Lenzinger Berichte 91 (2013)
52 – 55
TENCEL®Biosoft – a Completely New Fiber
Development: Soft – Hydrophobic – Botanic
Bianca Schachtner and Anja Maier
Lenzing AG, Werkstraße 2, 4860 Lenzing, Austria
Phone: +43 7672 701 3764, email: [email protected]
This publication was presented during the 51st Man-Made Fiber Conference 2012, Dornbirn, Austria
Abstract
TENCEL®Biosoft [1, 2] is a hydrophobic and extra soft new fiber development [3]. Additionally, the fiber
is oil absorbent. The fiber is totally compostable because of its plant origin.
In wipes applications, it can be used in a variety of blends which tailor the absorbency and cleaning performance to suit a number of different functions from full oil absorbency through to specific lotion
management and water absorbency.
In a hygiene products top sheet, it marries the performance of a synthetic product with the botanic advantages of a renewable raw material and a biodegradable product.
Keywords: Tencel®, hydrophobic, biodegradability, lotion management, surface energy
Introduction
Lenzing®Viscose and TENCEL® fibers are well known
for their absorbent and sustainable behaviour because
they are made from wood. This is the first time that
an extra soft, hydrophobic and fully biodegradable
TENCEL® fiber was developed for applications in the
nonwovens industry.
In the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster,
many people were looking for new materials for
oil clean up. So did the innovation group of Business Unit Nonwoven Fibers in Lenzing to see if
Lenzing®Viscose or TENCEL® could be used for oil
absorbency while retaining its biodegradability. Typical oil absorbing products include clay or oil absorbing gels. In terms of fibers, polypropylene and polyester are commonly used because of their natural
hydrophobicity and low density which allow them to
float or to coagulate with the oil and be swept away.
Unfortunately, most of these materials are not biodegradable and so these materials themselves need to
be collected for disposal.
However, the actual benefits from the treatment went
far beyond and in a different direction from the original
objective. The behaviour of TENCEL®Biosoft’s was
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extraordinary – it was softer, bulkier and smoother to
touch. Experience with feminine hygiene products and
wipes encouraged to work on alternative applications
beyond the oil clean-up originally considered.
Materials and Methods
All developments are based on Standard TENCEL®
Nonwoven 1.7/38 dull production – with the only
change in after treatment – the installation of the
hydrophobic treatment step.
To test the behaviour of fibers and spunlaced materials,
these test fabrics had to be produced on Pilot Lines.
Oil absorbency
The test was carried out according to sinking time in
the European Pharmacopoeia just using peanut oil
instead of water.
Water holding capacity
These measurements were done according to European Pharmacopoeia.
Lenzinger Berichte 91 (2013)
52 – 55
Figure 1. TENCEL®Biosoft is totally disintegrated within 12 weeks.
Biodegradability
Spunlaced (60gsm) TENCEL®Biosoft samples were
disintegrated in the OWS laboratories (Vincotte Bio
compostable logo) according to the Controlled composting test at ambient temperature FHO-2/4:
Table 1. Liquids with different SE used in the droptest
Intensive testing on both the chemical additive and on
treated fibers and fabrics had to be carried out to ensure
that the result is suitable for sensitive end uses. In addition, products made from TENCEL®Biosoft meet even
the enhanced compostability standards of Vincotte
Home compostability.
Surface Energy Measurement: Krüss
Contact Angle Equipment DSA 100HS
The test was done close to the British Standard ISO
8296:2003
Droplets of liquids with different surface energy (see
Table1) were put on the nonwoven. The test works like
that: If the droplet stays for more than 10 seconds, the
surface energy of the substrate is lower and it repels
the liquid. E.g. Water: 100% Viscose or Tencel® are in
the area of SE ~ 90. Water has a SE of ~ 73mN/m – so
Figure 2. Graph shows theoretical curvature of the surface
energy of different liquids (Table 1) used in the droptest.
Figure 3. TENCEL®Biosoft floating on water, absorbing
peanut oil.
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Lenzinger Berichte 91 (2013)
it gets absorbed really well and fast. Tencel®Biosoft
has a SE in the area of ~35mN/m which makes it water
repellent.
Results and Discussion
Oil Absorbency
A chemical treatment was identified to produce
TENCEL®Biosoft which was hydrophobic, floated on
water and absorbed 3 to 4 times more oil than standard
fiber.
Fiber Development
A whole range of materials were made for different
applications. Different levels of treatment were checked
on different fiber types and it was discovered that this
treatment works very well on never dried TENCEL®.
The development procedure started in the laboratory
(looking at dwell times, additive concentrations, fiber
types), progressed to pilot plant trials to achieve larger
amounts of treated fibers and finally to the first commercial production at the Heiligenkreuz TENCEL®
plant. At the same time, the fiber was converted on
both needle punching and spun lacing equipment to
prove that fabrics retained the same benefits seen in
the fiber. As part of this work, it also became clear that
the treatment withstands spunlacing conditions without losing functionality.
Another notable feature is that for the first time it is
possible to make a blend of hydrophilic TENCEL®
fiber with a hydrophobic TENCEL® fiber. In evaluating a range of blends from the extremes of 100% hydrophilic to 100% hydrophobic TENCEL®, it became
clear that absorbent capacity was not linear as might
have been expected.
Liquid Absorbency and Surface Energy
A deeper investigation was carried out using different
blends of TENCEL® and TENCEL®Biosoft and using
liquids of different surface tensions to measure the surface tension of different blends. An easy droplet test
for surface tension was established where a few drop-
52 – 55
lets of a liquid with a known surface tension were put
onto the spun laced fabric. If the droplets just sink in
within a defined time the surface tension of the material
(blend) is equal to the surface tension of the liquid. A
drop from the next liquid with higher surface tension
would remain on the surface of the fabric.
The hypothesis was that there would be a linear correlation between the blend ratio of TENCEL® and the
new TENCEL®Biosoft and the measured surface tension. Accordingly, there must be a blend which correlates
to the surface tension of water. This was found in the
area of 30% TENCEL®Biosoft and 70% TENCEL®
which explains the non linear absorbency results
mentioned earlier (best results for the range between
80% TENCEL® / 20% TENCEL®Biosoft to 70% TENCEL® / 30% TENCEL®Biosoft).
Figure 5. Surface Tension / Theory and Practical work
showed good correlation.
Lotion Management
The outcome from this work is that 100% man-made
cellulose fabrics can be tailored for the first time by
changing the blend ratio to optimize their performance
with different liquids, e.g. lotions, whether water or oil
based.
For wet wipes applications an enhanced, more equal
distribution of lotion in wet wipe packs was found.
A blend comprising TENCEL®Biosoft gives much
greater uniformity in lotion retention throughout the
wipes pack in comparison to a Polyester/TENCEL®
blend.
Application Development: Mascara Removal
Figure 4. Graph shows the non-linear LAC from
TENCEL®Biosoft blends.
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In terms of touch, panel tests were backed up by results
on fiber and fabrics using a sledge friction test and
a Handle-O-Meter which showed that smoothness
could be improved by up to 100% and that drape
ability was improved by between 20 to 40%. Improvements in fabric bulk were also identified. The softness was confirmed qualitatively in wet wipes with
typical lotions and improved cleaning of oil based
materials (such as waterproof mascara) was quantitatively demonstrated.
Lenzinger Berichte 91 (2013)
52 – 55
Figure 6. Comparison of Liquid retention release in A)
70% PES 30% TENCEL® and B) 80% TENCEL® and
20% TENCEL®Biosoft.
Figure 9. Wetting properties change with TENCEL®Biosoft.
Hygiene Application
Conclusions
In the Hygiene area, work has been carried out on a
number of applications with very positive results on a
sustainable, biodegradable top sheet. Using the hygiene
grade of TENCEL®Biosoft, fabrics exhibit excellent
strike through and wet back properties which are comparable with commercially available synthetic top sheets.
TENCEL®Biosoft is the first totally biodegradeable,
fully certified, hydrophobic fiber for Nonwoven, which
adds extra softness. In wipes applications, it can be
used in a variety of blends which tailor the absorbency
and cleaning performance to suit a number of different
functions from full oil absorbency through to specific
lotion management.
In hygiene products like topsheets, it marries the performance of a synthetic product with the botanic advantages of a renewable raw material and a biodegradable product.
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to Shayda Rahbaran and Bettina Schrenk
for sharing application data.
Figure 7. Apparatus to wipe Mascara from artificial skin.
References
[1]Bianca Schachtner, Robert Smith, Cellulosic Fibers
with hydrophobic properties, WO 2013/06755 A1
[2]Bianca Schachtner, Gisela Goldhalm, Robert
Smith, Cellulosic fiber with hydrophobic properties and high softness and process for production
thereof, WO 2013/067556 A1.
[3]Bianca Schachtner and Anja Greulich, TENCEL®
Biosoft – now commercially available, International Fiber Journal 12 (2012) 25 – 30.
Figure 8. Test results: Tailor made blend (right side)
shows best results (fast and complete removal).
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