Electrospray finishing of alcohol repellent materials on non-woven fabrics and investigation of performance properties

This research involves the comparison of the electrospray method, a new method for textile finishing operations, with conventional methods (pad-dry and kiss-roll) and the analysis of the results. The alcohol-repellent finish used in the production of medical textile fabrics is preferred for comparison between the methods. It is generally nonwoven fabrics are used in medical textiles since they are disposable fabrics, but sometimes woven fabrics are also preferred. Surgical aprons, covering and masks produced from these fabrics are intended to protect medical technicians and laboratory workers from blood and blood-borne pathogens or toxic chemicals and infectious agents. Today, various methods such as pad-dry, kiss-roll, foam application and spraying are used in textile finishing processes. Each method has its own set of handicaps such as non-homogeneous application of finishing, high cost and longer application time. Electrospray also has the potential to provide high energy savings due to low pick up. In this study, it was aimed to compare the performances of the methods and to determine the usage parameters of the electrospray method by applying alcohol repellent finishing to the non-woven and woven fabrics with 3 different methods (pad-dry-kiss-roll and electrospray). The alcohol repellency tests of fabrics were made according to the AATCC 193-2005 standard. Key words: Elektrospray, pad-dry, kiss-roll, alcohol repellent, nonwoven and woven fabrics.