Coating processes are widely used to enhance and alter the physical properties and appearance of a fabric. Coating and lamination have bridged across virtually every product group in the textile industry, including composites, where their potential is especially wide.

In this study a 20 kHz US apparatus - realised by Tecnotessile in collaboration with the University of Turin and able to work at different electrical powers (maximum power: 500 W) - was used to investigate the effects of ultrasound in the chemical and physical properties of a water polymer dispersion.

Analyses carried out on the sonicated polymer showed that no significant changes in the chemical composition of tested samples were obtained; in fact, variations of electrical conductivity and pH values were not recorded. Only a slight change in the polymer particle distribution and particle size was recorded, since cavitation promotes fragmentation of the polymer particles by means of a radical depolymerisation reaction.

The most interesting results were obtained in terms of superficial properties of the coating film applied on a textile surface after sonication. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) analyses carried out on samples coated with sonicated water polymer dispersions showed that sonication is able to reduce the roughness of coated films.

Preliminary results seem to suggest that superficial changes do not depend on the applied power, but that only frequency affects these properties.

The European Commission is acknowledged for financial support to the ULTRATEC project (Sixth Framework Programme), within which this study was realised.

Keywords: coating, ultrasound, water polymer dispersion, AFM.

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