowns was significantly lowest because of their small pore sizes. A difference of bacterial transmission between woven and non-woven gown fabrics was observed. The Staphylococcus aureus transmitted more than Escherichia coli, as it was smaller in size and round in shape. Surface tension of liquid was the most critical variable. Liquids with lower surface tensions resulted in significantly higher bacterial transmission through the gown fabrics. Hyaluronic acid and cellulose nanofiber webs for medical applications. The Kansas State University reported a novel approach of using hyaluronic acidand cellulose nanofiber webs for medical applications. Hyaluronic acid (HA) and cellulose are two such biopolymers that will find many applications in the biomedical field. Hyaluronic acid is a polysaccharide. It is found in extra cellular space in all human beings. It aids in cellular repair, keeps the skin moist and heals wounds faster. Wound healing of hyaluronic acid nanofiber web was compared with Band-Aid, solid HA, vaseline gauze and silver dressing in a clinical trial. Histopathological analyses of the wounds suggest that all the wounds had complete epithelialization and the granulation tissue was present in the dermis Cellulose is the most abundant renewable resource of biopolymer. Cellulose nanofibers were made by electrospinning and they form a random network of fibrils. These fibrils had a width less than 100nm. Cellulose nanofiber web can filter out the viral particle from a medium. Biological activity of oxidized polysaccharides. Louisiana State University reported that cellulose derivatives, such as carboxymethyl cellulose, as well as saccharide oligomers have been oxidized and their biological activity (antiviral and antitumor) has been evaluated "in vivo" using mice (antiviral) and male adult rats (antitumor) at the . It has been shown that polyanionic derivatives of oligo- polysaccharides have practically a low or no antiviral activity, while others have some antitumor activity. Antibacterial surfaces using plasma-enhanced coating/functionalization. The University of Wisconsin-Madison reported the development of surface layers that kill bacteria on contact by using low pressure, non-equilibrium plasma (LP-NEP)-enhanced synthesis and deposition of bactericidal quaternary ammonium thin layer macromolecular structures onto various substrates. The work so far has been done with cellulose-based (cotton fabric and Whatman filter paper) and stainless steel (SS) substrates. All the plasma treatments were carried out in a parallel plate, capacitively coupled cylindrical reactor equipped with 40 kHz and 13.56 MHz RF power supply with pulsing capability. The SS substrates were pretreated with O2 and hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) plasmas to form C-Si-O groups. This layer forms an intermediate layer which stabilizes the top bioactive structure to be deposited. The cellulose substrates were directly used. The high densities of reactive nitrogen containing functionalities are deposited using ethylene diamine (ED), acrylonitrile (AN), and acetonitrile (AcN) plasmas at various conditions (RF power frequency: 40 kHz or 13.56 MHz; continuous-wave or pulsed plasma modes). The relative surface atomic composition of plasma-modified surfaces has been evaluated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and the nature of surface functionalities have been analyzed using high resolution XPS, FTIR, GC-MS and fluorescamine labeling techniques. It was found that the treatments at 13.56 MHz continuous wave mode formed layers with higher concentration of amine groups. The treatments at lower frequency led to rigorous dehydrogenation processes generating unsaturated structures. The pulsed plasma mode resulted in higher concentration of oxygen related functionalities due to contamination during plasma off periods. There was no effect of frequency and pulsing on the structure of acetonitrile plasma polymerized films. These films were covalently attached to the cellulose and O2 and HMDSO-modified SS substrates and do not delaminate by washing with acetone or water for many hours. The work in progress involves a subsequent 'ex situ' reaction with various alkyl halides to form quaternary ammonium groups. The length of alkyl halide is an important factor in the effective annihilation of micro-organisms. The bactericidal properties of the surface layers will be evaluated by standard colony counting procedures. Similar principles will be applied to develop quaternary phosphonium and sulphonium groups. Development of Nonwoven and Nanofiber Composites for Chemical Warfare Protection. Texas Tech University reported the development of a three-layered needlepunched composite that has necessary adsorption to offer required protection and next-to-skin feel characteristics. The fabric was released to the public in April 2005 by the 19th District, Texas Congressman. Results showed that the three-layered nonwoven composite has instantaneous adsorption of toluene and the time of saturation was more than 300 minutes. The nonwoven adsorbent composite fabric can be used as inner layer for chemical protective suit and as a toxic chemical decontamination wipe. A continual US Patent Application has been filed in 2005 to have a broad based coverage for the nonwoven chemical protective fabric technology developed at Texas Tech University. Parallel activities concentrated on developing value-added and functionalized nanofiber for high-tech applications. Self-assembled polyurethane nanofibers have been experimentally observed. This research has applications in filtration and chemical and biological warfare countermeasures. Our member from Texas Tech University served as an Organizing Secretary for the international conference on "Advances in Textile Materials", ATMT 2005, held in Coimbatore, India, July 7-8, 05. Ten countries participated in the conference with over 50 oral presentations. The conference papers were published as proceedings in CD form. Also the PI served as the session chair and organizer for the Nanofibers' Session at the Annual Technical Conference of INDA-INTC, 2005 held in St. Louis in September 2005. Objective 4: To develop and evaluate textiles with enhanced resistance (or susceptibility) to environmental degradation. No Station has reported research results from this objective.

Publications

Chen, Y. Instrumental Evaluation of Wipe Softness. Proceedings of International Nonwovens Technical Conference, September 19-22, 2005, St. Louis, Missouri. Chen, Y., Chiparus, O., Sun, L., Negulescu, I., Parikh, D. V., and Calamari, T. A. Natural fibers for automotive nonwoven composites. Journal of Industrial Textiles, 35(1), 47-62 (2005). Chen, Y., Sun, L., Chiparus, O., Negulescu, I.I., Yachmenev, V.G., and Warnock, M.M. Kenaf/ramie composite for automotive headliner. Journal of Polymers and the Environment, 2005, Vol. 13, No. 2, 107-114. Chen, Y., Sun, L., Negulescu, I.I., Moore, M.A., and Collier, B.J. Evaluating Efficiency of Alkaline Treatment for Waste Bagasse. Journal of Macromolecular Science, Part B: Physics, 2005, Vol. 44, 395-409. Collier, B.J., Chen, Y., Moore, M.A., Orzada, B., and Dahiya, A. Drape and Formability of Nonwovens. Proceedings of International Nonwovens Technical Conference, September 19-22, 2005, St. Louis, Missouri. Das, T. and Ramaswamy, G. N., 2005, Enzyme Treatment of Wool and Specialty Hair Fibers: Alterations in Physical and Chemical Properties. Textile Research Journal (In Press), Manuscript #04-105-J. Dixon, D.L. and Namwamba, G.W. (2004). Effect of Steaming and Distance from Steaming Source on Color Intensity of Digitally Printed Cotton Fabric. Abstract published in the proceedings of the 2004 AATCC International Conference. Evenson, J. and Crews. P.C. (Spring 2005). The effects of light exposure and heat-aging on selected quilting products containing adhesives. Journal of the American Institute for Conservation, 44(1):27-38. Hustvedt, G. and Crews, P.C. (2005). The ultraviolet protection factor of naturally-pigmented cotton. Journal of Cotton Science, 9:47-55. Jungwha Park, Ramaswamy, G.N., Gatewood , B.M., 2005, Insect Resistance of Naturally Occurring Quinones and Flavonoids in Natural Dyes for Wool, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Vol. 98, 322-328. Karst, D., and Yang, Y. Potential advantages and risks of nanotechnology for textiles, AATCC Review, accepted. Karst, D., and Yang, Y., Improving the resistance of polylactide to hydrolysis based on the arrangement of L- and D-lactide in poly(L-lactide-co-D-lactide). PMSE (Polymeric Material Science and Engineering) Preprints. American Chemical Society, Division of Polymer Chemistry, NY, NY. 93, 775-776 (2005). Karst, D., and Yang, Y., Using the solubility parameter to explain disperse dye sorption on PLA, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 96(2), 416-422(2005). Lu, J.Z., I.I. Negulescu, and Q. Wu. Maleated Wood-Fiber/High-Density-Polyethylene Composites: Coupling Mechanisms and Interfacial Characterization. Composite Interfaces, 12(1-2), 125-140 (2005). Lu, J.Z., Q. Wu, and I.I. Negulescu. 2005. Wood-Fiber/High-Density-Polyethylene Composites: Coupling Agent Performance. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 96, 93-102 (2005). Namwamba, G. N. (2005). Apparel Quality Indicators: Perceptions of Male and Female Shoppers. Accepted for publication in the proceedings of the 2005 ARD/AED Conference. Namwamba, G. W. (2005). Digital Textile Printing. Charleston, SC: BookSurge Publishing. Namwamba, G.W., Dixon, D.L. (2004). Microscopic Characterization of Bacterially and Chemically Retted Kenaf Fibers. Abstract published in the proceedings of the 2004 AATCC International Conference. Negulescu, Ioan I. and Uglea, Constantin V. Biological Activity of Oxidized Polysaccharides In: Modified Fibres for Medical and Specialty Applications. Ed. Edwards, Goheen, Buschle-Diller. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers, Chapter 8, 125-148 (2005). Negulescu, Ioan I., Nicholas Gil and Michael Saska. Evaluation of the Effects of Bio-Based Plasticizers on Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Poly(Vinyl Chloride. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 100, xxx (2006). Parikh, D.V., Chen, Y., and Sun, L. Sound Absorbability of Automotive Floor Nonwoven Systems. in submission. Ramkumar, S.S., Rajanala, R., Parameswaram, S., Sarkar, A.K. and Sawhney, A.P.S., Friction Characterization of polymeric materials-A review, AATCC Review, 2005 5(2), 17-20. Sarkar, A.K., & Etters, J.N. (2004). Enzymatic hydrolysis of cotton fibers: Modeling using an empirical equation. Journal of Cotton Science, 8:254-260. Shastri, L., Ramkumar, S. S., Sarkar, A., Shelly, D. C., and Tock, R. W., Frictional Studies of a Novel Antiballistic Chest Shield, AATCC Review, 5 (4): 25-29 APR 2005. Takamura, E., Yoshizumi, K., and Crews, P.C. PhotoYellowing and PhotoBleaching of Silk and Wool Fabrics Under Monochromatic and Multichromatic Light Radiation. 2005 American Institute for Conservation Textile Specialty Group Postprints, Vol. 15. Thandavmoorthy S., Bhat, G. S., Tock, R. W., Parameswaran, S. and Ramkumar, S. S. (2005), Electrospinning of Nanofiber, Journal of Appl. Polym. Sci., Vol. 96(2), 557-569. Uppal, R., and Ramaswamy, G.N., 2005, A Novel Method to Characterize Morphology of Fibers, Journal of Applied Polymer Science (In Press), Manuscript #04-105-J. Uppal, R., Ramaswamy, G.N., Arnold, C., Goodband, R., and Wang, Y., 2005, Hyaluronic Acid Nanofiber Wound Dressing Biomaterials (In Review), Manuscript #06-121-J. Uppala, H.K., Ramaswamy, G.N., Gatewood, B.M. and Piddatala, G., 2005, Effects of Nonionic, Cationic, and Reactive Softeners on Cotton Fabric Treated with Durable Flame Retardant, AATCC Review (In Review), Manuscript # 05-190-J Vasant Jayachandra, Ramaswamy, G.N., and Gatewood , B.M., 2006, Nanoparticles Synergists for Brominated Flame Retardants: For Textile and Composites Industries, Journal of Applied Polymer Science (In Review), Manuscript #06-130-J. Wadsworth, L. C. and P. P. Tsai, Cotton-Containing Barrier Fabrics Enhanced with Breathable Films and Protective Finishes for Safety from Biological Threats, Keynote Address, Proceedings, International Conference on Advances in Textile Materials Technology, Management and Applications (ATM 2005), Kumaraguru College of Technology, Coimbatore, 641 006, India, July 7-8, 2005. Wadsworth, L. C. and P. P. Tsai, Enhancement of Cotton-Containing Barrier Fabrics with Breathable Films and Protective Finishes for Safety from Biological Threats, Proceedings, Eighth Nonwovens Conference at 2005 Beltwide Cotton Conferences, New Orleans, LA, January 4-7, 2005. Wadsworth, L. C. and Y. E. Lee, Melt Blown Processing of Thermoplastic Polyurethanes for Protective Clothing, Proceedings, 5th International Scientific Conference on Production Engineering, RIM 2005, Bihac, Bosnia and Herzegovina, September 14-17, 2005. Wadsworth, L. C., P. P. Tsai, and K. K. Leonas, New Level 4 Cotton-Comfortable Medical Barrier Fabrics Made with Cotton, Spunbond and Breathable Coatings, Proceedings, Joint INDA-TAPPI International Nonwovens Technical Conference (INTC 2005), St. Louis, MO, September 19-22, 2005. Wadsworth, L.C., Tsai, P. T. & Leonas K.K. New Level 4 Cotton-Comfortable Medical Barrier Fabrics made with Cotton, Spunbond and Breathable Coatings , INTC 2005 Conference, St. Louis, MO, September 2005. Wang, J. and Ramaswamy, G.N., 2005, Effects of Chemical Processing on Hemp and Kenaf:Part I. Physical Properties and Chemical Composition, AATCC Review, Vol. 5, #1, 2-6. Wang, J. and Ramaswamy, G.N., 2005, Effects of Chemical Processing on Hemp and Kenaf: Part II. Dyeing Properties, AATCC Review, Vol. 5, # 2, 21-24. Yang, Y., Han, S., Fan, Q., and Ugbolue, S.C., Nanoclay and modified nanoclay as sorbents for anionic, cationic and nonionic dyes, Textile Research Journal, 75(8), 622-627(2005). Yang, Y., Naarani, V. and Thillainayagam, V, Color repeatability in inkjet printing, 2005 Book of Papers--AATCC International Conference & Exhibition, American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists, Research Triangle Park, NC, 2005, pp. 201-207. Yang, Y., Naarani, V., and Thillainayagam, V. Effects of printhouse humidity and temperature on quality of inkjet printed cotton, silk and nylon fabrics, Journal of Imaging Science and Technology, accepted. Yu, Hong & Leonas, Karen K., Bacterial Transmission through Gown Fabrics When They Are Wet, poster presented at the 2nd UGA Engineering Conference, 2005. Thesis Kambam, M. (2004). Cotton and Inherently Flame Resistant Fiber Blends. Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS-66506, Major Professor: Gita N. Ramaswamy Dissertation: Uppal, R. (2005). A Novel Equation to Assess Degree of Crystallinity of Filament yarns and Hyaluronic acid Nanofiber Wound Dressing. Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS-66506, Major Professor: Gita N. Ramaswamy Shen, Hongqing, (2005) Evaluation of Surgical Face Masks Using Mulitphoton Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope. University of Georgia, Athens, GA-30605, Major Professor: Karen K. Leonas Patents and Invention Disclosures: Ramkumar, S. S., Development of Leather Based Ballistic Protection Composites Shield, US Patent # 6,862,971 (date of issue: March 8, 2005). Ramkumar, S. S., Method of Producing Chemical Protective Composite Substrate, (Patent Pending).

Impact Statements

Hyaluronic acid and cellulose nanowebs as wound healing agents will provide faster healing thus improving human health and safety. Hyaluronic acid complexes with carboxyl-methyl-cellulose can aid in tissue engineering by providing biodegradable substrates and the hyaluronic acid will aid in faster cell-proliferation.
Production of new environmental compatible products is critical to the environment.
Effective protective apparel is critical to the health and safety of those in work positions related to healthcare and homeland security.
The research on quilt adhesives led to the reformulation of at least two of the popular spray adhesives marketed to quilters and textile artists. The results have been widely disseminated and have influenced quilters practices and enabled them to make informed choices.
The development of products useful in reducing health care costs (resorbable polymers, enhanced wound healing properties) will benefit those requiring medical treatment.
Digital textile printing has the ability to provide on-demand access and a reduction in cost in the application of surface designs.