Investigation on the doping possibilities of microcapsules in solution spinning

The textile and apparel industry is one of the sectors where global competition is most intense. Companies have started to give importance to functional features as well as cost, fashion and design. Consumers expect to have a long life while maintaining a product with functional characteristics for a long time. The finishing process applied to textile products is the last wet process in which functional properties such as antibacterial, flame-retardant, water repellent, fragrant, insect repellent can be obtained. Microencapsulation technology proved to be successful when it is desired to protect the effect of the functional finishing process applied to the product for a long time in the finish treatments applied to textile products. Microencapsulation technology is one of the most preferred method when its necessary to use material that volatile or incapable to washing to impart functional properties to textile products. With this method, the desired substance can be protected by covering with a shell material. In addition, controlled release can be achieved at the desired rate by changing the shell materials and processing conditions used. The textile applications of the microcapsules are generally made in the form of fabric using cross-linkers and binders. Microcapsule applied fabrics may have low resistance to washing and rubbing due to crosslinker and binder. When it is desired to have a high resistance to washing and / or rubbing, the transfer of the microcapsules into the fiber has become important. In this study, microencapsulation of Hypericum Perforatum L. oil which has antibacterial characteristics and it's incorporation into the fiber spinning solution by means of the apparatus prepared according to wet spinning method have been investigated. Hypericum Perforatum L. oil was encapsulated in different variations by in situ polymerization using melamine-formaldehyde-urea polymer. The obtained microparticles were added to a mixture of α-cellulose dissolved in n- methylmorpholine n-oxide (NMMO) with a wet fiber spinning apparatus prepared in a manner similar to that of the production of lyocell fibers to produce microcapsule- loaded fibers. With this study, it was aimed to develop textile products with functional properties by microcapsules which are added to α-cellulosic structure according to the wet fiber spinning method by environmentally friendly and recyclable n- methylmorpholine n-oxide process. Morphology of the obtained microcapsules was examined by optical microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis. Particle size of microcapsules was examined by particle size distribution analysis. Thermal properties of microcapsules was examined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. Antibacterial properties of microcapsules was examined by agar- well method. Oil content inside microcapsules was examined by high performance liquid chromotography (HPLC) analysis. Characterization studies were carried out on microcapsule-added fibers by XRD (X-Ray Diffractometer), moisture and water retention value, breaking strength and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis.