Tian Rong –  

The Soybean Protein Fiber 

      

By: Jyoti Bhasin

Tian Rong – The Soybean Protein Fiber  

By: Jyoti Bhasin  INTRODUCTION‐ 

Soybean Protein Fiber (SPF) has been praised locally and internationally by industry expert as the Healthy and Comfortable Fiber of 21st Century. SPF is only renewable botanic protein fiber. This fiber appears from soybean a plant which has enormous source and affluent in nutrition.

SPF is a scientific result accomplished by Mr. Li Guanqi from China after 10 years of research with 70 million investments. Since 2000, China claims to have taken world lead in industrialization production of SPF. The new fiber is cheaper than the fibers it aims to replace, costing a third of the price of silk and one fifteenth of the price of cashmere. SPF doesn’t cause hazards to the environment. Its products are degradable in earth, back to nature.

Its moisture absorption, ventilation, draping and warmth cover the superior performance of natural fibers and synthetic ones. This fiber attributes silk like grace, resembling warmth of wool as well as the softness and smoothness; it is feeling like skin on skin. The apparels made of soybean protein fiber hangs gracefully on body. Its drapability, smoothness, softness and hygroscopic are better than cotton fiber.  ABOUT SOYBEAN‐  The soybean is a Papillionoid legume, a member of tribe Phaseoleae and sub tribe Glycininae. The species Glycine max is the cultivated soybean. Soybean cultivation started in China 3000 years ago. In India major soybean producing states are Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. Composition of soybean fibers 

Soybeans contain protein, carbohydrates and fats as well as vitamins and minerals such as folic acid, calcium and iron. It contains lots of amino-acids necessary for human-body such as hydroxyl, carboxyl etc. and added anti bacterial elements offers a protective function to skin. NEED FOR A REGENERATED PROTEIN FIBER  According to Ji Guobiao, senior textile researcher from the China Academy of Engineering, after 100 years of development the synthetic fibers have become a major raw material of the textile industry in the world but have three limitations.

They rely on crude oil resource which is close to being exhausted. Many of chemical fibers contaminate the environment during their production. The texture of synthetic fibers does not have the same texture as that of natural fibers.

The limitations of chemical synthetic fibers lead to the development of new fiber materials, which should have the following characteristics:

it should be developed from the low cost natural resources instead of greatly relying on crude oil.

Its production process should be clean and eco- friendly. It should be comfortable to the skin of human beings. Fibers that have similar texture like natural fibers are required since the natural fibers especially

protein fibers which are popular for their inimitable appearance and properties are very costly and not available abundantly.

PRODUCTION OF SOYBEAN PROTEIN FIBER  

History  In 1935, the research began yielding methods for converting protein of peanuts, corn and soybean into the textiles fibers. As early as 1937, soybean fiber was showing promises of usefulness in the textile field. It was the first textiles filaments to spin from the protein of vegetable origin.

The Ford motor company carried out research and separation of protein from soybean to convert them into fibers. The production started in 1939 and fibers were used to make upholstery for motorcars. The production was taken over by the Drackett products Co. and a new plant was set up in 1949. After ten years of hard work of Mr. Li Guanqi's as well as the contribution and assistance of many other departments and organization, soybean fiber has come into birth and its industrialization started.

Current Production Process 

SPF is a latest textile fiber. It is made from the Soybean cake or bean dregs that are produced after extracting oil by new bio- engineering technology. Firstly, the spherical protein or globular protein is distilled from the soybean cake having a protein content of about 45 to 55 %. Then, forming aqueous slurry to extract proteins and carbohydrates, precipitating the protein onto and into the insoluble portion of the leguminous materials and separating the solids from the liquid portion of the slurry. This will form an aqueous alkaline spinning dope with the separated solids which is forced through a spinneret into an acid and salt coagulating bath to form proteinaceous filaments. Thus, 0.9- 3.0 decitex (dtex) fibers are produced by wet spinning.

Environment friendly‐ 

The raw materials’ being a natural product available in abundance and recyclable there is no waste of resources. All auxiliary materials and agents used in the production of SPF are harmless to nature, and most auxiliaries used and

even unfinished products are recyclable. The bean dregs, too, after having their protein extracted can be used as fodder. SPF is a kind of environmentally protecting product which does not harm to the environment, atmosphere, water and human body during its process of production.

PROPERTIES OF SOYBEAN PROTEIN FIBERS‐  

Microscopic Features‐ 

Vertical shear of SPF is irregular and has moisture absorbing grooves. When lengthwise fibers are examined microscopically, longitudinal lines called striations are seen. In cross section it appears dumbbell shaped and has Island-in -a Sea structure.

Vertical shear Cross section Physical Properties‐  Sr.No  Property Name  SPF  Cotton  Silk 

1 Moisture Regain% 8.6 9.0 11.0 2 Friction Force 33.4 F/gf 35.4 F/gf 55.4 F/gf 3 Slide length 2.46l/cm 3.26 l/cm 2.95 l/cm 4 Bending Length 1.101 C/cm 1.588 C/cm 1.437 C/cm 5 Drape Coefficient % 7 16 30 6 Antistatic Property g/cm-2 10.33 6.8 9.8

7 Resistance to acid Resistant to thin-acid (good)

Resistance to thin-acid, not resistant to

hot thin-acid (relatively good)

Resistance to thin-acid (good)

8 Resistance to Alkali Resistance to thin-alkali (soda), not

resistance to caustic soda

Resistance to caustic soda

Resistance to thin-alkali (soda), not

resistant to caustic soda

9 Resistance to moth & Fungus

Resistance to moth & Fungus

Resistance to moth not resistance to

fungus

Resistance to moth & fungus

10 Flexural Rigidity 14.84 B /mgf.cm 45.01 B / mgf.cm 35.70 B /mgf.cm Other Properties  

Light fastness property 

The light fastness of soybean fiber was tested under outdoor condition for two months. After the test, the color of SPF fades a little, the strength decreases 11 percent and no mold fungus appears. Furthermore, the strength of SPF decreases only 9.8 percent under the ultraviolet radiation for 120 hours. The test results indicate that the SPF has good light fastness property and good resistance to ultraviolet radiation which is better than cotton, viscose and silk. Washability‐ 

Several knitted and woven soybean-fabric samples were laundered in the standard conditions. The test results indicate that the soybean fabric can be machine- wash while the knitted samples shrink markedly after washing.

YARN PROCESSING  SPF is converted into pure soybean yarn and its blends with natural (cotton, linen, wool, cashmere and silk) and chemical (modified polyester, viscose, tencel, polynosic etc) fibers by ring spinning in following tages: s

a) Opening, Cleaning and Blending‐ Staple fibers arrive at the yarn processing plant in large bales .It is important to separate or open the fiber mass to a single fiber state or as close as possible. The opening and blending machines separate and blends fibers from different bales or cartons.

b) Carding- Carding continues the cleaning of the fibers, it removes fibers too short to use as yarn. The process partially aligns the fibers so that their longitudinal axes are somewhat parallel. By the carding machine thin web is gathered into a soft mass and pulled into a rope like strand of fibers about ¾ inches in diameter, called a sliver.

c) Combing- For high quality yarns of superior evenness, smoothness and fineness and strength fibers are combed as well as carded. Card slivers are fed to the machine where several card slivers are combined. This smoothes out the card slivers pulls out the fibers into a thin layer and re-forms a new slivers called as a comb sliver. d)  Drawing‐ Slivers from either the carding unit or combing unit depending on the ultimate yarn desired, reprocessed through the finisher-drawing or drafting frame. This is the process by which the fiber of different types can be blended together to form a blended yarn. Eight slivers are drawn together to produce a drawn sliver. The drawn sliver is about the same size as, or slightly smaller than the card or comb sliver.

e)   Roving- Slivers from the finisher drawing are taken to the roving frame where each sliver will be attenuated until it measures approximately one-eighth of its original diameter. A slight amount of twist is imparted to give strength. The new strand called roving is laid on a bobbin. f)  Spinning- This is the final stage. During spinning, the roving is attenuated to the desired diameter called the final draft & desired amount of the twist is inserted. Yarns of SPF

FABRIC CONSTRUCTION‐  

Development of woven fabric‐  Air Jet looms is used for weaving & warping is done by automatic warpers. Fabrics made of SPF blends with other natural or chemicals fibers have so been used in shirting & home textiles. Their special feature is luster and the soft hand found in silk. Their economic effects are quite high. Development of knitted fabrics‐ Soybean protein contained in fibers makes a superior, soft hand endowed with absorbency & permeability which makes best application in knits and innerwear. CHARACTERISTICS OF SOYBEAN FABRICS‐  

1.  Soft,  light  Feel‐the fabric made from SPF is soft smooth, light, with natural luster and good draping property. It is very comfortable and soft for people to wear apparels just a second skin.

2. Dry‐ the moisture absorption of these fibers is similar to that of cotton but its ventilation is more superior to that of cotton.

3. Luxuriant appearance‐ theses fabrics have joyful silky luster with perfect drape & elegance. It has much better drape than cotton & silk.

4. Good colorfastness‐ the original color is ivory. It can be dyed by acid dyes, metal complex and reactive dyes and color are quite stable in the sunshine and perspiration.

5. Anti  ‐Ultraviolet- SPF’s anti- ultraviolet property is superior to cotton much more superior to viscose and silk.

6. Warmth Retention‐ the warmth retention property of soybean fabric is similar to that of cotton but poorer than wool. CHARACTERTICS OF FABRICS FROM SPF AND ITS BLENDS‐  1.  Fabric  from  SPF Blended with Cashmere- SPF with its proportion over 50% could be blended with cashmere to get yarns with high counts, which would be used for spring, summer and autumn thin cashmere sweaters. These products have properties of smoothness, light and soft and easy to care than pure cashmere products. 2. Fabric from SPF Blended with Wool‐  Wool yarn cover SPF yarn and as both the fibers are hydroscopic, air permeable and thermal so makes the whole fabric soft, smooth, dry and comfortable. The fabrics preserve the luster and fineness of fabrics and new character of smooth handle and are ideal materials for light and thin woolen sweater, underwear, top grade formal wear, coat & blanket.  3. Fabrics from SPF Blended with Silk‐ 

Blended fabrics from SPF and silk preserve good luster, air permeable, soft, smooth, dry, elegant, comfortable to wear, and health function. When compared to silk fabrics because of SPF’s own property, the draping property of blended

fabric will be improved and cut down the cost. This fabric is suitable for top grade apparel including sleepwear, shirts and evening dresses. 4. Fabric from SPF Blended with Cotton‐ 

Compared to cotton fabrics handle of these blended fabrics have been improved. It has softer hand, better moisture absorption and ventilation, better bacterial resistance and more comfort for wearing. These fabrics are ideal for shirts, underwear, T-shirts, Infant apparel, sportswear, trowel and beddings.

5. Fabric from SPF blended with Chemical fiber‐ Fabrics from SPF with polyester, viscose and acrylic etc. have better properties of comfort, air permeability and crease resistance. The blended fabric is quite suitable for spring and summer fashion apparels, underwear, shirts and sportswear. These products are soft, comfortable and intimate to skin. SPF & Polyester

APPLICATION OF SOYBEAN PROTEIN FABRIC‐ As SPF is very fine, soft and smooth, it is the most ideal material for the products which are intimate to skin such as men’s and women’s underwear, sleepwear, sweaters, sportswear, T-shirts, children’s and infant’s apparel, and home textiles like towel, blanket and beddings etc. Pure soybean and its blends with wool, silk, cotton and spandex fabrics are being produced and use widely for ranges of garments according to fashion in vogue, baby wear, undergarments, towels, sweaters and bedspreads have been launched. SPF is a promising new fiber that can be thought of as a replacement for purely synthetic fibers.

SPF & wool Blend blanket T- Shirt Sportswear

Under Garments Sweaters Ladies top

 

Sources: 1) www.spftex.com 2) www.swicofil.com 3) www.euroflax.com 4) www.alibaba.com

Author Details‐ Ms Jyoti Bhasin, Senior Faculty, CRM, FDDI (Footwear Design & Development Institute), Noida, India