Effect of cellulose nanofibers as a coating agent for woven and nonwoven fabrics

The potential of cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) as coating materials on fabrics was assessed by detailed characterization of several CNF-coated woven and nonwoven fabrics. The CNFs used in this study were derived from bamboo and hardwood bleached kraft pulps and prepared via an aqueous counter collision method. The CNF suspensions were coated onto different woven and nonwoven fabrics made from cotton or cuprammonium rayon. The physical properties and the printing quality of the CNF-coated substrates were thoroughly characterized. The resistance to air permeability increased because of the CNF coating. Hardwood-derived CNF coatings showed higher resistance to air permeability than those derived from bamboo, which could be the consequence of more-uniform and finer networks formed by the shorter hardwood-derived CNFs. The heat retention properties were also improved after CNF coating of the woven and nonwoven fabrics. The CNFs could cover and fill in larger pores in the substrate materials, but not the micropores. A suitable portion of the air layer entrapped in the micropores ensured heat retention. In the case of ink-jet printing on textiles, the ink pigments were retained within the CNF layer improving the color density.