Water repellency tests spray test

Water-repeUent fabrics resist wetting or repel waterborne stains they pass AATCC Test Method 22 (Spray Test). 

AATCC methods for determining water repellency are AATCC 22 (spray test) and AATCC 70 (tumble jar dynamic absorption test). In the spray test, water is sprayed against the taut surface of the test specimen to produce a wetted pattern the size of which depends on the repellency of the fabric. Evaluation is by comparing the pattern with a series of patterns on a standard chart. The latter method evaluates the percentage by weight of water absorbed by a sample after dynamic exposure to water for a specified period of time. 

AATCC Test Method 22-2001, Water repellency spray test . Technical Manual of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists, Research Triangle Park, American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists, 2003, 65-67. 

The fabrics used in this study were prepared by the Southern Regional Lab especially for the 13 states involved in the S-163 Project. They Include 100% cotton, 100% polyester, and a 50/50 cotton/polyester blend. Fabrics are print cloth, woven construction, with a thread count of 70W x 78F, 3.5 ounce per square yard. All fabrics were wet finished and heat set. A durable press finish (DMDHEU) was applied to cotton and cotton/polyester fabrics. A water repellent fluorocarbon finish (Corpel) and an acrylic acid soil-release finish were applied to all three types of fabrics. Our preliminary findings for the AATCC spray test are reported here. 

AATCC test method 22-2005. Water repellency spray test. AATCC technical manual. vol. 82. 2007. 

Thus, it comes almost as a complete surprise when one miner, Donnie Mullins, explained very matter-of-factly why he put a water repellent rag on the methane monitor. According to Mullins, water mist from the spray on the continuous mining machine had caused the monitor to produce false readings that would shut down the mining machine. Mullins described how he tested the monitor after putting the oily rag on the sniffer. The detailed reasoning and honest enthusiasm in his testimony makes it obvious that others would have to have noticed the presence of the rag. ... 

The reason 1 put that rag in there, that spray there in that pan, when you cut down that water mist that cutter frame and, which they ain t that much can get in there in that, no big er hole than that was. I d say two, two and half inch diameter hole. But two or three drops on that sniffer will mess that methane monitor up. It cause it to, you know, to start reading. And just like I told them up there at West Virginia when 1 went up there and watched it, every test that they run on it. When he saturated that rag and screwed it back down on that sniffer, just as soon as that water hit it, that thing went to reading. And it. it d read back and forth and it d finally settled on eight (8) tenths percent. But the rag was oily, it was water repellent, you know. And like 1 said, when I put it in there, I went and got my bottle, I checked it, it read out, it gassed off. It read at nine (9) tenths. The low light come on at one point nine (1.9). It kicked the power out and it read to two point four (2.4). (pp. 28-29)... 

The class I spray and sprinkling tests most frequently used are listed in Table 12.4. The AATCC 22-1996 spray test (Fig. 12.5) developed by the Du Pont Co. [154] is the simplest and most widely used. In addition to the simplicity of the apparatus, it has the advantage that fabric and garments can be tested without cutting out samples. However, the test does not discriminate among fabrics with good water repellency, and other tests may be needed to supplement it. 

Soil retardants can be applied to fibers, yams, fabrics, or carpets by spraying, padding, kiss-roll, or foam application techniques. Some soil retardants are applicable also by exhaust methods. Spraying is the most popular method for applying soil retardants to carpets. The required amount of a soil-retardant product is typically 0.5-1.6% of the weight of dry face fiber or about 200 ppm as fluorine. Usually, the soil retardant as applied as the last step before the carpet is dried. The presence of a fluorinated finish on the carpet can be confirmed by an oil-repel-lency test, based on the AATCC 118-1997 test (see Chapter 12), or a water-repel-lency test. Fuorier transform infrared and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ESCA) (Chapter 9) provide semiquantitative information on the fluorinated soil-retardant concentration on the fibers. 

A more severe simulation of a rain event is provided by ISO 9865. This test method is similar to AATCC Test Method 35 except that the water is sprayed for 10 min and the undersides of the fabric samples are rubbed while the spraying takes place. A rather elaborate apparatus is required. The appearance of the fabric face, the amount of water absorbed by the fabric and the amount of water passing through the fabric are all factors in determining the repellency rating of the fabric. 

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