Spandex Fiber

Spandex Fiber


a synthetic fiber formed from polyurethane solutions or melts or by chemical formation (polyurethane is prepared directly from a diisocyanate and diamine during fiber formation).

Spandex fibers sharply differ from natural fibers and other types of chemical fibers in physical properties. However, they are in many ways similar to rubber fibers. They are characterized by a great amount of stretch and a low modulus of elasticity. They are able to recover to original length over a very short period of time. Because spandex fibers, particularly in the stretch state, exhibit substantial strength losses at 120°C, fabrics made from them are cleaned and dyed at temperatures no higher than 90° C. The fibers turn yellow on exposure to light, whereas their other properties remain practically unchanged. Yellowing can be eliminated to a great extent with the aid of photostabilizers. Spandex fibers are resistant to hydrolytic agents during finishing, washing, and dyeing. They are also resistant to oils, acids, alkalies, and organic solvents containing chlorine.

Spandex fibers are processed in pure form or in a mixture with natural fibers or other types of chemical fibers. The added fibers are mainly used for wrapping the spandex fibers, thereby protecting the core fibers from the light. A yarn composed of 5–20 percent spandex fiber and 80–95 percent nonexpandable fiber is used to prepare fabrics for shirts, blouses, sportswear, coats, and corsets.

Spandex fibers are known by the trade names Lycra and Vy-rene (United States), SPA and Neoran (Japan), Spanzelle (Great Britain), and Vorin (Italy). In 1973, world production of spandex fibers amounted to tens of thousands of tons.

References in periodicals archive ?
BTSR International S.p.A., a company supplying advanced technologies in spandex fiber tension control, has recently developed Trio-Loop tension and Metering Control System, a patented solution, which represents a breakthrough in hygiene applications.
South Korea's Teekay Chemical Corporation, which produces spandex fiber, has invested $70 million in Iran to sell its products produced in Iran to the Middle East markets.
The ever-popular Lycra, a Dupont trademark for the spandex fiber, combines the qualities of cotton and Antron.
A commercial polyurethane known as Biomer, which is a medical grade of the spandex fiber material Lycra has been used extensively in construction of experimental devices.
[USPRwire, Thu Feb 04 2016] Spandex Fiber Market by Production Process (Solution Dry Spinning, and Solution Wet Spinning), by End-Use (Textile, and Healthcare) & by Region (Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, and RoW) - Forecast to 2020
Athletes especially benefit from the superior elasticity of a spandex fiber, which consists of about 80% PolyTHF.
Moran's assessment that applications for using spandex fiber are moving more to "Over End Feed" versus "RollingTake Off" for higher efficiency, higher speed and reduced waste.
An extended streak beneath the RadElast name graphically conveys the movement and elongation of spandex fiber.
Approximately 70 percent by weight of the new LYCRA bio-derived spandex fiber comes from a renewable source made from dextrose derived from corn.
Hills, Inc., West Melbourne, FL, and Changyuan Elastan Machine Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Zhangjiagang City, China, have formed a joint development in the field of melt spun spandex fiber extrusion equipment.
Hyosung, Charlotte, NC, a producer of spandex fiber, plans to invest $210 million to increase its global spandex capacity by 50% during the next several years.
Though the proportion of spandex fiber involved in the production of a complete diaper is small, when Dorlastan is used, its effectiveness can be immense.