Absorption
Behavior
The MicroAbsorbMeter
is a new optical instrument to study the kinetics of droplet
absorption by capillaries and porous substrates. The instrument
provides a millisecond resolution and is capable of simultaneously
measuring the surface tension of tested fluids. Applicable
for complex fluids and biofluids.
Absorption Rate - Spontaneous Transplanar
Uptake
TRI/Upkin™
(UP-take + KIN-etics) is a computerized instrument for measuring
the kinetics of rapid, transplanar liquid uptake with a time
resolution in the millisecond range, well above the capabilities
of other existing instruments. An automated device brings
the sample in contact with a test liquid, which can be any
newtonian or non-newtonian liquid of high or low viscosity.
Capillary pressure pulls the test liquid into the sample's
pores. A precision capacitance sensor measures the position
of the moving liquid front in the sample every millisecond.
Accelerated
Weathering
Bending
Rigidity
Breakthrough
Pressure
Critical
breakthrough pressure is an important indication of the ability
of a fabric to act as a barrier to the passage of liquid.
It is the pressure required to force liquid through a phopic
material by itself. The resistance to liquid passage is controlled
by the largest pore. This TRI-developed method is simple,
fast and non-destructive.
Bridging Pressure
Critical
bridging pressure is an important indication of the ability
of a fabric to act as a barrier to the passage of liquid.
It is the pressure required to force liquid through a phopic
material backed by a spontaneously absorbing second layer.
Therefore a material's bridging pressure will always be less
than or just equal to its breakthrough pressure. The resistance
to liquid passage is controlled by the largest pore. This
TRI-developed method is simple, fast and non-destructive.
Cleanability
Coating
- Product Deposition
Microfluorometry
is used to characterize product deposition on the surface
of the fabric of single fiber. The TRI/SCAN™ Surface
Force Analyzer measures uniformity of a compound on the fiber
surface. These techniques can measure evenness of distribution
and the thickness of the coating.
In addition,
A PC-based imaging system including video playback that is
very useful for studying the interactions of fluids with nonwovens.
The instrument has been used to observe the spreading of fluids
on nonvoven surfaces.
Compressibility
& Comformability
The TRI/Global
Fabric Softness Tester measures the conformability or "softness"
of fabrics and supplies reproducible data for a wide variety
of materials, revealing significant quantitative differences.This
instrument pulls the fabric though a ring ith a large entrance
hole, making frictional drag insignificant, and measures the
force per unit area. The lower the force, the more comfortable
the fabric. We have used this device to evaluate fabric softeners
as well as crease resistance of fabrics.
Contact Angle/Wettability
The TRI/SCAN™
instrument is a turnkey system for acquiring, processing and
displaying wetting and friction data on films and fibers.
The system includes the latest release of the TRI / WET©
software. All ancillary equipment for measuring surface tension,
substrate perimeter, fiber wettability and fiber friction
is provided.
Drop Penetration
An apparatus
for quantitative monitoring of the extent of penetration of
drops falling on multi-layer porous assemblies as a function
of time, tension, drop size, and impinging velocity. This
technique offers comprehensive screening for systems designed
for chemical protection requirements.
Drying Rate
This instrument
measures heat and water vapor transport of fabrics under controlled
conditions. The findings from such studies can be a base prediction
of fabric performance in hot and humid weather. The TRI/Gyrotherm™
has been used in such diverse applications as measuring insulation
properties of fabrics in wet and dry conditions and the effect
of fabric and hair surface treatments on water retention and
drying.
Dyeability
During
microfluorometric analysis, we monitor the intensity of emitted
fluorescent radiation as we scan along the length or diameter
of a fiber that is being irradiated by an excitation beam.
For example, microfluorometry is used to follow the diffusion
paths of dyes and other compounds into the interior structure
of fibers and films. It can also be applied to studies of
dye fading and the effectiveness of stainblockers.
Flammability
During
the seventies TRI developed methodology to evaluate the flammability
of apparel fabrics. Side by side we developed methods to characterize
the burning behavior of different types of fabrics and the
hazard associated with them. All this information is available
at TRI and can be used in developing new approaches to evaluate
flame resistance.
Flexural
Strength
Friction
Friction
of fabrics is important from two different viewpoints: 1)
Friction of fabrics against skin is an important aspect of
comfort and 2) fabric/fabric friction is important in appearance
control of the fabric. The latter, for example, controls the
formation of fuzz and pilling of the fabric. At TRI we can
determine fabric friction in both wet and dry conditions as
well as at different normal forces.
Hardness
In-Plane Flow
An apparatus
that utilizes video recording to follow the planer spreading
of a liquid moving through radially outward from a central
point. The patterns obtained can detect and quantify non-uniformities
and heterogeneities in porous materials.
Moisture
Retention
Our Dynamic
Vapor Sorption™ analyzer provides sorption/desorption
isotherms which determine the moisture retention ability of
various moisturizing agents.
Permeability - Air or Liquid
The TRI/LADA™
system monitors spontaneous or forced liquid entry into fibrous
networks. The TRI/LADA-UP™ unit is designed for measuring
planar flow without restricting any change in the sample thickness.
The TRI/LADA-RP™ unit measures planar flow while maintaining
the sample at a constant thickness. The TRI/LADA-T™ unit
is designed for measuring transplanar penetration and breakthrough.
Pilling
This is
an undesirable side effect of washing fabrics. The problem
is more serious with fabrics made from synthetic fibers or
from blends. Because of the swelling of the fibers the structure
of the fabric and the yarns is loosened. In this condition
fibers with low interfiber friction migrate out of the plane
of the fabric and project out. Intermingling of these fibers
from neighboring yarns is responsible for the formation of
pills. Pills formed on a weaker natural fiber such as cotton
drop off, whereas pills on the surface of synthetic fabrics
do not drop off easily because of high fiber strength. At
TRI we evaluate the pilling tendency of a fabric with an image
analysis method. We can make use of this approach to evaluate
the efficacy of additives claimed to prevent pilling.
Puncture
Shear
Strength
Shrinkage
Fabric
shrinkage in repeated laundering occurs because of the swelling
of the fibers in the washing medium. Because of this fibers
move within the fabric structure during the wash cycle and
are pulled together during the expulsion of the capillary
liquid held by the fabric during spinning. Functional finishes
or additives can prevent such undesirable effects. The TRI/ART™
Air Resistance Tester has been found to be a valuable tool
in following fabric shrinkage. We have been successful in
evaluating detergent additives capable of preventing fabric
shrinkage in repeated washing of the fabric.
Tear
Tensile
Strength
Thermal
Analysis
Water Vapor Transport
This instrument
measures heat and water vapor transport of fabrics under controlled
conditions. The findings from such studies can be a base prediction
of fabric performance in hot and humid weather. The TRI/Gyrotherm™
has been used in such diverse applications as measuring insulation
properties of fabrics in wet and dry conditions and the effect
of fabric and hair surface treatments on water retention and
drying.
Wicking Rate
TRI has
developed numerous tests to quatify and descibe different
types of wicking such as downward wicking, upward wicking,
and triangular wicking. These tests provide information about
a fabric's ability to move liquid which is useful for applications
including paper towels, sportswear, and diapers.
Wind Resistance
The
TRI/ART™
is a very
rapid, highly accurate device for measuring the air flow resistance
of material (fabrics, nonwovens) over a wide range of flow
rates.
A computer-controlled piston pump produces a pre-selected
air flow rate, and a differential pressure transducer continuously
monitors the pressure gradient across the test material. Steady
state constant flow and pressure is reached in seconds. The
choice of flow rates can cover more than a 30,000 fold range,
and accumulated data representing the resistances of the material
at each flow rate are displayed after the sequence is complete.
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