Water-, oil-, and soil-repellent treatment of textiles, artificial leather, and leather

Abstract

Several products are on the market to realize water-, oil-, and soil-repellent properties on textiles or textile-related materials. To make an adequate and fast rating of repellent properties of finished textiles, different drop tests according to AATCC and ISO standards are commonly used. For evaluation of the repellent properties of solid substrates against different liquids often contact angle measurements are performed. The aim of the work presented here is to determine and evaluate the repellent effects gained by the application of three different finishing agents on three different substrates, such as polyester fabric, artificial leather, and leather. The main questions are at that point: It is possible to gain similar repellent effects with the same finishing product applied on different substrates? Do the different testing methods lead to comparable results? Is there a relation to the repellency against everyday consumer products as red wine, ice tea, or coffee? This article should help the reader to evaluate different testing methods and the influence on common substrates.

Keywords:

• hydrophobic
• oleophobic
• contact angle measurements
• testing methods

Acknowledgements

For funding of the electromicroscopic equipment, the authors acknowledge very gratefully the program FH-Basis of the German federal country North-Rhine-Westphalia. The contents of this article are partly presented in the bachelor theses of M. Türk “Vergleich verschiedener Ausrüstungsmittel auf Polyester, Kunstleder und Leder zur Wasser- und Ölabweisung” (Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences, April 2013). All product and company names mentioned in this chapter may be trademarks of their respective owners, also without labeling.