Investigating the effect of phosphate and alginate as antistatic treatments for polyester fabrics.

Abstract

We have all seen the sparks which fly when clothing is taken out of the clothes dryer, or when clothing is removed when the relative humidity is low. Clothing layers will develop an opposite charge as they rub against each other. When the layers are separated, one will retain its positive charge and the other its negative charge. Charged clothing induces a charge on the body (Seyam, 2009). Polyester clothes carry a static charge, which causes the clothing to cling to the wearers’ skin resulting into discomfort, sparks to the human body and these clothes soil easily or attract dirt. For clothing fabrics spark generation affects consumer preference for a garment or fabric. Polyester fabrics have high surface frictions which make them harsh and uncomfortable. This therefore requires antistatic finishing of polyester fabrics for apparel. The aim of this study was therefore to explore the potential of phosphate and alginate finishes in antistatic finishing of polyester fabrics. Conclusion; The phosphate treated fabric at 0.1% O.W.F concentration, 80 oC yielded higher efficacy with the best decling time of 6.85s. Hand laundering gave best durability results in relation to the performance properties, fabric appearance and handle compared to dry cleaning and therefore recommended for laundering of phosphate finished polyester fabrics. Key words: polyester, frictional electrification, charge decay, phosphate, alginate and antistatic finishing.