Weaving technology and mechanical properties of extended-PTFE fabrics

During the fabricating of extended-PTFE (ePTFE) fabrics, we found that the ePTFE yarn is easy to be collapsed because of excluding each other by electrostatic friction of the ePTFE yarn during warping procedure. Therefore, the single warping was adopted in the experiment and we also added some anti-electrostatic solution and enhanced the humidity of warping to decrease the influence. During weaving process, the small fell of cloth (32 mm) was carried out and the warp level angle (312°) was advanced to prevent the crinkle of fabric caused by shrunk weft yarn. In the investigation of the physical properties of ePTFE fabric, we found that both of the acid-resistance and heat-resistance are really excellent. Even if the ePTFE fabric is used in the environment temperature of 300 °C for 1 h, there is still no change in the mechanical properties. Heat shrinkage has rarely different at temperature of 100 and 200 °C, but it changed obviously at the temperature of 300 °C. In this study, when the fabric structure was 3/1 right twill and the weft density was 20 picks/cm, it will have the optimum breaking strength.