Investigation of functionalization of denim fabric with lamination techniques

In recent years, denim fabrics are mostly preferred types among textile fabrics due to their special properties. It is very important to obtain new high value-added products through Research & Development and Product–Development studies which are performed in order to be innovative and to lead the sector where competition is at a high level. In this thesis study, it is aimed to provide novel high value-added products by imparting functional properties to denim fabric by coating/lamination process. In order to impart functional properties to the coated/laminated fabrics, a powder scattering unit is designed to disperse powder materials between the two materials to be combined. This unit is produced domestically and integrated into a laboratory scale coating/laminating machine, thus creating a new system. A series of experiments were carried out with the help of this system and functionalized laminated and membrane coated denim fabric samples were produced by scattering calcium carbonate powder between two materials. The technical properties of treated fabrics such as tensile strength, abrasion resistance, waterproofness, water vapor permeability and air permeability were evaluated, electromagnetic shielding properties of the additive material were also measured. Experimental optimization of process parameters were done and models for performance indicators were developed. Response surface method (RSM) was used for experimental optimization and artificial neural networks (ANN) and least squares-support vector machines (LS–SVM) were used for model development. Optimum process conditions for lamination were found to be 60 g/m2 hotmelt adhesive and 1.5 g/m2 additive material. Membrane-coated denim fabrics with the best performance were obtained using 43 g/m2 hot melt adhesive and 1.5 g/m2 additive. According to the modeling results, ANN was found to have a better prediction than LS–SVM.