RadiciSpandex: Products

Type S-17B spandex is a polyether spandex designed to provide improved protection from damage caused by chlorine, UV rays, suntan oil and perspiration. It is used in warp knitted elastic fabrics and circular knitted elastic fabrics. Type S-17B is ideal for swimwear and activewear. In addition to minimizing breakdown caused by chlorinated water, Type S-17B helps garments maintain their whiteness and vivid colors longer. It also exhibits excellent resistance to the effects of suntan lotions and body oils. While this product is primarily intended for swimwear, it is also suitable in applications where chlorine resistance is desired. Following summarizes testing done on bare fibers and fabric containing 40 denier Type S-17B spandex.

Fiber Testing

Typical Results on 40 Denier Fibers¹

After Chlorine Exposure²	Type S-85	Type S-17B
Tensile % retention	~ 36.0	~ 70.0

Tensile property measurements are a good indicator of fiber performance and serviceability. The higher tensile retention of chlorine resistant spandex will provide a more durable and serviceable fabric and garment.

Fabric Testing

Tricot knitted swimwear fabrics containing Type S-17B spandex were tested for 75 hours under accelerated conditions of 50 parts per million chlorine, which represents 10 times the normal concentration found in swimming pools. Fabric compression, or what the wearer feels against the body, was measured before and after exposure.

Fabrics containing Type S-17B retained excellent compression and exhibited little to no growth after this accelerated exposure condition. Test results are available upon request.

Typical Results on Tricot Knit Swimwear Fabric

After Chlorine Exposure	Type S-85	Type S-17B
Compression Modulus, Percent Retention (measured at 50% fabric elongation)	70.3	91.9

1Data is based on R & D Laboratory and Technical Customer Services testing results.

2Fibers exposed to a 150 ppm chlorine solution for 15 hours at room temperature (accelerated exposure test.)

Type S-17B spandex offers the following properties:

Excellent strength, elongation and modulus.
Flex life.
Compression Power
Abrasion Resistance
Good acid dyeability for union dyeing to prevent and reduce grin-through.
Good resistance to discoloration from atmospheric contaminants (gas fade).
Excellent resistance to hydrolysis in damp storage, acid and alkaline wet processing conditions such as bleaching, reactive dyeing and vat dyeing.
Excellent resistance to oxidation and ultra violet light exposure, suntan oil and perspiration. Test results available upon request.
Excellent resistance to discoloration in fabric molding process.
Excellent resistance to chlorine bleaching for cotton socks.

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TABLE I

Type S-17B Spandex Typical Average Physical Properties

Deniers Available

Attribute	20	30	40	70	140
Breaking Elongation, Percent	550	550	550	600	650
Modulus (grams/denier), 2nd. Cycle outgoing @ 200% @ 250%	.070 .113	.063 .114	.061 .108	.052 .082	.045 .064
Specific Gravity (gm/cc)	1.04-1.06	1.04-1.06	1.04-1.06	1.04-1.06	1.04-1.06
Sticking Temperature Degrees F Degrees C	428 220	428 220	428 220	428 220	428 220
Moisture Regain	Less than 1%	Less than 1%	Less than 1%	Less than 1%	Less than 1%

THERMAL PROPERTIES

Molding Fabrics Containing Type S-17B Spandex

The molding operation is used on knitted fabrics where a sewn seam is undesirable, such as a bra cup application. One must have enough fabric stretch in the wale and course (warp and weft) direction in order to prevent the non-elastic fibers (i.e., nylon or polyester) from cutting and rupturing the spandex fibers as the fabric is stretched during molding.

Recommended Fabric Properties for Molding

Warp stretch 210%, plus or minus 10%

Course stretch 110%, plus or minus 10%

Total fabric stretch 300 to 320% with 95 to 100% minimum.

Molding Temperatures

Commercial molding is normally performed on 8 layers of fabric.

Other time and temperatures ideal for molding are as follows:

385° F (196° C) - 60 Sec.
390° F (199° C) - 30 to 45 Sec.

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Finishing Chemicals

In preparing fabrics for molding, chemicals which show minimum shade change on exposure to heat should only be used. Soft Acrylic or Polyvinyl acetate thermoplastic resins can be used satisfactorily for hand builders.

Silicone dispersions can be used as softeners or hand modifiers with the resins.

Thermosetting resins based on Melamine or Triazine Formaldehyde condensate discolor and are therefore not recommended.

Dyed fabric to be molded should be dyed with acid type dyes for minimum shade change. Disperse type dyes are not recommended.

Fluorescent whitening agents of the acid-type (Stilbene derivatives) are recommended. Disperse type opticals are more susceptible to shade change.

White fabrics should be finished on the acidic side (pH 5.0) with citric acid for maximum whiteness retention.

Maximum molding depth is 5.0 inches - 127 mm.

Heat Setting Fabrics Containing Type S-17B Spandex (Dry Heat)

Heat setting fabrics containing Type S-17B spandex is necessary in order to stress-relax the fabric, set the final fabric width and final fabric weight. If heat setting were not performed, the fabric would shrink to an unacceptable degree during dyeing, and fabric weight would be too heavy. The net effect of heat setting is to re-denier the spandex to a lower denier and produce a more stable fabric.

Type 6'6 Nylon / Type S-17B spandex 375 to 400° F (191 to 204° C) 15 to 60 Sec.

Type 6 Nylon / Type S-17B spandex 355 to 365° F (179 to 185° C) 15 to 60 Sec.

Temperatures and time depend on fabric weight and construction. Sample trials are recommended.

Steam Autoclaving Recommendations

Temperatures above 240° F (115° C) are not recommended, significant tensile loss of Type S-17B spandex will occur. Steaming cycles of 2 to 4 minutes are recommended. Sample trials are recommended.

The process is usually performed on circular knit fabric that is intended for tubular put-up, or for those mills that do not have tenter frame capability. It is performed in an autoclave with steam in a batch operation.

HEAT SETTING ELASTIC FABRICS GUIDELINES

The following is recommended for developing new styles of fabrics.

Many wide fabrics containing Type S-17B spandex is constructed so that heat setting is required to produce fabric with acceptable dimensional stability. Included in this category are:

Fabrics showing excessive shrinkage as determined in a preliminary test in boiling water. Take a one yard cut and boil it 10 times in 0.5% (on weight fabric) synthetic detergent and rinse, then air dry flat at 180° F (82° C). Measure the maximum hand stretch. Use a greige fabric.
Knit structures containing a high percentage of S-17B spandex.
Woven structures in which the desired finish width is close to the reed width.
Fabrics with a high stretch potential that require low stretch in the finished state, such as ski pants.
When the desired finished width is greater than the greige or jammed width or when a greater fabric yield is desired. When the off-loom width is greater than the finished width, use a hot wet pretreatment to reduce the width to manageable dimensions for heat setting.
Heat setting is designed to be less than 100% efficient.

This means the finished fabric will contract upon subsequent relaxation. Therefore, heat setting should be followed by a wet finishing process to permit the residual shrinkage and relaxation to occur and to develop the full stretch potential. This usually happens in the dyeing operation.

To determine the width at which a fabric should be heat-set under given conditions of time and temperature, a sample of greige fabric or a partially relaxed fabric sample should be heat-set 10 to 15% above the desired finished width. After heat setting, the sample should be treated in boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes and relax-dried. Heat setting efficiency or percent retention of heat-set width is calculated by dividing the finished width of the sample by the heat-set width.

Finished Width of Sample, Divided By Heat-set Width of Sample, x 100 = % Heat setting Efficiency

or for example:

52 Inches, Divided By 57 Inches, x 100 = 91% Heat setting Efficiency

If the desired finished width is 55 inches, the width at which the fabric should be heat-set can be adjusted accordingly. For example:

100, Divided By % Heat setting Efficiency, x (Desired finished width) = Heat setting width

or for example:

100 Divided By 91 x 55 inches = 60 inches

CHEMICAL RESISTANCE PROPERTIES

Type S-17B spandex is resistant to chlorine bleaches and a wide range of chemicals and processes normally encountered in fabric dyeing and finishing. However, there are particular chemicals, yarn finishes and machine oils that will damage Type S-17B and other competitor’s polyether based spandex fibers. These are:

Peracetic Acid

Not recommended. Yellows Type S-17B spandex.

Oxalic Acid

Not recommended. Yellows Type S-17B spandex.

Formic Acid

Not recommended as it can degrade Type S-17B spandex.

Lubricants & Oils

Lubricants or oils containing unsaturated fatty acids or esters can degrade Type S-17B spandex through oxidative degradation. Therefore, yarn lubricants, machine and needle oils containing unsaturated fatty acids or esters must be avoided. If a lubricant must be used, it is recommended that it be submitted to RADICISPANDEX Corporation’s Technical Services group for testing. It is also recommended that the coning oil supplier be contacted.

Dye Carriers

Carriers that are based on Phenol will degrade Type S-17B spandex and must be avoided. Carriers based on Dimethyl Ester of Terephthalic Acid and Phthalamide are acceptable.

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DYEING CHARACTERISTICS AND

RECOMMENDED PRACTICES

Type S-17B spandex has excellent dyeability with Acid type dyes. When used with nylon fibers, fabrics will have little, if any, "grin-through" of the spandex when the fabric is stretched. This unique feature of Type S-17B spandex yields fabrics of good union shades.

Type S-17B has affinity for the following classes of dyestuffs:

Acid
Neutral Acid
Pre-metallized
Chrome
Disperse

Type S-17B spandex exhibits poor affinity for dyes substantive to cellulosic fibers. Direct, Fiber Reactive, Vat and Sulfur dyes should be first screened for dye or staining effects depending on fabric construction.

Tensions must be kept at a minimum in dyeing and finishing to preserve the inherent elastic fabric properties of spandex. Processing temperatures should also be kept as low as possible consistent with producing quality elastic fabrics.

Disperse Dyeing Polyester and Type S-17B Spandex Fabrics

Recommended dyeing temperature is no higher than 225° F (107° C) for lengthy dye cycles. Temperatures above this may lead to a loss in fabric modulus or power. The customer should run production trials if temperatures above 225° F (107° C) are being used. RadiciSpandex Corporation will not be held responsible for damaged fabric if dyeing temperatures above 225° F (107° C) are being used.

RECOMMENDED SPANDEX FIBER HANDLING AND PROCESSING PRACTICES FOR PACKAGES

Opening cases

Take care not to damage the thread with any sharp instrument that may be used to cut open the carton.

Once opened - pull the plastic bag liner over the sides of the case to prevent contact of the spandex liner, which could disturb the wind and affect the performance in knitting.

Although not an absolute requirement, some users of spandex fibers prefer to open cartons in the same environment in which it will be processed for a period of 24 hours prior to its use.

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Removal of packages

Remove the returnable black separator tray by grasping the handle holds and pulling straight up to prevent contact with the layer of spandex packages below.

Grasp the spandex package by positioning the thumb (not thumb nail) in the top center of the package with one or more of the remaining fingers placed inside the tube, again avoid contact with the edges or shoulders of the package.

Handle only one package at a time. Stacking, cradling or otherwise transporting more than one tube or cone at a time dramatically increases the likelihood that the package may be bumped and the wind may be disturbed causing running tension variation and breaks. The use of a tray, pin truck or other suitable carrier is recommended for handling multiple packages by one operator.

Inspection

Briefly inspect the package for "fall-overs" (spandex ends fallen off the edge of the package).

If "fall-overs" are found, clear by lightly pinching the top center of the package with the thumb and forefinger (do not pinch with fingernails) and pulling the spandex over the edge of the package until a single end remains, or gently roll the "fall-off" ends back onto the surface of the package using the fleshy part of your palm, which must be free of callouses or skin burns.

Thread up

Remove empty spandex packages from the let-off rolls and place them aside leaving the threaded spandex end in machines. Place the new full package on the let-off rolls. Tie the threaded end to the loose end on the new package. A square knot is commonly used but other knots are adequate.

Once positioned and tied, adjust the tension on the spandex so as to ensure "enough" tension to prevent the spandex from back winding on the let-off rolls, but not an "excessive" amount that would result in breaks due to exceeding the ultimate elongation of the spandex.

A good spandex stretch ratio1 starting point is 3 to 1 (200%), however higher stretch ratios are likely and will be dictated by fabric requirements (stretch, density, % components etc.)

When practical, jog knots slowly through before increasing to full speed.

Additional Information

Certain circular knit applications (e.g. sheer fabrics) require that all spandex packages be the same size as to prevent the occurrences of a particular type of banding barré.

Note: Radicispandex packages are metered to ensure even run out.

Over time, all spandex will generate tack (spandex to spandex bonding) and the level of tack developed could affect the performance of the spandex. Therefore the practice of "First In, First Out" is essential. Although Radicispandex has a much longer shelf life, a one month inventory is a good age to effectively manage your inventory.

1 The ratio of plating yarn feed rate (inches/revolution) to spandex feed rate (inches/revolution of the spandex let-off roll).

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RECOMMENDED KNITTING TENSIONS

AND COVERING DRAFTS

These are recommendations only, and trials should be performed to determine optimum running conditions.

TABLE II

Denier	Knitting Tensions (gms)	Covering Drafts
20	0 - 2	2.5 - 3.35x
40	0 - 4	3.4 - 3.6x
55	0 - 5	3.4 - 3.6x
70	0 - 7	3.4 - 3.7x
140	0 - 10	3.9 - 4.3x

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RECOMMENDED WARPING CONDITIONS

Type S-17B spandex is supplied on beams from RadiciSpandex Corporation or the customer can beam the fiber themselves. The following recommendations are offered to our customers to maximize warping efficiency:

Yarn Conditioning

Condition the yarn for 24 hours in the same room or climate where warping will take place. The temperature in the warping room should be 68 to 72° F (20 to 22° C) and relative humidity of 60 to 65%.

Creeling

The yarn should be used first in, first out as supplied. Do not use packages of different weights, sizes or age.

The yarn tubes should be handled very carefully so that outside yarn layers are not disturbed. Outside yarn layers should not be touched.

The yarn should be loaded randomly in such a manner that tubes from the same box do not lie next to one another in the warp.

If the creel is scheduled to be down for any length of time, then the tubes must be stored back in the original shipping cartons out of light and protected from atmospheric fumes.

Warping

Pre-tension Elongations - For those warping machines using a pre-tension feature, pre-tension is a function of the desired final warp beam elongation.

Raschel Fabric - For 25% final elongation on beams, use a 70% to 100% pre- tension. For 50% final elongation on beams, use a 100% to 150% pre-tension.

For warping machines without a pre-tension feature, a standard level of final elongation is 40 to 50%.

Tricot Fabric - On 40 denier Type S-17B spandex, warping stretch should be 50% to 100% depending upon customer preference.

For 70 denier and higher it is recommended to use 50% to 100% final stretch.

Care and Handling of Warp Beams

After warping, beams should be wrapped carefully with cellophane or other BHT -free nonporous film to protect the Type S-17B spandex from contaminants during storage and handling. Beams should be kept wrapped and stored in shipping racks until ready for use.

General Precautions

Beams left on the knitting machine for any extended downtime should be wrapped in BHT-free nonporous film to protect Type S-17B from contamination and discoloration.

Storage of beams at temperatures above 95° F (35° C) or below 20° F (-7° C) should be avoided. These temperatures could cause adverse effects on processing performance.

RECOMMENDED STORAGE CONDITIONS

Type S-17B spandex should be stored in its original packaging until ready for use. Recommended storage conditions are between 40 and 80° F (4 and 27° C). Storage above or below the recommended limits can result in fiber-to-fiber sticking and poor runnability.

We recommend to use Type S-17B on a First-In, First-Out (FIFO) basis. A general rule-of-thumb for maximum storage time is 6 months.

A good standard operating procedure is to condition the yarn in the production area for at least 24 hours, by opening the cartons, before processing.

Fabrics containing Type S-17B spandex should be wrapped in BHT free opaque plastic wrapping in order to protect it from light and atmospheric contaminants. The same storage conditions should be followed as for tubes of Type S-17B spandex. Greige fabrics should be stored no longer than 3 months or else knitting oils could oxidize and be difficult if not impossible to remove during scouring.

MERGE NUMBERS AND I.D. NUMBERS

A merge number is a group to which fiber production is assigned based on properties and dyeability. All fibers within a merge can be expected to behave uniformly, and for this reason, can be mixed or used interchangeably.

RadiciSpandex Corporation rarely introduces a new merge of its products. When a new merge is required, the compatibility of old and new merge products is verified within RadiciSpandex's laboratory. Due to the number of different end uses and applications along with differences that exist from operation to operation (dyeing and finishing procedures, auxiliary chemicals, dyes etc.) it is not possible to absolutely guarantee every scenario from the testing performed in our laboratory.

Therefore it is recommended that either merge numbers be kept completely segregated, to eliminate all concern, or a trial be conducted, in each customer's "unique" operation, to verify the compatibility between merge numbers.

I.D. (Identification) Numbers

Product "I.D." numbers can be used to control inventory consumption. The middle two digits in the I.D. number represent the week of the year that the spandex was produced and should be used for proper inventory rotation (First In, First Out). The shelf life of Type S-17B spandex products is excellent, but maintaining a consistently aged inventory is advisable which will translate to a smooth running operation (maintaining the minimum quantity of spandex to satisfy your consumption needs is always advisable). RadiciSpandex Corporation is committed to and capable of servicing customer’s consumption needs by providing just-in-time delivery. Therefore, there is no need to stock excessive inventory in anticipation of program demands.

Maintaining a "First In, First Out" inventory should eliminate product compatibility issues. Please consult with a RadiciSpandex Technical Customer Service representative if you are unsure of how to use product I.D. numbers to manage "First In, First Out" inventory controls which best suit the sensitivities of your particular application.

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STANDARD PACKAGING

Product	Tube Weight Gross (grams)	Nimber of Tubes/Case	Packaging Material Weight lbs. / kg. (Carton, Separator and Core)	Case Nominal Net Weight lbs. / kgs.	Tube Nominal Dimension, Outer Diameter inches / cm	Core Dimension ID/Length inches / cm
20 Denier	350 - 377	96	30 / 14	65 / 29	5 / 12.7	L - 2.25 / 5.7 ID - 2.85 / 7.2
30 Denier	416	96	30 / 14	76 / 34		L - 2.25 / 5.7 ID - 2.85 / 7.2
40 Denier 1.1#	526 - 569	96	30 / 14	110 / 50	6 / 15.2	L - 2.25 / 5.7 ID - 2.85 / 7.2
40 Denier 1.6#	748 - 811	64	26 / 12	108 / 49	7 / 17.8	L - 2.25 / 5.7 ID - 2.85 / 7.2
55 Denier	522 - 565	96	30 / 14	103 / 47	6 / 15.2	L - 2.25 / 5.7 ID - 2.85 / 7.2
70 Denier	542 - 572	96	30 / 14	105 / 48		L - 2.25 / 5.7 ID - 2.85 / 7.2
140 W Denier	1058 - 1152	48	25 / 11	104 / 47	6 / 15.2	L - 2.25 / 5.7 ID - 2.85 / 7.2
140 P Denier	1373 - 1529	32	21 / 9	95 / 43	7 / 17.8	L - 2.25 / 5.7 ID - 2.85 / 7.2

Note: Standard case dimensions for above products - 27.5L x 22.12W x 19H inches (70L x 56.1W x 48.2H cm). Note: Empty 2.25 Inch Tube Nominal Weight = 57 grams Note: Empty 4.5 Inch Tube Weight = 118 grams For other details, please call your Sales Representative or Customer Services.

TUBE COLOR REFERENCE

Type S-17 B Polymer

Denier Type	Tube Color	Tube Size
20	Gray	2.25
30	Pink	2.25
40	Natural	2.25
55	Violet	2.25
70	Grey	2.25
105	Orange	2.25
125	Natural	4.5
140	Black	4.5

SUMMARY

As a supplier of spandex fiber, RadiciSpandex Corporation, will provide its customers, and prospective customers, technical assistance and information relative to our spandex products.

RADICISPANDEX'S TECHNICAL CUSTOMER SERVICE STAFF has equipment to handle problems from warping and covering to dyeing, finishing and complete analysis and testing.

Inquiries are most welcome.

We believe this information to be the most factual on the subject. It is offered as a suggestion to minimize problems in the processing of spandex fibers. No guarantee is expressed or implied.

Our TECHNICAL SERVICE STAFF is readily available for any specific consultation or assistance on the subject.

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RADICISPANDEX CORPORATIONTECHNICAL INFORMATION BULLETINPOLYETHER SPANDEXTYPE S-17BFIBER TECHNOLOGY

RADICISPANDEX CORPORATION
TECHNICAL INFORMATION BULLETIN
POLYETHER SPANDEX
TYPE S-17B
FIBER TECHNOLOGY