Antistatic finishes

Abhishek Srivastava, NIT Jalandhar

Why antistatic finishes?

Static electricity can cause many processing problems for textile
materials
In most dry textile processes, fibers and fabric move at high
speeds over various surfaces which can generate electrostatic
charging from frictional forces.
Electrical charge can cause fibers and yarn to repel each other,
leading to ballooning.
Computers and other electronic equipment can be damaged by
static discharge.
Abhishek Srivastava, NIT Jalandhar

How static charge is generated?

Whenever two surfaces come into contact ,electron can flow from
one to the other.
Conducting materials allow this electron flow to be equalized
instantly when surfaces are separated .
Most of the textile materials do not conduct electricity efficientlydielectric materials
Insulating materials can retain the electrical charge difference for
some time
Rubbing increases the amount of charge produced significantly.
Abhishek Srivastava, NIT Jalandhar

How static charge is generated?...

Electrical charge generated by frictional forces - triboelectrification
Fibers can be ordered in a triboelectric series such that each fiber type
becomes positively charged when rubbed with fiber below it in series
fibre type
Positive end of series

Negative end of series

Glass
wool
Nylon6
Nylon66
Rayon
Cotton
Acetate
Silk
Polyester
Acrylic, Modacrylic
PE, PP
PTFE

Abhishek Srivastava, NIT Jalandhar

How static charge is generated?....

Polyester and wool fibers touch then separate, polyester become
negative charged and wool become positively charge
Greater the separation of two fibers in the series, greater the charge
generated by their contact.
When the charge difference between the two fibers reaches the
electrical discharge of air (~3 106 Vm-1),the charge is released by an
electrical discharge and sound.

Abhishek Srivastava, NIT Jalandhar

Mechanism of antistatic finish

Principal
Increasing the conductivity of fiber surface (equivalent to lowering the surface
resistivity) and
Reducing frictional forces through lubrication
Increasing conductivity produces a lower charge build up and more rapid
dissipation while increased lubricity decreases the initial charge build up.
Antistatic agents form an intermediate hygroscopic layer on the surface of
fiber
The increased moisture content leads to higher conductivity.
Lower humidity leads to lower conductivity (higher resistance) and greater
problem with static electricity.
Abhishek Srivastava, NIT Jalandhar

Chemistry of non durable antistatic finish

Non-durable finishes
Ester of phosphoric acids
Quaternary ammonium compounds
Non ionic compounds such as ethoxylated fatty ester,alcohol and
alkylamines
Durable finishes

Basic principle is to form a cross-linked polymer network containing

hydrophilic groups
Typically, polyamines are reacted with glycols to make such structures
Abhishek Srivastava, NIT Jalandhar

The polymer can be formed prior to application to fabrics or in

situ on the fibre surface after pad apllication

Abhishek Srivastava, NIT Jalandhar

Conductive fibers
Can be produced by:
I. Dispersing carbon particles or other antistatic agents in polymer
melts prior to extrusion.
II. Depositing carbon or metallic (e.g. nano silver) coating onto
fiber surface
III. Incorporating hydrophilic comonomers
IV. Fabricating fibers from stainless steel, aluminum or other
metals
Abhishek Srivastava, NIT Jalandhar