Description

Specialty fibers, fabrics and textiles are based upon a unique composition, weave, or technology, and are designed for specialized applications.

Applications

Specialty fibers, specialty fabrics and specialty textiles are used in a variety of industries and applications, including:

• Aerospace
• Apparel or clothing
• Architecture and construction
• Automotive and transportation
• Chemical processing
• Electrical
• Electronic
• Filtration
• Marine
• Medical
• Electrostatic discharge (ESD) control
• Shielding from electromagnetic interference (EMI)
• Shielding from radio frequency interference (RFI) 

Types

Fibers

Specialty fibers are bulk, chopped fibers or thin, continuous filaments that are supplied as any of the following:

• Monofilaments
• Multi-filaments
• Threads
• Strands 

Fabrics

Specialty fabrics include:

• Sleeves and wraps - Flexible, fibrous refractory fabrics for insulating pipes, tubes, ducts and other process components.
• Knitted products - Consist of continuous fibers that are processed into a knitted structure with either two or three dimensions.
• Braided structures - Used for tubular composite structures, thermal insulation, and in other applications.
• Blankets or batts - Made of thick layers of fabric sheets. 

Textiles

Specialty textiles include a variety of woven and non-woven products. Non-woven materials can be shaped into:

• Mats of randomly-oriented fibers
• Felt
• Needlepunched cloth
• Spun bound structures
• Meltblown structures 

Wet-laid and air-laid non-wovens are made from short-cut fibers and used to create highly uniform structures.

Carded and needlepunched non-wovens offer very high loft (low density) at very low cost.

Other types of specialty fibers, fabrics, and textiles include:

• Roving
• Yarn
• Rope
• Cordage
• Webbing
• Ribbons
• Strapping
• Tape 

Materials

Specialty fibers, fabrics and textiles are made of many different natural and synthetic materials.

Natural

Natural specialty fibers are often made from plants such as

• Cotton
• Hemp
• Jute
• Fax
• Linen
• Leather
• Silk
• Wool 

Synthetic

Synthetic specialty fabrics contain petroleum-based polymers and fibers.

Mineral wool is a category of industrial fabrics that includes slag wool, rock wool, and glass wool.

E-glass is a relatively inexpensive glass fiber that combines strength with high electrical resistivity.

S-glass^®, a registered trademark of Owens Corning, is stronger than E-glass and has better properties at elevated temperatures.

Ceramic specialty textiles are made from alumina or zirconia fibers and are designed for high-temperature applications. Boron, quartz, silica, and silicon carbide (SiC) products are also available.

Metallic fibers have a shiny surface, high melting point, high hardness, and high thermal and electrical conductivity.

Material type choices for specialty fibers, fabrics and textiles also include:

• Acetate and triacetate
• Acrylic and modacrylic
• Aramid and polyimide
• Elastomeric
• Fluropolymer
• Nylon and polyamide
• Olefin and polyolefin
• Polybenzimidazole (PBI)
• Poly-p-phenylenebenzobisoxazole (PBO)
• Polypropylene
• Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS)
• Rayon
• Styrene acrylonitrile (SAN)
• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) 

Features

Selecting specialty fibers, fabrics and textiles requires an analysis of dimensions, properties, structural features, and applications.

Dimensions

• Overall thickness
• Overall width
• Overall weight
• Fabric weight 

Properties

• Use temperature
• Breaking strength or maximum load
• Thermal conductivity
• Electrical resistivity 

Structural Features

• Chemical or fuel resistant
• Electrically conductive
• Electrically insulating
• Flame retardant
• Hydrophilic
• Absorbent
• Suitable for sound-proofing
• Hydrophobic
• Waterproof
• Fireproof
• Thermally insulating
• Resistance to ultraviolet (UV) light or sunlight 

Standards

A-A-55127 - Batting, synthetic fibers, polyester (unquilted and quilted) 

A-A-50128 - Cloth, interlining, nonwoven

AATCC 111 - Weather resistance of textiles: Exposure to daylight and weather

References

Image Credits:

Mid-Mountain Materials, Inc. |  Technical Glass Products, Inc. - OH | FuelCellsEtc