APJeT Inc., a textiles specialty coatings company based in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina, is set to display its proprietary dry plasma process at the upcoming ITMA show in Milan, Italy.
The planet-friendly patented technology, born out of research at Los Alamos National Laboratory and developed in partnership with North Carolina State University College of Textiles, will be on display at the booth of its partner, Morrison Textile Machinery.
The manufacturer calls it “a revolutionary new technology that removes water from the finishing process and uses atmospheric plasma to cure hydrophobic finishes to fabrics and other substrates” with little to no effect on texture or color.
According to APJeT, it also safely treats fabrics and other substrates, such as films made from heat-sensitive fibers and materials, and significantly reduces the amount of energy and chemicals needed to achieve a durable, high-performance finish.
How does it work? Whereas conventional treatments require large amounts of water, energy and chemicals, APJeT’s non-thermal plasma process applies durable water and stain repellent treatments using C6 or fluorocarbon-free chemistries.
Thus, no harmful emissions or waste water treatment is associated with the technology and 90 percent of the gas used is recycled, the company said.
In 2014, APJeT raised more than $3 million in equity financing and last April it moved from a lab on NC State’s Centennial Campus in Raleigh to a new headquarters at Keystone Technology Park in Morrisville. Earlier this year, it partnered with VF Corp. to explore potential uses for its textile finishing technology.
“We are obsessed with creating innovative, compelling products that exceed consumer expectations,” Dan Cherian, vice president of VF’s global innovation centers, said in a statement at the time. “Through partnering with APJeT, we believe the long-term potential to reduce our reliance on conventional manufacturing processes and advance our product innovation agenda will be greatly enhanced.”
APJeT CEO John Emrich commented, “Our work with VF is a response to the need for technology-based solutions that improve the textile manufacturing process. We see incredible opportunities for waterless applications of finishes and look forward to exploring these possibilities with VF.”