Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Call to order and introductions by Dr. Karen Leonas at 8:30 am on March 4, 2005 (2005 Chair of S1002 Committee). SRRC-USDA was acknowledged for providing the facility for our March 4 meeting and for helping arranging the motel for us to stay. Dr. Grace Namwamba was also recognized for local arrangements. Dr. Robert Shulstad, Administrative Advisor, acknowledged the team for an early start on the preparation of the new proposal. Dr. Gita Ramaswamy, the Editor for the new proposal, provided details for the work every group had done before this meeting and what would be the key points that we needed to consider during our two-day work in New Orleans. Dr. Karen Leonas reported that Auburn University would not participate in S1002, Some other Universities still want to participate but will not contribute to the development of the proposal. The group recommended that the Universities who wanted to participate should have their work fitted into one or more of the objectives in the new proposal. Karen will contact these Universities that did not come for the proposal development but wanted to participate. Dr. Shulstad suggested that we include the economic impacts of what we had done in the previous project and what we were proposing into the new project. He also discussed with the team about the future of the HATCH program. Break at 9:55 am and the team resumed their work at 10:10am into three groups focused on three different objectives, respectively. 11:30 am to 1:00pm, S1002 members attended the AATCC Gulf Section Spring Meeting. Dr. Karen Leonas presented "Biomedical Textiles and Their Applications". Group tour of the SRRC from 1 to 2 pm. Three groups resume writing objectives at 2pm. Motion on the annual S1002 meeting in conjunction with AATCC IC&E was carried. Motion on have the S1002 meeting Monday 24th at 1pm and Tuesday 25th of October, 2005 from 8 to 5pm was carried. AATCC IC&E will be from 25th to 27th of October in Boston. Grace will arrange the meeting place. Gita reported that Grace would include her work into Obj. 2b-4, instead of Obj. 3. The possibility of including nanotechnology into the proposal was discussed. The March 4 meeting at SRRC-USDA adjourned at 5 pm, and resumed at 9am on March 5, 2005 at the Wingate Inn-Kenner to continue the proposal development. Some important dates for everyone to follow: 1. By March 14, Ioan should send the Methods section of Objective 3 to Gita. 2. By March 14, all the participating members should send publications, presentations, and theses/dissertations from 2001 to Gita for the proposal. 3. By March 21, Grace should send her section of research to Gita. 4. March 28, Gita will send the DC report and let Dr. Shulstad input the information online. 5. May 1, Gita will send the final proposal to Dr. Shulstad. Karen will send the teams condolences to Grace and her husband on her father-in-laws death. Acknowledgement 1. Dr. Gita Ramaswamy for her leadership in preparing the new proposal. 2. Dr. Grace Namwamba for local arrangement. 3. Drs. Jonathan Chen and Ioan Negulescu for providing transportations for the team. 4. SRRC-USDA for providing facility for the meeting, an excellent tour of the laboratories, and a delicious lunch. 5. Dr. Karen Leonas for organizing a successful meeting. 6. Dr. Karen Leonas for the very interesting presentation at the AATCC Gulf section meeting. Meeting adjourned at 10:30am on March 5, 2005. Respectfully submitted, Yiqi Yang 2005 Secretary, S-1002 Committee

A series of objectives for project S-1002 are listed below with updates from participants for the period of 1 October 2003-30 September 2004, as described in the following: Objective 1: To develop value-added products from renewable and recyclable resources. New Technologies for the Utilization of Textile Materials. Kansas State University reported on the following three projects. First a novel method was developed to characterize morphology of fibers without expensive equipment. As the crystalline regions are impermeable to solvents, an equation was developed to predict morphology of aramid fibers using dissolution time (DT) data of kevlar and nomex mutifilament yarns which were heat set at various temperatures. The degree of crystallinity of the fibers was also characterized by WAXS. The coefficient of correlation between DT and the x-ray measurement was found to be greater than 0.94 for both fibers. This also allows the prediction of dissolution times for completely amorphous and fully crystalline fibers. Second electrospinning of hyaluronic acid was achieved. Hyaluronic acid aids in cellular repair and exists in human cells for keeping skin moist and also to heal wounds faster. Nonwoven nano webs of hyaluronic acid has been made and the webs are being tested in wound healing and compared to the Vaseline gauze present on the market. Third both the State of California and the federal government are working towards stricter regulations regarding flammability issues and since these will impact cotton fiber as cotton is used to a great extent in upholstery, bed clothing, household products, etc., cotton blends and FR treated cotton performance will be significant. Therefore, basic fabric properties and flammability characteristic of nonwoven blends of 70% by weight of cotton and 30% by weight of selected flame resistant fibers - Celanese PBI®, Lenzing FR® viscose rayon, and BASF Basofil® melamine, FR polyester, Pyron, were evaluated. Flammability characteristic was measured by the Oxygen Index flammability test. This study also addressed the feasibility of using these blends in two applications: childrens sleepwear and textiles for automotive interior, based on their ability and flammability characteristics. The Vertical Flammability Test was used to determine the applicability of these blend fabrics for childrens sleepwear. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard - 302 guidelines were used to determine the suitability of the blend fabrics for automotive application. The various blends of flame resistant fibers and cotton as fillings for bed clothing was evaluated according to TB-604. The use of non-woven flame resistant fiber barriers with commercial polyester filling for bed clothing application was evaluated. The performance criteria in California Technical Bulletin 604 was used for the comparative study of various blends intended for filled bed clothing application. To develop kenaf value-added products for textiles and crafts. Southern University reported further studies on retting kenaf were conducted. Microscopic characterization of the kenaf fibers has also been done to determine the effects of retting method on the microscopic characteristics of the fibers. Kenaf fibers that had been subjected to bacterial retting, softening with dilute NaOH, and chemical retting, were microscopically examined using various techniques. The fiber cross sections were made using AATCC Procedure for fiber cross sectioning. Longitudinal samples were also prepared. The samples were examined using various microscopic techniques including electron microscopy and polarized light microscopy. Photomicrographs were taken using a Zeiss Axiocam HRc Color digital video camera and axiovision image analysis software was used to analyze photomicrographs of the fibers to determine fiber characteristics and to measure fiber parameters. The data was analyzed using SPSS ver. 10 to determine descriptive statistics. Results showed that application of NaOH caused fibers to swell and become rounder without changing fiber bundle diameter significantly. There was significant difference in fiber diameter by retting method. Fiber bundle shape varied greatly for chemically retted fibers, which also showed signs of deterioration. Examination of longitudinal shape showed that fiber bundles of chemically retted fibers were more separated, uneven and appeared more brittle than the bacterially retted fibers. Under cross-polarized light, bacterially retted fibers showed a higher degree of anisotropy, birefringence, and pleochroism than chemically retted fibers. Fiber diameter increased with chemical treatment. Taunung kenaf bundles were more elongated in shape than Everglades. Everglades variety had smaller fibers and fiber bundles than Taunung. Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that NaOH improved fiber regularity of kenaf fibers but caused weakening of the fibers. It can also be concluded that excessive chemical treatment damages fiber bundle integrity, loosening short kenaf fibers, resulting in rougher yarn of fabric. These factors have to be taken into consideration when applying chemical treatments to kenaf. Everglades variety has finer fibers and bundles and could be more suited for apparel applications. Surface Modification of Cellulosic Fibers. Auburn University reported on the following two-part project. First cellulosic materials were chemically and enzymatically modified and the changes in their surface characteristics investigated. Surface energies are important properties since they determine the interactions of materials at the interface. For example, in composite materials cohesion between reinforcing fiber and matrix is controlled by available functional groups. With the help of inverse gas chromatography (IGC) surface energies as well as acid/base constants can be determined for materials in the dry state. Streaming potential measurements (EKA) and dynamic contact angle determinations (DCA) yield similar information on surfaces in the wet state. For this project agricultural fibers, such as different straws, kenaf, hemp and flax, as well as cotton fibers were investigated regarding their surface properties. Cotton fibers were additionally chemically and enzymatically modified to accentuate the measureable effect. Fibers were bleached, mercerized, reactive dyed, chemically cross-linked with a DMDHEU-based resin, and hydrophobically finished to create increasingly hydrophobic materials. Enzymatic treatment was comprised of biopolishing with cellulases. With the help of electrokinetic measurements all hydrophilic cotton samples showed predominantly dispersive nonpolar surfaces with slightly higher acidity. All samples containing non-cellulosic matter, such as lignin, were less hydrophilic and slightly basic due to phenolic ether groups. In greige cotton and in the hydrophobic samples the access to the electrolyte solutions used in EKA was limited. IGC confirmed the observations made by EKA, while DCA gave less reliable results which might be due to swelling of the samples which is not taken into account in the DCA calculations. The study was performed in cooperation with the USDA, ARS, WRRC, in Albany, CA. Especially in California, there is a strong interest in the re-use of agricultural waste, such as rice and wheat straws. The findings of the project were presented at several meetings and a publication has been submitted (see below). The second part of this project is a continuation of the first. The effect of lignin and other natural non-cellulosic materials on the surface energy left several questions open which will be investigated in this years project. Linen fibers, raw, scoured and bleached with different amounts of lignin are currently assessed with EKA, DCA and IGC to determine surface energies. Lignin mimic compounds will then be applied to study the effect of phenolic ether groups and substituents. Development of kenaf value-added products for textiles and crafts. University of Arkansas developed patterns for two value-added products composed of 80/20 cotton/kenaf yarns (MS). One product was a hat and the other was an expandable tote bag. Project to determine the effects of dyeing and laundering on the colorfastness of cotton, kenaf fibers and cotton/kenaf blended yarns (MS) was initiated. The cotton fibers were Deltapine 50 cultivar and kenaf fibers were Everglades 44. Cotton/kenaf blended yarns (80/20) were supplied by Mississippi State. Dyes included Procion Red MX 305 (reactive dye) and a color matched direct dye from Pro Chemical. Dyeing procedures have been determined and all fibers and yarns have been dyed. A Tex-Omat machine was used for dyeing purposes. Colorimeter data following dyeing and laundering processes have been collected. Laundering was accomplished in an Atlas Launder-Ometer. Microscopy work to show dye penetration within all fiber and yarn types is in progress. Preparation and characterization of nonwoven materials based on biobased materials. This cooperation with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, LA (Dr. Jacquelene Robeck) and the USDA Southern Regional Research Center from New Orleans, LA (Drs. Val Yachmenev, Timothy Calamari and Dharnid V. Parikh) allowed the preparation of biodegradable nonwoven composites based on bagasse, cotton, ramie, or kenaf fibers and synthetic or bio-derived polymers. The foreseen application is in the auto industry. Mechanical and thermal properties have been investigated and reported. Textile life cycle waste management and resource recovery model. This cooperative effort between University of Louisiana at Lafayette (Dr. Jacquelene Robeck) and LSU continued by preparing new Bread-Butter-Bread Sandwich type nonwovens based on bagasse and cotton webs (Bread) using a solution of cellulose (Lyocell) prepared from recyclable cotton fabrics (Butter). Stable all cellulosic nonwoven materials have been obtained after pressing at 150°C, washing out the solvent and drying. Use of wood fibers and polymers for preparation of stable sandwich-type materials. This project has been developed through the cooperation with the LSU Department of Renewable Resources (Dr. Qinglin Wu and Dr. John Z. Lu). Wood fibers have been reacted with maleic anhydride in order to increase compatibility with synthetic polymers. Thermal transitions, wettability and mechanical properties were determined. Comparison of disperse dye exhaustion, color yield, and colorfastness between PLA and PET University of Nebraska-Lincoln reported ten popular disperse dyes with different energy levels and chemical constitutions were used to compare their exhaustion, color yield, and colorfastness on PLA and PET. Only two out of the ten dyes had exhaustions higher than 80% on PLA at 2 % owf. Five out of the ten dyes had exhaustions less than 50%. All ten dyes had more than 90% exhaustion on PET, while 6 of them had exhaustions of 98% or higher. There was no obvious pattern as for which energy level or which structure class provided dye exhaustion better than others. Although PLA had lower disperse dye exhaustion than PET, it had higher color yield. Based on the ten dyes examined, the color yield of PLA was about 30% higher than PET. This means that even with low dye uptake, PLA could have the similar apparent shade depth to PET if the same dyeing conditions are applied. Our study supported that the lower reflectance, or reflectivity, of PLA contributes to the higher color yield of PLA than PET. Quantitative relation between the shade depth of PLA and PET based on their dye sorption was developed. Disperse dyes examined had lower washing and crocking fastness on PLA than on PET. The differences were about 0.5 to 1.0-Class. If the comparison was based on the same dye uptake, the differences might be larger. The differences in light fastness between the two fibers were smaller than that in washing and crocking fastnesses. The light fastness of disperse dyes on PLA is expected to be even better if the comparison is based on the same dye uptake on both fibers. Objective 2: To Develop Bioprocessing and Related New Technologies for Textiles Specific Objective To develop digital printing systems that meet consumer and industry standards for depth of shade and fastness properties. Studies were conducted at Southern University to determine the effect of various parameters during steaming on color intensity. Color determinations were made using a handheld spectrophotometer with CIE-Lab values. Color change during processing of digitally printed fabrics continues to be documented. Further experiments are underway to improve colorfastness of digitally printed fabrics. The following studies have been completed. Individual one-inch CMYK bands were repeatedly printed at 100% strength using an ENCAD 1500 TX ink-jet digital textile printer using fiber reactive dyes. Six yards of pre-treated 100% cotton sheeting fabric was used. The fabrics were steamed in a vertical steamer at 240 Degrees Fahrenheit for 30, 45, and 60 minutes. Fabric was rolled on eight layers for each steaming time (a total of two yards for each treatment). The fabric was soaked in Jacquard Cotton-Wash post-treatment and rinsed in a commercial washing machine and dried in a commercial dryer. A warm iron, no steam, was applied to the digitally printed fabrics to completely smooth the surface for measuring color with the spectrophotometer. Instrumental determination of color value was done according to AATCC Evaluation Procedure 7 using a Color Guide 45/0 spectrophotometer. L* a* b* values were obtained prior to steaming, after steaming and again after washing. Data were analyzed using SPSS ver. 10.0. The GLM procedure was used to compare means of DE*, L*, a*, b*. Post hoc multiple comparisons were made using the LSD model. Descriptive statistics were computed Results showed the following. Roll position (distance from the steaming source) did not have significant effect on overall color change. However, the middle rolls/layers had the highest intensity. The inner layers are shielded from direct steam and may experience less hydrolysis. Steaming the fabric for 30 minutes yielded the highest color intensity. There was no significant differences in color change for fabrics steamed for 45 and 60 minutes. Stripe color had significant effect on color change. Black produced the least color change, followed by cyan, magenta and yellow. Yellow intensified the most after steaming, but became lighter after washing. Fabrics became lighter after washing but still maintained a brilliant color. Fabrics became lighter after washing but still maintained a brilliant color. Although there is no statistically significant differences in color across rolls, visual observation shows that the highest color intensity is in the inner rolls (starting from 3). It is recommended that when steaming, wrap the steaming core with another fabric two or three times before rolling on your printed fabrics. An additional three layers should be wrapped around the outermost layer. Fabrics should be steamed for no more than thirty minutes in a regular upright steamer. Steaming time may vary for pressured steamers. We launched digitally printed Su Ag. Center logo merchandise in May 2004. The digital printing research is being applied to develop optimal methods of improving the process. In addition to gathering scientific data, the researchers are developing specifications for setting up a digital printing enterprise. This information will be used for outreach to clientele that may be interested in doing this kind of business. Potential Impact Digital textile printing has great potential to revolutionize coloration of textile products. On-demand access to printing of textiles has emerged as a very important factor. The process is not widely applied for printing yardage and is mostly limited to printing banners, posters and smaller piece goods. Limitations of previous thermal inkjet options have been overcome by advancing both processes and materials developed synergistically to successfully print on textiles. Digital printing permits unlimited colors to be printed, unlimited repeat sizes and print quality that could be impossible on traditional rotary machines. It also eliminates the necessity of engraving costly nickel screens and allows for a clean processing environment. Digital textile printing is one of the latest technologies in the textile industry. The process opens new ways of applying surface designs to a fabric and reduces production time for textile prints. The research being conducted will provide information that will be useful in characterization of digitally printed textiles and to develop optimal methods of improving the process. Environmental compatibility is a major selling point for many products. It is hypothesized that biodegradable kenaf fibers will increase in popularity over time. It is important, therefore to develop new textile products form non-traditional sources and to characterize these products. Electrospinning of biodegradable/bioresorbable polymers. Auburn university is also working on biodegradable polymers and polymers that can be resorbed by the human body have gained increasing importance for numerous medical and industrial applications. Some results of this project have been reported at last years meeting. This year the electrospinning set-up has been expanded and refined to a more continuous process. A pump has been added as well as a pick-up mechanism and the apparatus has been isolated to avoid discharge outside the target area. Biopolymers to be produced in the micro- to nano-range by electrospinning have mostly been formed from solution. Extensive studies have been performed using collagen with the goal of creating a scaffolding material for artery replacement. In experiments the fibers were first spun onto different carriers, such as braided polyester or nets of different shape. These materials will be exposed to endothelial cells and their behavior in such environment will be studied. Further intensive investigations were concerned with chitosan and other biopolymers as well as with solutions of cellulose. These experiments were performed in a joint effort with the Fraunhofer Institute of Applied Polymer Research in Germany. Results will be presented at this years AATCC meeting in Greenville, SC, as well as at the Fiber Society meeting in Ithaca, NY. Enzyme kinetics. Colorado State University reported that of the many enzymes suitable for textile applications, cellulase is one of the most important. Cellulase is used in biopolishing of cotton fibers to improve fabric smoothness and softness and in biofinishing denim garments to produce a worn look. To harness the full potential of cellulase and discover additional novel uses for this enzyme in cotton processing, it is imperative to gain an insight into the kinetics of the enzymatic action of cellulase on cotton cellulose. In this study, enzymatic hydrolysis of cotton fibers cellulose by a cellulase mixture was monitored by measuring products of hydrolysis as a function of time in a test reaction vessel. Subsequently, an empirical equation, where; Pt = product concentration at time t (mg/ml) S0 = initial substrate concentration (mg/ml) Pt/S0 = fractional conversion was applied to the data to characterize the cotton cellulose-cellulase system. In spite of its simple form, the empirical equation provided a fairly good fit to experimental data for cotton fibers. In addition, the empirical equation was shown to provide pertinent mechanistic information without resorting to the use of complex kinetic models. For example, the parameter, k, is a measure of overall rate of the reaction. It was observed that an increase in the flow rate or agitation resulted in an increase in the rate of enzymatic hydrolysis. From a fiber processing perspective the result has important implications since it implies that effective hydrolysis of cotton by cellulase is dependent on effective agitation of the reaction mixture. Therefore, cellulase treatment of cotton should be done in jets, rotating drum washers and becks, all of which are batch processes with high levels of agitation. Parameter, x, was also important as it depends on the sterical structure of the system ranging from 1 for very thin films to 0.5-0.6 for high resistance structures with intermediate values describing varying degrees of structural resistance of the system. For the cotton fibers cellulose-cellulase system in this study, the values of x suggested that cotton fibers were resistant to the cellulase treatment. The resistance to treatment was due to the raw condition of the fibers. Practically, this means that cellulase hydrolysis will be more effective when fibers are pretreated prior to finishing with cellulase. Further work is being done regarding the applicability of the empirical equation to other substrates including non-textile substrates. Cotton fabric inkjet printing with acid dyes. University of Nebraska-Lincoln reported on the following two projects. Cotton fabric inkjet printing with acid dyes was investigated. Quaternary ammonium (choline chloride (CC)), and crosslinking agents (DMDHEU and BTCA), were used for the examination in the uptake of acid dyes on cotton. The concentrations of the chemicals, the finishing conditions, and the inkjet printing processes were explored. It was found that with the aid of crosslinkers, acid inks could be used satisfactorily on cotton. Using CC in addition to the crosslinkers improved acid dye uptake only slightly more than using the crosslinking agent alone. A disadvantage of using CC was that the loose dye stained onto white unprinted areas during laundering. It was proposed that the main function of crosslinkers was not only to chemically link the dye to cellulose, but also to form a crosslinked network to block the entrance of the fiber pores where the dye molecules previously penetrated. Steaming conditions and color consistency of reactive inkjet printed cotton. Steaming time and temperature, wrapping paper, and the position of the fabric in the steamer are investigated for the consideration of color consistency of reactive inkjet printed cotton fabrics. Two of the commonly used steamers, a high temperature and an atmospheric steamers were examined. The reactive dye fixation and hydrolysis concepts were used to explain the shade variations. Recommendable steaming conditions for both steamers are provided. The information provided and discussed in this paper should be interesting to the textile and apparel designers, textile producers and inkjet steamer manufacturers. Friction Factor Calculator Software. A VBA based friction factor calculator software has been developed. The software is user-friendly and is built on peer-reviewed and well accepted friction concept/factor, R. Most recently, the PI (Ramkumar) has been successful in delineating the scientific concept behind the use of the simple friction factor and published in peer-reviewed journals such as Textile Research Journal, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Wear and AATCC Review. The method has generated a lot of interest from academic communities and industries such as Ford Motor Company, Next, PLC, England, etc. Texas Tech University has released a news release on friction factor development on March 22, 2004. Nanofiber Research. The electrospinning technique was successfully used to develop nanowebs that have both filtration and catalytic activities. Research is currently underway and results will be presented in the next S-1002 annual meeting. Objective 3: To Develop and Evaluate Textile Systems for Protective and Medical Applications. Enhancement of Barrier Fabrics with breathable Films and of Face Masks and Filters with Protective finishes for Safety from Biological Threats. The University of Tennessee reported multi-ply breathable barrier fabrics have been developed at the Textiles and Nonwovens Development Center (TANDEC) which have at least one barrier fabric layer which is impermeable to liquids such as water and body fluids, but which allows the transport of moisture vapor through the micropores of a microporous (MP) film or by chemical absorbtion of water through a monolithic (ML) membrane, which may have additional barrier layers to includes MB and nanofiber/MB composites. Also, respirable barrier fabrics (face masks and respirators) have been developed which may contain antimicrobial (AM), fluorochemical (FC), latex binder for better retention of AM or to control surface linting of body-side (BS) cotton components, and other protective finishes. MB or nanofiber/MB composites, which are preferably electrostatically charged, comprse the filter media in the face masks or respirator fabric ensembles. Furthermore, the protective finishes may be incorporated into any or all of the components of the garment and face mask fabrics and all of the protective laminates contain a porous or absorbent fabric or film on the BS for enhanced thermal comfort. In addition, other additives may be included into the fabric ensembles to absorb odors or toxic chemicals. Electrostatic charging of the MB PP filter media increased filtration efficiency (FE) of the face masks and respirator laminates by a factor of three and resulted in Bacterial Filtration Efficienes (BFEs) greater than 98% and Viral Filtration Efficiences (VFEs) of greater than 99%. The pressure drop (resistance to breathing) of all the filter fabrics were acceptably low. Extractions of the face mask laminates were performed after the BFE test and it was determined that the percent reduction of bacterial (Staphylococcus aureus) after the BFE test was 99.9+% (log reduction of 4.75) with AM and combinations of AM with FC or Latex finishes. All of the finished SB/MP/Cotton-Surfaced Spunbond Nonwoven (CSN) laminates containing FC, AM , latex, or combinations of these finishes passed the Synthetic Boold Penetration Test (ASTM F 1670). The MP and PE MP Films and the garment fabrics containing CSNs with 20 g/m2 of 60% cotton/40% PP staple on 17 g/m2 SB PP all passed ASTM 1670, except the base fabric with the CSN containing 13 g/m2 Cotton/PP on 17 g/m2 SB PP had one failure out of three tests. Surprisingly, these three SB/MP PP/CSN finished garment fabrics failed the Viral Penetration Test (ASTM F 1671), although 1-2 individual tests passed. The bonding pressure/temperature may have been too high causing pin holes. The SB/MP PP/CSN and SB/ MP PE/CSN laminates had high MVTR rates of up to 3635 g/m2/24 hr and up to 7805 g/m2/24 hr, respectively, compared to 5000 with the starting MP PP film. Good kill rates of 99+%; log reductions of 2.39-3.43) of S. aureus (AATCC-100) were obtained on the CSN sides of the garment fabrics were obtained on the CSN BS of the AM treated fabrics. Applying AM alone or the combination of FC + AM to the SB side appeared to be less effective in killing bacteria then when AM finishes were applied to the cotton side.. Nevertheless, un-finished SB/MP PP/CSN and the un-finished SB/MP PE CSN both passed the Viral Penetration Test (ASTM F 1671) after being coated on the SB outer side with Noveon Breathable (ML) Coating. Remarkably, the simple ML Coated CSN consisting of 20 g/m2 of 60% cotton/40% PP on 12 g/m2 SB PP also passed ASTM F 1671. MVTRs in decreasing order were: ML Coated CSN; SB/MP PE/CSN; and SB/MP PP/SB Future work planned for 2005 includes FC and FC + AM finishes will be applied to the SB side and AM and AM + latex will be applied to the cotton side of face masks and protective garment fabrics by Foam Finihing for better uniformity and to save energy in drying fabrics. The face mask laminate with a MB center will then be charged by Tantret" Technique II. Kill rate to bacteria and viruses will be determined in the U.S. and China. Continue to compare the advantages and any disadvantages of utilizing the much higher MVTR MP PE compared to MP PP and determine optimum bonding conditions for SB/ MP PE versus MP PP/ CSN or hydroentanged cotton/synthetic blended fabric (HEC/SF) to minimize pin holes to pass ASTM 1671 with and without Noveon ML coating. Determine optimum compositions and finishes required for Noveon ML coated CSNs to pass both ASTM F 1670 and ASTM F1671. Evaluation of the performance of surgical gowns and facemasks. The potential for occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B, has received much attention in recent years. Healthcare organizations on a national and international level have developed guidelines and standards for health care workers to minimize risks of exposure. Use of protective apparel is a key factor in these recommendations. Protective surgical apparel can play an important role in minimizing disease transmission in the operating theater. Bacterial and viral diseases are spread through both airborne and blood-borne pathways. Surgical apparel can reduce the transfer of microorganisms by creating a physical barrier between the infection source and a healthy individual. Surgical gowns and medical facemasks are common protective apparel used by healthcare workers to reduce exposure. At the University of Georgia, research evaluating surgical gowns and facemasks performance is underway. Surgical Face Masks: This year 11 surgical facemasks were evaluated and the properties of weight, thickness, pore size, repellency, resistance to liquids and bacterial filtration efficiency was determined. LSCM was used to evaluate the movement of the microorganism sized particles through the facemasks. Particles averaging 1 mm and .01 mm in size were evaluated. Surgical Gowns: Studies completed several years ago showed that there was a relationship between barrier effectiveness of outer garments of agricultural workers and the undergarment fabrics when evaluating pesticide transmission. This may also be a factor in the barrier protectiveness of surgical gowns. Fabrics typically found in undergarments (3 woven and 3 knit fabrics of cotton, cotton/polyester blends and polyester*). Six reusable surgical gowns were pre-washed and then properties related to the barrier effectiveness measured. All gown/undergarment combinations were evaluated in accordance with a modified ASTM 1670-1998: Standard Test Method for Resistance of Materials Used in Protective Clothing to Penetration by Synthetic Blood (the test was modified to hold multiple fabric samples). There was no difference in test results (pass/fail) as a result of undergarments or not, or type of undergarment. Those gowns that passed this test were subjected to ASTM Test Method ASTM E 1671-98 Standard Test Method for Resistance of Materials used in Protective Clothing to Penetration by Blood-Borne Pathogens using Viral Penetration as a Test System and all gowns tested passed this test. Deposition of antibacterial functionalities by plasma polymerization of nitrogen containing compounds. The University of Wisconsin-Madison reported the research on medical textiles with new value added properties have increased tremendously due to its relevance to public health. The incorporation of antimicrobial functionalities has been an active research area bridging the gap between material chemistry and microbiology. Free polycationic structures (quaternary ammonium, pyridinium-type functional polymers, polyacrylates etc.) exhibit antibacterial characteristics. The literature suggests that interaction of positively charged end-groups of the polycation chains with the negatively charged bacteria surface result in the disruption of cell membranes. These functional groups are immobilized onto selected substrates using wet chemistry. Cold Plasma chemistry is more environment friendly and opens up novel and efficient ways for the synthesis of antimicrobial surfaces through dry-chemistry reaction mechanisms. The main objective of the work is to develop nitrogen containing polycationic antibacterial surfaces. The surfaces are functionalized with saturated and unsaturated nitrogen containing gases and subsequent synthesis of bioactive groups using in situ or ex situ surface functionalization reactions. This study used filter paper (cellulose) as substrate and macromolecular thin layers were deposited from acrylonitrile (AN), acetonitrile (AcN) and ethylene diamine (ED) as the plasma gases. The relative surface atomic composition of plasma-modified surfaces has been evaluated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and the nature of surface functionalities have been analyzed using high resolution spectra and Fourier transform IR spectroscopy. The spectroscopic measurements of films deposited from AN-plasma show the presence of imine and amide groups. The oxygen incorporated is due to the post-plasma contamination. The nitrile functionalities decreased as the treatment time was increased arid were completely absent in the 4 min treatment. This suggests that the plasma treatments are energy efficient to break the unreactive bonds like nitrile groups with high bond energy. The density of nitrogen containing functionalities present in the surface layer from AcN-plasma is higher than AN-plasma and this is due to the increase N/C ratio in the precursor. The AcN-plasma polymerized structure had imine and amine functionalities. The ED plasma polymerization was done at two commercial RF power frequencies of 40 kHz and 13.56 MHz. The XPS results reveal that the oxygen from post-plasma oxidation decreased at higher frequency and the nitrogen content was also higher. The polymerized structure predominantly contains saturated nitrogen functionalities and has primary, secondary and tertiary amine functionalities present. The next step is to develop the bioactive functionalities using the subsequent gas-phase stabilization reactions dependent on grafted functionalities. Also, to increase the nitrogen content, pulsed-plasma treatments at 13.56 MHz RF will be investigated. These surfaces will be characterized using XPS, FTIR and GC-MS. The antibacterial efficiency of synthesized polymer structures will be tested. Similar protocols will be followed for the materials used in surgeries and medicine. Developing Cotton and Cotton Based Needlepunched Fabrics. The contoured needle zone H1 technology was successfully used to develop light weight (50 GSM-80 GSM) 100% cotton needle webs. These needled webs were used to develop flexible decontamination wipe. Feature/news articles on the decontamination wipe development have appeared in: a) Textile World, April 2004 - Quality Fabric of the Month b) Cotton Grower Magazine, June 2004 - Cotton to Protect Our Troops. Objective 4: To develop and evaluate textiles with enhanced resistance (or susceptibility) to environmental degradation. University of Arkansas reported that the nonwoven webs have not been received so no work has been initiated.

Buschle-Diller, G., Inglesby, M. K., Wu, Y. "Physicochemical Properties of Chemically and Enzymatically Modified Cellulosic Surfaces." Colloids and Surfaces, (submitted 7/2004). Buschle-Diller, G., Inglesby, M., Wu, Y., Fanter, C. "Surface Energy and Accessibility Measurements on Chemically and Enzymatically Modified Cotton." 227th National ACS meeting, Anaheim, CA, March 26-April 1, 2004. Chen, Y. J., Chiparus, O. I., Sun, L., Negulescu, I. I., Kuttruff, J., Yachmenev, V. G. "Comparative Study on Kenaf Nonwoven for Automobile Headliner." International Development of Kenaf and Allied Fibers, Aimin Liu Editor, CCG International Inc., Minneapolis, MN, pp. 65-83, 2004. Chen, Y., Chiparus, O., Sun, L., Negulescu, I. I., Parikh, D. V. and Calamari, T. A. "Waste Bagasse for Production of Nonwoven Composites." International Sugar Journal, 106(NO 1262): 86-92, 2004. Chinnasami, S., and Ramkumar, S. S., (2003), "Development of a Fabric Friction Calculator," AATCC Review, 3 (11), 20-23. Das, T. and Ramaswamy, G. N. "Enzyme Treatment of Wool and Specialty Hair Fibers: Alterations in Physical and Chemical Properties." Textile Research Journal, (in review). Dixon, D. L. and Namwamba, G. W. (2004). "Effect of Steaming Time and Distance from Steam Source on Color Intensity of Individual CMYK Bands of Digitally Printed Cotton Fabrics." Abstract published on-line at www.aatcc.org. in the proceedings of the 2004 AATCC International Conference. Hawkins, A. and Buschle-Diller, G. "Characterization of Polymer Solutions Intended for Electrospinning." The Fiber Society, Annual Meeting and Conference, Ithaca, NY, October 10-12, 2004 (accepted). Hawkins, A., Woods, J., Buschle-Diller, G. "Advances in Electrospinning of Biopolymers." AATCC Intern. Conf. & Exhibition 2004, Greenville, SC, September 12-17, 2004. Hermann, D., Ramkumar, S. S., Seshaiyer, P. Parameswaran, S. 2004), "Frictional Study of Woven Fabric: Relationship Between Friction and Velocity of Testing," Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 92 (4), 2420-2424. Kambam, M., Ramaswamy, G. N., Parikh, D. V., Ramkumar, S., Chinasami, S. (2004). "Cotton and Inherently Flame Resistant Fiber Blends: Their Flammability Characteristics and Applications." Proceedings of INDA-TAPPI Conference, Toronto, Sept 21 - 25, 2004. Kang, J-Yun, Deivasigamani, J., Sarmadi, M. "Dyeability of Cotton Fabric Cross-linked with BTCA." AATCC Review, 2004. Kang, J-Yun and Sarmadi, M. "Plasma Treatment of Textiles - a Review of Literature: Part I: Natural Fibers." AATCC Review, October 2004. Kang, J-Yun and Sarmadi, M. "Plasma Treatment of Textiles - a Review of Literature: Part II: Synthetic Fibers." AATCC Review, (in press 2004). Lee, Youn Eung (Dissertation Chair Larry C. Wadsworth). "Process Property Studies of Melt Blown Thermoplastic Polyurethane Polymers," 240 p, August 2004. Leonas, K. K. "Using LSCM to Study the Barrier Effectiveness of Textiles used in Medical Textile Protective Apparel." Proceedings Microscopy and Microanalysis, 2004, pp 186-187. Leonas, K. K. "Influence of Undergarments on Surgical Gowns as Barriers." Medical Textiles Conference Proceedings Clemson University, 2004. *Leonas, K. K. and Jones, C. R. "The Relationship of Fabric Properties and Bacterial Filtration Efficiency for Selected Surgical Masks." Journal of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management, Volume 3, Issue 2, 2003. Lu, Z. J., Negulescu, I. I., et al. "Surface and Interfacial Characterization of Wood-PVC Composites: Thermal and Dynamic Mechanical Properties." Wood and Fiber Science, 36(4): 500-510, 2004. Lu, J. Z., Wu, Q., Negulescu, I. I. "Wood-fiber/High-Density-Polyethylene Composites: Compounding Process." J. Applied Polymer Science, Vol. 93, 2570-78, 2004. Ma, Y. C., Manolache, S., Sarmadi, M., Denes, F. "Synthesis of Starch Copolymers by Silicon Tetrachloride Plasma Induced Graft Polymerization." Starch/Stärke, Vol. 56, pp.47-57, 2004. Namwamba, G. (2003). "Using an Electronic Swatch Kit to Enhance Experimental Learning in Textiles." Proceedings of the International Textiles and Apparel Association Conference, November, 2003. Namwamba, G. W. and Dixon, D. L. (2004). "Microscopic Characterization of Bacterially and Chemically Retted Kenaf Fibers." Abstract published on-line at www.aatcc.org. in the proceedings of the 2004 AATCC International Conference. Namwamba, G. W. and Dixon, D. L. (2003). "Effect of Steaming and Washing on Shrinkage of Inkjet Printed Cotton Fabric." Abstract published on-line at www.aatcc.org. in the proceedings of the 2003 AATCC International Conference. Namwamba, G. W., Dixon, D. L., Ghebreiyessus, Y., Chen, Y., Zhang, T., Kimmel, L. (2003). "Effect of Retting Method on the Color of Kenaf Fiber." Abstract published on-line at www.aatcc.org. Poster presented at the 2003 AATCC International Conference. Namwamba, G., Scott, P., Dixon, D., Jackson, B. (2003). "Summer Splash: African inspired outfit made with digitally printed fabric, an original design." Design abstract accepted for publication in the proceedings of the 2003 International Textiles and Apparel Association Conference in November. Negulescu, I. I., Chen, Y., Chiparus, O. I., Parikh, D. V. "Composite Nonwoven Materials Based on Kenaf and Other Natural Fibers." International Development of Kenaf and Allied Fibers, Ed. Aimin Liu, CCG International Inc., Minneapolis, MN, pp. 84-98, 2004. Negulescu, I. I., Chen, Y., Robeck, J., Zhang, X., Sun, L. "Biodegradable Composite Nonwoven Materials Based on Recyclable Cotton Textiles." Recycling in Textiles, Edited by Y. Wang, Woodhead Publishing Ltd., London, 2005. Ramaswamy, G. N., Sellers. T., Tao, W. and Crook, L. G. (2003). "Kenaf Nonwovens as Substrates for Laminations." Journal of Industrial Crops and Products, 23, pp. 1 -8. Ramaswamy, G. N., Singh, P. K., Ramkumar, S., Gatewood, B. M. and Das, T. "Bioscouring of Kenaf/Cotton Fabrics." The Journal of Biotechnology, (in review). Ramkumar, S. S., Rajanala, R., Parameswaran, S., Paige, R., Shaw, A., Shelly, D. C., Anderson, T. A., Cobb, G. P., Mahmud, R., Roedel, C., and Tock, R.W. (2004), "Experimental Verification of Failure of Amontons' Law in Polymeric Textiles," Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Vol. 91 (6), pp. 3879-3885. Ramkumar, S. S., and Roedel, C., (2003), "A Study of the Needle Penetration Speeds on the Frictional Properties of Nonwoven Webs: A New Approach," Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 89 (13), 3626-3631. Ramkumar, S. S., Umrani, A., Shelly, D. C., Tock, R. W., Parameswaran, S. and Smith, M. L. (2004), "Study of the Effect of Sliding Velocity on the Frictional Properties of Nonwoven Substrates," Wear, 256, 221-225. Sarkar, Ajoy K. "Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Cotton Fibers: Modeling Using an Empirical Equation." Journal of Cotton Science, (in review). Shen, H. and Leonas, K. K. "Investigation of Penetration of Small Particles through Surgical Face Masks." Medical Textiles Conference Proceedings Clemson University, 2004. Uppal, R. and Ramaswamy, G. N. (2004). "A Novel Method to Characterize Morphology of Fibers." Textile Research Journal, (in review). Virk, R. K. and Ramaswamy, G. N. (2003). "Plasma and Antimicrobial Treatment of Nonwoven Fabrics for Surgical Gowns." Textile Research Journal, (in press). Wang, J. and Ramaswamy, G. N. (2004). "Effects of Chemical Processing on Hemp and Kenaf: Part I. Physical Properties and Chemical Composition." AATCC Review, (in press). Wang, J. and Ramaswamy, G. N. (2004). "Effects of Chemical Processing on Hemp and Kenaf: Part II. Dyeing Properties." AATCC Review, (in press). Wang, J. and Ramaswamy, G. N. (2003). "One-step Processing and Bleaching of Mechanically Separated Kenaf Fibers: Alterations in the Physical and Chemical Properties." Textile Research Journal, 73 (4), 339 - 344. Yang, Y. and Naarani, V. "Effect of steaming conditions on color and consistency of inkjet printed cotton using reactive dyes." Coloration Technology, 120(3), 127-131(2004). Yang, Y. and Huda, S. "Comparison of disperse dye exhaustion, color yield, and colorfastness between polylactide and poly(ethylene terephthalate)." J. Applied Polymer Sci., 90(12), 3285-3290 (2003). Yang, Y. and Li, S. "Cotton fabric inkjet printing with acid dyes." Textile Res. J., 73(9), 809-814(2003). Zhou, R. and Wadsworth, L. C. "Study of Polypropylene/Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Bicomponent Melt-blowing Process: The Fiber Temperature and Elongational Viscosity Profiles of the Spinline." Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 89, 1145-1150 (2003). Zhao, R., Wadsworth, L. C., Zhang, D., Sun, C. "Attenuating PP/PET Bicomponent Melt Blown Microfibers." Polymer Engineering and Science, 43 (2), 463-469 (2003). Zhao, R., Wadsworth, L. C., Zhang, D., Sun, C. "Properties of PP/PET Bicomponent Melt Blown Microfiber Nonwovens After Heat Treatment." Polymer International, 52(1), 133-137 (2003). *stringent review Patents and Invention Disclosures: S. S. Ramkumar, "Development of Leather Based Ballistic Protection Composites Shield," (Notice of Allowance received and Patent will be published soon). S. S. Ramkumar, "Method of Producing Chemical Protective Composite Substrate," (Patent Pending). S. S. Ramkumar and S. Thandavmoorthy, "Electrospun Nano Metal Oxide Nanofiber Web," Invention Disclosure filed. Thandavmoorthy Subbiah and S. S. Ramkumar, "Annular Nozzle Design for Electrospinning Nanofiber Coated with Particles," Invention Disclosure filed on June 2, 2004. Thandavmoorthy Subbiah and S. S. Ramkumar, "Electrospinning Bicomponent Polymeric Nanofibers," Invention Disclosure filed on June 2, 2004.