Textiles

In order to reduce warp breakages and weft-stops, KURARAY POVAL™ and ELVANOL™ PVOH are used to improve toughness and smoothness and elasticity of yarns, binding fluffs for good shedding, particularly on spun polyester blended yarns. KURARAY POVAL™ and ELVANOL™ PVOH are superior to other materials, like starch, because they are stronger and provide the required protection. The excellent weave performance of KURARAY POVAL™ and ELVANOL™ PVOH allows for advantageous and difficult-to-weave constructions. When KURARAY POVAL™ and ELVANOL™ PVOH are used instead of starch, shedding on the slasher decreases due to the efficiency of polyvinyl alcohol. This minimizes waste in the weave loom.

The film-forming characteristics of KURARAY POVAL™ and ELVANOL™ PVOH make them ideal for yarn sizing. Their adhesion, toughness, and film strength are reflected in improved physical properties of the sized yarn. Along with superior characteristics, less KURARAY POVAL™ and ELVANOL™ PVOH are needed when compared to starch. The improved toughness and smoothness of yarn, when sized with KURARAY POVAL™ and ELVANOL™, is indicative of good abrasion resistance against reed motion, shedding motion, and high tension on the weave loom.

The unique molecular structure of the ELVANOL™ T-grade copolymers is extremely chemically stable, and is not hydrolyzed or otherwise chemically altered in the heat and stresses of a size recovery system. ELVANOL™ T-grades are not adversely affecting in the desizing process and can be reused, even when washed with sodium hydroxide. KURARAY POVAL™ and Elvanol™ copolymers are degradable in properly designed and operated activated sludge waste water treatment systems. When a size recovery system is installed at the desizing stage, virtually all ELVANOL™ is eliminated from the waste water. ELVANOL™ T-grades are easily recovered and reused in any type of commercially available ultrafiltration system. Reuse is straightforward, as there is no viscosity change during desizing, ultrafiltration, or storage. High concentrations can be achieved, reducing transportation costs and providing maximum flexibility in reuse of the reclaimed solutions.