Synthetic fibers pose a number of advantages compared to traditional natural fibers. Durability and strength are two important features, together with other competitive advantages have permitted that the production of some synthetic fibers such as polyester and nylon have become a substantial part of the textile industry around the world.
Spin Finish, Oil Pick-Up (OPU) or Finish on Yarn (FOY), consists of an oil-based coating industrially sprayed on synthetic fibers to improve their quality. The addition of oil increases the fiber’s strength, tenacity, and resilience, making them antistatic and easier to dye.
Spinlock has developed an analytical technique using TD-NMR spectroscopy to determine the amount of Spin Finish content in fibers for quality control. This analysis is carried out with the SLK-200 equipment and can be configured with two methods: Weighing and Non-weighing, each having specific advantages. On one hand, the Weighing Method is ideal for measuring small amounts of samples, achieving higher accuracy and repeatability. The No-weighing Method, on the other hand, is better for measuring large quantities as time is greatly reduced by avoiding sample preparation and weighing in the process.
Compared to other instruments currently used, the Spinlock System supports 40mm diameter tubes, permitting more samples to be analyzed simultaneously, improving the representativeness of the result. In addition, the Spinlock system is also the only NMR of its type that is completely automatable at an affordable price.
This technology does not require sample preparation or the use of solvents. It is a fast, ecological and non-destructive method. And the best part is that you don’t need technical knowledge to use the equipment.
Thanks to Spinlock’s NMR analysis, it is possible to obtain great accuracy when measuring the Spin Finish content of artificial fibers during manufacturing, with all the advantages that this brings.