YES. Innovative methods for the most precise analyses.
In the area of fibre auxiliaries, we work daily with intermediate textile products like yarns, staple fibres and nonwoven. On these intermediate products, there is usually a process aid, like a spin finish or lubricant, which decisively influences the processing of the intermediate products by our customers. Sometimes, this process aid is applied by the customer. In other cases, we apply one of our DURON products to the respective intermediate textile product for internal development and testing purposes at our technical centre for fibre auxiliaries.
In search of time-saving, safe methods of analysis.
In this context, determining the spin finish content is one of the key parameters for the correct interpretation of application-specific measurement results. The spin finish is indicated in terms of its percentage of the overall textile weight and is typically designated as OPU (oil pick-up) or, less commonly, FOY (finish on yarn). This value can itself serve as an important indicator as to why something isn’t functioning as desired, either in our internal development or in the customer’s operations. An accepted, widespread means of determining the spin finish content is Soxhlet extraction. This involves the extraction of the yarn, staple fibre or nonwoven using an organic solvent specified for the particular fibre type. The major disadvantage of this so-called wet chemical method of analysis is that it requires handling relatively large amounts (approx. 185 ml) of toxic solvents, such as methanol, for each sample. Moreover, taking a measurement with this method, including initial weighing, sample preparation, extraction and final weighing, can require between one and five hours.
Innovative technology for faster measurements.
At CHT, we have therefore invested in a technology that requires no organic solvents at all, can be handled more easily and also delivers reproducible, even faster results: a time-domain NMR (TD-NMR). Thanks to the TD-NMR, initial weighing, sample preparation and measurement are possible in less than 10 minutes on average – entirely without the use of hazardous solvents or other chemicals. An additional bonus is that the sample isn’t destroyed, but can be used for further measurements. The TD-NMR also allows us to recognise phenomena on the intermediate textile products that aren’t registered by means of conventional Soxhlet extraction. With this important investment, our analysis portfolio now includes, alongside all of the traditional extraction methods, the innovative NMR technique. This enables us to process customer queries in a way that is absolutely state of the art!