[ Technical Textiles - Fiber World 2 Cont'nd]

Also on the flame-retardant front, Lenzing Group, Austria, plans to expand capacity at its Lenzing-based fiber-manufacturing facility for the production of Lenzing FR® flame-resistant (FR) cellulosic fiber. The expansion will enable the company to supply increased volumes of the fiber to TenCate Protective Fabrics, Union City, Ga., in its Defender™ M Lenzing FR/para-aramid-blend fabrics to be used for US armed forces military combat uniforms (See " Quality Fabric Of The Month: Saving Our Troops," September/October 2007). A special amendment to the US National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 exempts FR rayon fiber for five years from requirements that it be manufactured in the United States in order to be used in garments supplied to the US armed forces. Lenzing FR is produced only at the Lenzing facility, which devotes about 50 percent of its capacity to the production of specialty fibers. TenCate's Defender M fabric, specified by the US Army and Marine Corps to replace the nylon/cotton uniform fabric used currently, offers inherent FR properties in addition to moisture management and breathability. Pyron Products Account Manager Mark Davidson of St. Louis-based Zoltek Technical Fibers represents Pyron® oxidized polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers, which often are used in the manufacture of woven and nonwoven textiles and garments for fire and thermal insulation. Pyron is easily processed on conventional textile equipment and can be made into nonwovens, staple fiber, yarns, wovens and knits to offer inherent FR properties with no additives. "Industrial applications requiring high protection levels like high-performance garments and products in areas such as auto racing, firefighting or industrial metalworking and smelting are common applications," Davidson said. Benefits include little or no toxic gas generated, very good resistance to acids, as well as competitive price and good availability. New products include strataTek two-layer fabrics with Pyron that open the door to combining the high fire-blocking performance of Pyron with bright colors and/or high abrasion resistance. "The strataTek with Pyron is an exciting development," Davidson said. "Now applications requiring the high protection levels delivered by Pyron, but also needing color and abrasion resistance, can have both!"

Lenzing Group supplies Lenzing FR® fiber to TenCate Protective Fabrics for its Defender™ M Lenzing FR/para-aramid-blend fabrics to be used in US armed forces military combat uniforms. Photograph by Staff Sgt. Curt Cashour, MNC-I Public Affairs.