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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Cotton Structure and Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #345778
Research Project: Improved Quality Assessments of Cotton from Fiber to Final Products

Location: Cotton Structure and Quality Research

Title: Examination of fabric chemical treatment uniformity using a mid-IR focal plane array detector

Author
item Santiago Cintron, Michael
item von Hoven, Terri
item FONTENOT, KRYSTAL - Former ARS Employee
item Hron, Rebecca
item Hinchliffe, Doug

Submitted to: American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) Journal of Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/2/2018
Publication Date: 5/1/2019
Citation: Santiago Cintron, M., Von Hoven, T.M., Fontenot, K., Hron, R.J., Hinchliffe, D.J. 2019. Examination of fabric chemical treatment uniformity using a mid-IR focal plane array detector. American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists Journal of Research. 6(3):1-7. https://doi.org/10.14504/ajr.6.3.1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14504/ajr.6.3.1

Interpretive Summary: In this study, an instrument equipped with high performance infrared detector was used to examine chemical treatments of cotton fabrics. The detector provides highly sensitive and spatially resolved spectra that provide confirmation of the chemical treatment and its distribution on the cotton fabric. Characterizations of three distinct treatments are presented; non-permanent treatments of a commercially available insect repellent, a synthetic fire retardant, and fabric treated with a heavy isotope of water. Spectra of the treated cotton fabrics were obtained quickly and with little sample preparation. All chemical treatments examined in this study exhibited distinct vibrational bands that could be used as markers of the fabric treatments. The proof-of-concept study indicates that the high performance infrared detector can be employed to characterize fabric treatment uniformity and provided qualitative confirmation of fabric chemical treatment.

Technical Abstract: In this study, a macro sampling chamber equipped with Mid-IR Focal Plane Array (FPA) detector was used to examine chemical treatments of cotton fabrics. The detector provides highly sensitive and spatially resolved spectra that provide confirmation of the chemical treatment and its distribution on the cotton fabric. Characterizations of three distinct treatments are presented; non-durable treatments of a commercially available insect repellent (DEET), a phophazine-based fire retardant, and fabric treated with deuterated water. Spectra of the treated cotton fabrics were obtained quickly and with little sample preparation. All chemical treatments examined in this study exhibited distinct vibrational bands that could be used as markers of the fabric treatments. The proof-of-concept study indicates that the FTIR FPA detector can be employed to characterize fabric treatment uniformity and provided qualitative confirmation of fabric chemical treatment.