尼龙6,6生产商提升性能的材料solving problems with its antistatic, anticling ENDUR by Ascend™ yarn.
TW特别报告
nYLON是一种在日常生活中起重要作用的材料，但其性能属性和广泛的应用很少被普通消费者认可。这种人造的聚合物于1937年首次合成，当将称为单体的特定化学构建块聚集在一起以形成称为聚合物的长链时形成。由于其多功能性，尼龙传统上被用来创建从妇女长袜到军队降落伞和绳索的产品。
尼龙6,6只是纺织品中使用的一种聚合物 - 其他常见的纺织品聚合物包括尼龙6，聚酯，人造丝和聚丙烯。如今，尼龙6,6的用途已增长，包括所有类型的服装，轮胎，汽车安全气囊和地毯等。
Houston-based Ascend Performance Materials is a privately owned, fully vertical nylon 6,6 producer, with roots going back more than 60 years. Ascend specializes in nylon 6,6 resins, fibers and compounds as well as specialty and intermediate chemicals used throughout the polymer value chain. In recent years, the company has expanded facilities including capacity increases across its intermediate chemicals and polymers portfolio. Today, Ascend has sales and technology offices throughout the world and six manufacturing facilities and a technology center in the United States. Globally, the company employs approximately 3,500 associates and contractors. In addition, Ascend has announced a $35.2 million investment in Greenwood County, S.C., that will create 30 new jobs.
Adding Performance Beyond The Basic
Ascend产品系列中有Endur by Ascend™，这是一种由其独特的抗抗抗素技术区别的纤维产品。它是一种丝或钉子纤维产品，可以与其他纤维和纱线混合，以提供永久性抗固定功能的织物，因为它既不是服装处理，也不是可以随着时间磨损的涂层。该纱线具有一个组成部分的双成分结构，其中包括一部分尼龙6,6和一部分导电碳。在高温纱线挤出过程中，这两个组件将连接在一起，以产生纤维，除其他属性外，还可以消除静电。
在Endur中，纤维地面的导电碳组件并无害地通过衣服移动电力，防止了静电电力的积聚并消除了电击的可能性。
Ascend的专业纤维部门经理Harrie Schoots说：“ Endur是一种专业的纤维产品，也是上升的价值链最远的产品。”“对我来说，将产品带给品牌，零售商和设计人员并向他们解释并向他们展示它可以为他们的服装产品做些什么，这真是令人兴奋。”
Beyond reducing static within a garment, Endur imparts other desired attributes to a finished product (see box).
这些重要的特性可帮助设计师改善瑜伽和性能装备，休闲服，造型，晚装，儿童服装和医疗服装。例如，Endur可以帮助降低织物（例如粘合剂，绒毛和过敏性碎屑积累）的麻烦和潜在有害品质，同时为无化学物质，近代的皮肤应用提供舒适性。
Futhermore作为独特的双足纤维，Endur提供了永久价值。正如Schoots解释的那样：“由于尼龙6,6融化并与碳结合的高温，纤维变得非常耐磨，并且碳不会脱离或从纤维上剥落，这是非常重要的特性。过去，人们试图用纱线编织或编织，该纱线在温度较低的温度下涂有碳，涂层剥落。如果您在机器上有黑色碳斑点，然后在其后面运行白色织物，您可以想象这是一个问题。”
Proof In The Testing
To demonstrate that static does not build up in fabrics developed with Endur, Ascend employed the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists’ (AATCC) Test Method 115 — Electrostatic Clinging of Fabrics: Fabric-to-Metal Test.
Schoots说：“ AATCC的贴子测试是我认为我从聚酯休闲套装日从地下室拉出的测试，它测试了织物的静态粘合剂。”“但是我们还必须证明静态不在织物中，这就是为什么我们的实验室为客户提供静态衰减测试的原因。”
Ascend的静态衰减测试将织物充电至5,000伏，然后测量90％的费用消散所需的时间。Schoots说：“在许多情况下，织物将需要一分钟以上的时间。”“但是为了证明材料可以减少静态，测量的时间必须不到半秒。通常，具有耐力的织物需要0.01秒才能减少电荷。从本质上讲，如果您在非常干燥的冬天穿着耐力的连衣裙或瑜伽裤，例如，您在步行或坐着时不会产生任何静电。”
Ascend: Making A Difference
Ascend, whose operations are based in the United States, has weathered the storm and resisted moving production to other countries. U.S.-based manufacturing has remained profitable for the company, and Ascend has never been more successful than it is today.
At the core of this success is Ascend’s open commitment to its employees. “The company values the communities and individual employees who are the lifeblood of Ascend,” Schoots said. “Our president and CEO, Phil McDivitt, is dedicated to a safe, healthy and sustainable workplace. Well beyond manufacturing a quality product, his goal is to have no incidents and zero accidents throughout the entire corporation, and he’s taken steps to ensure we all know that.”
该公司还在2011年的迪凯特（Decatur）阿拉巴马州（Alabama）的设施受到龙卷风影响后，于2011年创建了Ascend Cares Foundation。该公司说：“上升关心基金会是关于改变他人的生活。它是由升天员工领导的，并在需要的时候支持上升的家庭，为社区参与提供了鼓舞人心的机会，并促进了社区领导。完全由捐赠和公司比赛资助，每美元捐赠给基金会都支持基金会的工作。”
Since its inception in 2011, Ascend reports the following tangible accomplishments made by the foundation:
- 志愿者清理和维修了55套房屋，并为德克萨斯州飓风哈维影响的员工提供了1,000多顿饭；
- Volunteers have built five Habitat for Humanity homes on-site at Ascend’s Chocolate Bayou, Texas; Greenwood, South Carolina; and Decatur, Alabama, facilities;
- Some 135 college scholarships totaling $205,000 have been awarded to team members’ children;
- Children at Escambia Westgate School in Florida play on a new sensory playground that is the foundation’s largest project to date;
- Volunteer events at Ascend sites help local organizations such as food banks, animal shelters and schools; and
- A total of 206 families have received financial hardship support.
Ascend accounts for approximately one quarter of global nylon 6,6 production. According to the company, its “… vision is to be [a] recognized leader in the nylon 6,6 value chain, creating new possibilities with nylon 6,6 for everyone, everywhere, every day.”
Editor’s Note: This article appears in Textile World courtesy of the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) as part of the “American Textiles: We Make Amazing™” campaign. NCTO is a trade association representing U.S. textile manufacturing. Please visit ncto.org to learn more about NCTO, the industry and the campaign.
May/June 2019
