The advent of globalisation has urged the European textile industries to implement new technologies to maintain the cost-effectiveness of the sector. One such development is the application of of thin silane finishes on textiles, a development that has been introduced during the last decade. The extraordinary properties of these (functionalised) finishes include a.o. enhanced abrasion resistance and omniphobicity. The use of photocurable coatings in textiles is very promising and has already proven to be an eco-friendly alternative to traditional solvent-based processes. Thanks to its low investment on return and the possibility of high production speeds it is very likely to be introduced into the textile market in the near future. The use of the sol-gel technology in UV-curable hybrid coatings allows to apply the unique performances of sol-gel coatings in an environmentally sound way.

The major advantages of this technology include:

  • Energy-efficiency
  • High return on investment
  • Enhanced abrasion resistance
  • High (coating) as well as low viscosity (foulard, spray…) application feasible
  • Low VOC emission
  • Easy functionalisation (easy clean, UV protection…)
Project funding:
CORNET