Glass Fiber:
Glass is an inorganic nonmetallic material. Generally, the glass state is defined as the frozen state of a supercooled and thus a solidified liquid. It results from the suppression of the crystallization of a melt. It is also known as fiberglass that is a material made from extremely fine fibers of glass. Glass fibre is formed when thin strands of silica-based or other formulation glass are extruded into many fibers with small diameters textile processing.
Fig: Colored glass fiber fabric
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass. Fiberglass is a strong and lightweight reinforcement used in composites, communication, data transfer, or decorative purpose. Glass fibers able to transfer light, ray and radiation inside its subtle hole. Although strength properties are somewhat lower than carbon fiber and it is less stiff, the material is typically far less brittle, and the raw materials are much less expensive.
It has a high degree of viscosity. The basis of textile grade glass fibers is silica, SiO2. In its pure form, it exists as a polymer, (SiO2)n. To induce crystallization, it must be heated to higher temperatures.
Dyeing Process of Glass Fiber:
Dyeing of glass fiber filaments, fabrics or fabric is not so easy. In this case, it must be taken into consideration that, under normal circumstances, there is no affinity between glass fiber and dye and that no penetration of the dye into the glass fiber is possible, only surface dyeing or coloration is possible.
The following overview includes patented processes of glass fiber dyeing or coloration which must be regarded as being legally protected:
1. Fused mass coloration or dyeing: Using colored metal oxides yielding weak dyes only as the color intensity inevitably decreases with the cross section of the filament.
2. Dyeing of activated surfaces of glass fiber: Predominantly older processes of relatively little practical importance and usually yielding weak coloration, deficient in crocking fastness and, almost without exception, having a tendency to damage the fibers surface.
3. Direct dyeing methods of glass fiber: Without pre-treatment, using conventional dyeing techniques and, in this case, yielding surface coloration or dyeing which is barely acceptable. Methods involving the deposition of water-insoluble dyes are exceptions to this but usually only weak coloration can be achieved, e.g., when using sulphur or vat dyes.
4. Pre-mordanting dyeing methods:
Metal-salt process gives strong colors in some cases but almost always with insufficient crocking / rubbing fastness,
Cation active process gives very strong colorations which, with the right choice of dye, can have good fastness properties against water and light but only moderate crocking fastness.
5. Bonding-agent dyeing methods: Coating with dyeable or dyed films.
Pigment dyeing methods are the most elegant and simplest to use. Pale to medium shades are possible with maximum light, water and crocking fastness (with the right choice of dye) while the properties of the dark colors (marine and black) are frequently much worse. The principle consists of fixing the pigment using synthetic resins.
Other bonding-agent dyeing methods are to some extent still very inconvenient and unsatisfactory (especially with regard to crocking fastness). Exception: Corona discharge process with good overall fastness but crocking fastness and grease resistance are not completely satisfactory. No dark full shades obtainable.
Founder & Editor of Textile Learner. He is a Textile Consultant, Blogger & Entrepreneur. He is working as a textile consultant in several local and international companies. He is also a contributor of Wikipedia.
