High performance fibers are driven by special technical functions that require specific physical properties unique to these fibers. They usually have very high levels of at least one of the following properties: tensile strength, operating temperature, heat resistance, flame retardancy or chemical resistance. Applications include uses in the aerospace, biomedical, civil engineering, construction, protective apparel, geotextiles and electronic areas. The resistance to heat and flame is one of the main properties of interest for determining the working conditions of these fibers. Bahauddin Zakariya University College of Textile Engineering.

1. HIGH
PERFORMANCE
FIBERS
Abdul Ahad Khan
1 7 - TE- 0 1
B a h a u d d i n Z a k a r i y a U n i v e r s i t y

2. What are High
Performance Fibers?
T h e h i g h p e r fo r m a n c e f i b e r c o n c e p t
c a m e i n t o t e x t i l e i n d u s t r i e s d u r i n g
1 9 5 0 - 1 9 7 0 ’ s .
H i g h - p e r f o r m a n c e f i b e r s a r e t h o s e t h a t
a r e e n g i n e e r e d fo r s p e c i f i c u s e s t h a t
r e q u i r e e xc e p t i o n a l s t r e n g t h , s t i f f n e s s ,
h e a t r e s i s t a n c e , o r c h e m i c a l r e s i s t a n c e .
T h e y u s u a l ly h ave ve r y h i g h l e ve l s o f a t
l e a s t o n e o f t h e fo l l o w i n g p r o p e r t i e s :
t e n s i l e s t r e n g t h , o p e ra t i n g t e m p e ra t u r e ,
h e a t r e s i s t a n c e , f l a m e r e t a r d a n c y o r
c h e m i c a l r e s i s t a n c e .
What are Fibers?
A unit of matter that is
characterized by having an aspect
ratio (length divided by width) of at
least 100, and which can be spun
into yarn or made into a fabric.

3. REQUIREMENTS FOR
FIBERS TO BE OF HIGH
PERFORMANCE
• Tenacity of high performance
fibers: > 20g/denier (2.2GPa)
• Modulus of high performance
fibers: > 500 g/denier ( 55 GPa)
• High tenacity /strength fibers,
• Hollow fibers,
• Very fine or microtex
(microdenier) fibers (hollow or
non hollow),
• Fibers with unique porosities,
• Bicomponent and biconstituent
fibers, and
• Fibers with superior resistance
to extreme heat, flame, and/or
chemical agents.

4. “
DEVELOPMENT FO HIGH
PERFORMANCE FIBERS

5. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GENERAL
PURPOSE FIBERS AND HIGH
PERFORMANCE FIBERS.
General Purpose Fibers
• Commodity fibres or general purpose fibres are
typically used in a highly competitive price
environment which translates into large scale
high volume programs in order to compensate for
the (often) low margins.
• Volume Driven.
• Price Oriented.
• Large scale, Line-type production.
High Performance Fibers
• High performance fibers are driven by special
technical functions that require specific physical
properties.
• Technically driven.
• Specialty Oriented
• Smaller Batch-type production.

6. “
DIFFERENT
HIGH
PERFORMANCE
FIBERS

28. CLASSIFICATION OF
HIGH
PERFORMANCE
FIBERS
High performance fibres
can be classified on the
basis of their :
1) Chemistry/structure
2) Properties
3) Applications

29. CLASSIFICATION OF HIGH
PERFORMANCE FIBERS
BASED ON STRUCTURE
High performance fibers can be
classified into the following groups
according to their chemistry.
• Aromatic fibers (Liquid
crystalline, rigid rod polymers,
aramids, aromatic polyester)
• Polyolefin fibers (Linear
structures, polyethylene, gel
spun)
• Carbon fibers (quasi organic)
• Inorganic fibers (mineral fiber,
glass fiber, boron fiber)

30. CLASSIFICATION OF HIGH
PERFORMANCE FIBERS BASED
ON PROPERTIES

31. HEAT RESISTANT FIBERS
• High tenacity and modulus
• Dimensional stability and strength
retention on exposure to intense heat
sources
• a limiting oxygen index (LOI) above 30
• Strong intermolecular bonding gives
thermal resistance
• Examples: aramids such as Nomex and
Kevlar, polybenzimidazole (PBI),
poly(phenylene sulfide) (PPS) such as
Ryton (Phillips Petroleum), Dow’s EDF
• Application: firefighters’ uniforms,
race car drivers apparel for protection
from hot metals and gas explosions,
and as components in commercial and
military aircraft
HIGH STRENGTH FIBERS
• High strength fibres
• tenacity of at least 2.5 GPa (255
kgf/mm2) and
• a modulus of at least 55 GPa (5600
kgf/mm2)
• Examples: glass fibres, aramids such as
Kevlar and Twaron, gel spun
polyethylene such as Dyneema and
Spectra, and various carbon fibers and
aromatic liquid-crystalline polyesters
such as Vectran
• Applications: antiballistic clothing,
building materials, aerospace, and as
reinforcing material in composites for
various applications

32. CHEMICALLY RESISTANT FIBERS
• excellent chemical resistance to
corrosive and/or chemical warfare
agents or extreme pH conditions (eg,
very acidic or very alkaline)
• inert molecular groups give chemical
resistance
• Applications: protective clothing, for
filtration of gases and liquids in
numerous industrial facilities
• Examples: Aramids, gel spun
polyethylene, polypropylene,
fluorocarbon, and carbon fibers, PPS.
FINE AND HOLLOW FIBERS
• ultrafine fibers, ranging in tex (denier)
from as little as 0.0011 (0.01) up to
0.011 (0.1)
• Controlling and designing the
geometry, fineness or denier, and
porosities of fibers
• Applications of hollow fibers: artificial
body organs such as the kidney,
pancreas, and lung, increase the
insulation value of garments
• Bicomponent spinning
• Electrospinning

33. CLASSIFICATION OF
HIGH PERFORMANCE
FIBERS BASED ON
APPLICATIONS

34. TRANSPORTATION
High performance fibers are used as :
• composites for structural materials in
air craft components, (horizontal
stabilizers, fins, landing gear doors, fan
blades, and nose spin cones).
• flame and heat-resistant seals and
structural components,
• air bags.
Examples of high performance fibers used in
this application are :
• glass,
• carbon,
• aramid and
• polyimide.
MANUFACTURING
This application includes:
• Optical fibers
• Computer, electronics and electrical
insulation
• Clean room working garments.
• Filtration of liquids and gases
Examples:
• Glass
• Poly(phenylene sulfide),
• polysulfone,
• aramids,
• polyimide,
• PEEK (Victrex),
• fluorocarbon,

35. AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY
Agricultural and silvicultural applications for
high performance textile materials range from
geotextile and geomembrane materials to
horticultural uses to facilitate the growth,
yield, and production of edible and ornamental
plants.
Geotextile structures, for agriculture
applications include
drainage and soil erosion control
Wind fences
flexible and lightweight silos
Examples:
• Polypropylene fiber
• Polyester and
• glass fibers
CIVIL ENGINEERING
CONSTRUCTION
• Reinforcement of highways and roadbeds
• drainage
• soil erosion control
• airport terminal in Saudi Arabia,
• stadium domes
• glass fibers coated with fluorocarbons

36. FISHERY AND MARINE
Marine applications for textiles include
• those concerned with fishing and fishing
industries,
• leisure items and components, and
• industrial, including control of various types
of environmental pollution and influences
Examples:
• high strength nets, lines, and ropes.
• construction of artificial seaweed beds
• sailcloth, speedboat, and other types of boat
components,
• conveyer belts
• oil-adsorbing fences
Fibers:
• aramids,
• gel spun polyethylene, and
• polyacetal.
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING
Applications:
• Protection against
• adverse chemical and biological
environments,
• from heat and/or flame, and
• antiballistic protection
• biohazards
Fibers:
• Aramids
• polyethylene
• PBI

37. SPORTS AND LEISURE
Applications
• components for sporting goods, boats, and
other rigid structures (tennis rackets, golf
clubs, lightweight bicycle frames, spa
components, speedboat components);
• high technology sportswear and ski wear;
and
• luxury apparel.
Fibers
• carbon–fiber reinforced composites,
• aramids
• polyethylene
BIOMEDICAL AND HEALTH CARE
Applications
• nonimplantable items, such as, surgical dressings,
gowns, drapes, pressure bandages,
• extra corporeal devices, such as, components of
dialyzers and oxygenators, catheters
• implants, such as sutures, vascular grafts, artificial
organs,
• fibers and fabrics for surgical reinforcement,
• optical fibers for medical procedures, and
• orthopaedic devices
Fibers:
• regenerated hollow cellulose fibers
• hollow fibers or flatsheet fibrous membranes
derived from polypropylene,
polytetrafluoroethylene
• poly(glycolic acid) homo- and copolymers as well
as poly(dioxanones)
• hydrogel composites are poly(ethylene oxide)
homopolymers and/or copolymers of poly(acrylic
acid), polyacrylamide, or
• high tenacity polyamide, polypropylene, polyester,
polytetrafluoroethylene,

39. THANK YOU!
ABDUL AHAD KHAN
0301 6964742
Tetraone1@gmail.com