The textile industry is constantly searching

for environmentally friendly solutions.

Over the years a lot of chemical
components have been replaced
(Phosphates, Nonyl phenols etc) in the
textile industry.

The demand for low COD and BOD values,
reduced levels of MBAS and BiAS and easily
biodegradable products was the reason to
search for alternative sources.
Elements of Earth
8.32 kms crust
% by weight in crust
O = 49.2
Si = 25.7
Al = 7.5
Fe = 4.7
Ca = 3.4
Na = 2.6
K = 2.4
Mg = 1.9
other = 2.6
12500 km dia
Geotechnical engineers are interested mainly in the top 100 metres of the earth
crust. As you can see from the table, 82% of the elements are oxygen, silicon and
aluminium.
Soil Formation
Parent Rock
Residual soil Transported soil
~ in situ weathering (by
physical & chemical agents) of
parent rock
~ weathered and
transported far away
by wind, water and ice.
Parent Rock
~ formed by one of these three different processes
igneous
sedimentary
metamorphic
formed by cooling of
molten magma (lava)
e.g. granite
formed by gradual
deposition, and in layers
e.g. limestone, shale
formed by alteration of
igneous & sedimentary
rocks by pressure/
temperature
e.g. marble
Mother earth supplies us with a large variety of minerals.
Approx. 4000 different minerals are known worldwide, most of them are very
nice but not all of them can be used for technical purposes.





Rosa Quartz Roselite Biotite Kaolinite Rosasite Topaz

99% of the earth is composed out of only 8 minerals.
The mineral group of silicates is the most important and well known for:
- Clays (Aluminium/Metal oxides + Silicium dioxide)
- Zeolites (Aluminium/Metal oxides + Silicium dioxide)
- Silicate (Metal oxides + Silicium dioxide)

Clay minerals are made of two distinct structural units.
oxygen
0.29 nm
aluminium
or
magnesium
hydroxyl
or oxygen
silicon
0.26 nm
Silicon tetrahedron
Aluminium Octahedron
All clay minerals are made of two distinct building blocks:
tetrahedrons and octahedrons. The tetrahedron on the left has
oxygen atoms at the corners, and there is a silicon in the centre.
Octahedron has six oxygen or hydroxyl atoms in the corners,
and an aluminium or magnesium ion at the centre.


Depending on the type and quantity of metal oxide, the ratio with
SiO
2
and the specific crystalline structure, different types of CLAY
are known such as:

- Kaolin : Aluminium oxide
- Smectite : Aluminium- and Magnesium oxide
- Vermiculite : Aluminium- and Magnesium oxide
- Illite : Aluminium-, Magnesium- and
Potassium oxide
- Hectorite : Magnesium- and Lithium oxide



Clay mainly consists of SiO
2
and Al
2
O
3
Other ions may be present Mg, Ca, Fe, Li, Mn,..
Some clays can stabilize H
2
O
2
bleaches
3-Layer Silicate
Small particle size
Sheet Structure
Delaminating of layers by simple dispersing
High specific surface area(upto 750m
2
/g
after dispersed

Negative charge on the surface, cationic
charge at border
Inner crystalline capability of swelling

substitution of Si
4+
and Al
3+
by other
lower valence (e.g., Mg
2+
) cations
results in charge imbalance (net negative)
+
+
+
+ +
+
+
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
positively charged edges
negatively charged faces
Clay Particle with Net negative Charge
The clay particle derives its net negative charge from the isomorphous
substitution and broken bonds at the boundaries.
Mineral Specific
surface
(m
2
/g)
C.E.C
(meq/100g)
Kaolinite 10-20 3-10
Illite 80-100 20-30
Montmorillonite 800 80-120
Chlorite 80 20-30

Amongst the big number of minerals, clays have very useful
characteristics for textile applications

Some clay-classifications:
Kaolin (Aluminium: China clay)
Semectite (Aluminium + Magnesium)
Hormite (more Iron)

Some exceptional properties of clay:
Thickening agents in paints
Oil and dirt absorber
Absorber of inks in e.g. paper industry
Stabilizer for hydrogen peroxide bleaches
Softening agents in household products

In water the clay particles are anionic charged and
show a large adsorption effect for:

- Hydrophobic waxes and oils
- Metal ions (cation exchange capacity)
- Hydrophilic materials and polymers
Nature Bentonite
Cat litters
Agro industry
Civil industry
Beverage refinery
industry
Alkaline activation
(With soda ash)
Foundry industry
Civil & drilling industry
Detergent, paper, textile
industry
Beverage refinery
industry
Rheological additive
industry



Acidic activation
(with HCl / H
2
SO
4
)
Food industry
Paper industry
Beverage refinery
industry
Industrial catalyst

Organic activation
(With organic cation subst)
Pigment & paint industry
Sealing industry
Fat lubricant industry
Cosmetic industry
All these classes (and many sub-classes) have
different characteristics
Because of this different special industrial
applications e.g. paper coating
In the past clays were used by Indian and
Egyptian women to clean and smoothen their
faces and to shampoo their hair. Clay masks
and still popular!
The clay structure is based on sheets
By separating these sheets e.g. by stirring, a
very big surface is created
This surface (till 800 M
2
per gram) makes it
possible to absorb all kind of components like
dirt, oil, greases etc.
This gives an unique detergency effect
The most widely known mineral in the
textile industry is sodium silicate as a
mineral stabilizer for hydrogen peroxide
bleaching

L.N.s challenge: look for other minerals
with the good properties of sodium silicate
and with success!!

Clay minerals have been selected on the
specific characteristics and formulated in
new auxiliaries for the textile industry

NaOH
Gives irreversible yellowing to cotton due to high alkaline
High COD amount in waste water
Water glass
Salt reaction
Needs to look for effective conventional auxiliaries
Building deposits on the fabric and machineries
Complex Builder
Ecological problem
Effective depend on the degree of water hardness and
heavy metal contamination on the raw materials




Adsorption of strong metal contamination

Organic complex builder fully or partially to be
substituted

Water glass fully or partially to be substituted

In hydrogen peroxide bleaching,
both continuously and
discontinuously
In continuous desizing of
synthetics
In post scouring reactive dyed and
printed cellulosics
One of the new applications for clays is as a one-
shot product for the discontinuous bleaching
applications

It is based on this mineral technology

A clay based multifunctional auxiliary for the
discontinuous bleaching of cotton with hydrogen
peroxide on jets, winches and overflows

Prescouring of PES/EL and PA/EL

Alternative for the ecologically unfriendly
hypochlorite bleach
Without product
2 g/l pure non-ionic
Without product 2 g/l TANNEX GEO Without product 2 g/l TANNEX GEO
Clearly to see is that the silicon oil is
not well emulsified.
Altranol- GEO well disperse/emulsifies
the silicon oil.
2g/l Altranol-GEO
Without product 2 g/l TANNEX GEO Without product 2 g/l TANNEX GEO
Without product
Excellent hydrogen peroxide stabilizer
Unique wash performance
Good wetting out of the fabric
Excellent lubrification properties
Low foaming; no defoamer required
Ecologically very friendly
Gives fabric a smooth handle

Altranol GEO allows almost 35% reduction in the BOD
& COD levels in the wash effluent

Altranol GEO further reduces the COD/BOD levels by
eliminating/reducing the need for additional auxiliaries
in treatment baths i.e. wetting agents, chelating agents,
surfactants, lubricants & defoamers.

The effluent of treated textiles is easily & readily
treated by flocculating, precipitating or filtering the
natural clays & its adsorbed/precipitated contaminants,
which are removed by any standard separation
technique like filtering etc.

The resultant effluent is significantly more
environmentally acceptable than current effluents
containing organic components & inorganic
contaminants.
Altranol ELB, besides reducing pollution due to lower
BOD & COD levels, also results in lower volatile organic
chemicals (VOCs)
Is an outstanding lubricating agent providing a softer
hand for treated textile goods
Is non-foaming & extremely effective in removing
processing oils & excess auxiliaries & other impurities
from the substrates. Treated substrates are cleaner
which improves dyeability & dye penetration resulting
in increased colour yields of 10~30%
Is suitable for processing all textile materials i.e. all
fibres, filament, yarns, fabric & all products made from
them. They include textured & non textured filaments
& yarns, woven, knitted or non-woven fabrics.

Excellent extracting effect to silicone or mineral oils
from elastane fibers when blended with cotton /
polyamide / polyester

Stabil whiteness degree with possibility of increasing
whiteness degree after every bleaching process

Reduction of COD value in waste water

Heavy metals adsorption reduction of potential pin
holes problem

Softness effect on cotton fiber anti crease mark effect

Bleach for whites indication recipe:
1-3 ml/l Altranol-GEO
2-3, 5g/l Caustic flakes
6-10 ml/l Hydrogen peroxide 35%
X % Optical brightening agent
95-110C during 90-30 minutes
Some practical results:
Cotton on winches 95C 60 mins;
Customers standard: LNCI
Basic white : 84 85
Total white : 155 158
S-factor : 0.36 0.32
Practical results continued:
Knitted Cotton/EL on Thie jet

Customers standard: LNCI
Basic white : 72 77
Total white : 144 156
S-factor : 0.2 0.1
Other experiences:
Jig bleaching applications
Bleaching of Cotton on X-cones
Discontinuous bleaching of Linen
Prescour PA/EL
Prescour PES/EL
Etc..
Clay technology
for pretreatment of elastane fibres
Elastane fibres (Polyurethane filament fibres) are
commonly used nowadays in all kind of knits and fabrics.

Elastane fibres provide knits and fabrics stretch and
retention effects.

Elastane fibres are blended with all kind of other fibres like
PA, PES, Wo and Co.
Articles can contain between 2 20% elastane fibres.

Articles can contain between 2 6% silicone oils.

Depending on the fibre blend this silicone oil, in combination with other
fibre preparations (mineral oils, waxes, lubricants etc) could cause
problems during further processing.


Insufficient elimination of silicon oils will cause problems during
subsequent processes and/or dyeings:
- silicon spots and/or stripes on the material
- silicon deposits in the machine
- fumes and yellowing during thermofixation

Silicone oil on the elastane fibres is absolutely necessary to provide
sufficient elasticity and avoid aging.

What is a safe way of processing elastane fibres ?


Altranol-ELB is a specially formulated clay in combination with special
non ionic surfactants.

The clay in Altranol-ELB is from the same origin as in Altranol-GEO

Altranol-ELB removes all superficial silicone oil, providing level dyeings,
without totally removing the silicone oil.

A certain amount of residual silicone oil is required to guarantee
durable elasticity and to avoid ageing of the elastane-fibre.
Very good wetting and scouring effect.
Level dyeings as Altranol-ELB levels out all irregular
oil contents.
Residual silicone oil to protect the Elastane fibre in
order to maintain durable elasticity and avoid ageing.
Simple to dispense and easy to handle.
Lubrication action due to the presence of clay .
Applicable on all fibre blends with Elastane fibres.
Non foaming.
Ecological product (COD 560 mg O/g, BiAS 210 mg/g)
APEO free.
Soda ash pH 9-10 (1 g/l)
Altranol- ELB
2 ml/l + 1 ml/l
water 2-3 l/kg
overflow
30C
Grey
water 6-8 l/kg
C 30 30 80 80 80 60 40
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Time [min]
T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
e

[

C
]
15 min @ 50C
Dyeing
Refill and add
Altranol-ELB 0.5 ml/l
other dyeing auxiliaries dyestuffs

Fill the machine and add
Altranol-ELB 12 ml/l
Soda ash 0.5 1 g/l
Ratio 10:1
Special multipurpose versatile compound for wet
processing of textile goods made of natural &
synthetic fibres:
Complete, balanced bleaching assistant for single
stage bleaching
Washing elastane blends
Cleaning effects on the machinery
Ecological beaching procedure. Environmentally
friendly
Positive issue on waste water treatment





OFFICE ADDRESS :
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Tel.- 91-22-4221 6789 (30 Lines)
91-22-6692 4112
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D- 14 /10, T.T.C. M.I.D.C Industrial area,
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Email ID: ketan@lnchem.in
nayana.lnchem@gmail.com