Fiber and Textile Processing

Overview
Polyglycols are key raw materials for the production of melt spin finish lubricants for the production of synthetic fibers. These products are used in the various stages of textile processing as additives.

Products
The following products can be used in fiber and textile processing applications. Although each product has unique properties based on molecular weight and the monomer used, they all share some common properties.

FLUENT-LUB† Polyglycols

FLUENT-LUB 309 polyglycol

FLUENT-LUB 351 polyglycol

Also see UCON™ Fluids for textile fiber lubrication and textile machinery lubricants. CARBOWAX™ PEGs and MPEGs are also available for textile applications.

Specific Applications
Spin Finish Lubricants
Polyglycols are preferred base stocks for spin finish lubricants, due to their excellent lubrication properties and non-varnish formation at high temperatures. Water-soluble PAGs are used primarily as base lubricants for spin finishing of textured fibers.

Surfactants, Wetting, and Emulsifying Agents
PEG-esters, EO/PO block copolymers, and fatty alcohol alkoxylates are used as surfactants, wetting, and emulsifying agents in various processing steps within textile processing, such as scouring, pretreatment and dyeing. Low-foaming surfactants are preferable, to avoid excessive foaming.

Defoaming
Polypropylene glycols and EO/PO block copolymers are very effective defoamers in textile processing applications, where elimination of excessive foam is critical.

†Trademark of Dow Quimica S.A.