Bioactive

Man-made cellulosic fibers with biactive properties can be achieved by addition of special additives into the spinning or by treatment of fibers with these chemicals. The recent developments inLenzing show possibilities to obtain Tencel and viscose fibers with bioactive properties. Bioactive Tencel fibers can be developed by modification of fibers with the polysaccharide “Chitosan”. Byincorporation of special resins into the spinning dope of viscose, fibers with ion-exchange properties were obtained. An additional treatment of these fibers with zinc or silver ions presents possibilities todevelop Viscose fibers with bioactive properties. The property profile of the fibers and the possibility to convert the fibers into nonwoven fabrics as well as potencial applications of the fobers innonwovens will be discussed.
These agents were the result of research into the protection of fibers against outdoor microbiological degradation and into techniques for disinfecting and sterilizingfibrous materials contaminated with micro-organisms. Bioactive fibers work by controlling the multiplication of micro-organisms and thus to prevent the cross- infection of diseases and suppressing thegeneration of unpleasant odors.
Most of the bioactive agents were based on chlorine aromatic compounds. These compounds were criticized in the last few years in the literature because of theirnegative longterm effect on the environment and human health (2-3). Alternative additives such as silver compounds, biopolymers etc. were developed.
Lenzing aims to develop bioactive cellulosic fibersbased on viscose and lyocell technologies for nonwoven applications. Due to the toxicological and physiological requirements of nonwovens end-use products, the company aimed to use additive with no riskfor the development of bioactive fibers.
CELLULOSIC FABRICS WITH BIOACTIVE PROPERTIES
Nonwovens and textiles are carriers of micro-organisms such as pathogenic bacteria, odor-generating bacteria,...