Avaliação da eficácia de produtos impermeabilizantes aplicados em malha 100% poliéster

Abstract

The search for products that make everyday life easier has boosted the growth of functional textiles in the global textile market. Studies have also been carried out on hydrophobic surfaces applied to fabrics that guarantee self-cleaning, water impermeability, and prevents staining and proliferation of microorganisms. Today, there are several waterproof brands of different compositions available in the market, that offer these properties. The drop contact angle is a method used to classify a surface as hydrophobic or hydrophilic, it quantifies the angle formed between the drop and the surface. In order to verify the hydrophobicity and effectiveness of waterproofing agents available on the market, three brands of these products with different compositions were compared, applied in 100% polyester knitting. At the end of the experiments, the results showed that the Centralsul brand is the most effective in terms of hydrophobicity, presenting better results of drop contact angle, resistance to friction and washing, followed by the Ultralub waterproofing. On the other wend the Scotchgard brand did not show being resistant to washing, losing finishing in the second cycle, and presented the lowest averages of drop contact angle. It was also verified that the application should be as homogeneous as possible, performed twice to ensure better hydrophobicity to the fabric.