Japan based Teijin Fibers has launched V4, a cationic-dyeable polyester polymer which can be dyed at ambient temperature and pressure, and is also said to offer excellent fibre strength and sustainability.
Cationic-dyeable polyester fibre is a special polyester fibre that can be coloured with cationic dye, unlike ordinary polyester fibres. Conventionally, however, they must be dyed at high temperature and pressure, making it difficult to combine them with wool, silk or other natural fibres that tend to lose strength and texture when subjected to extreme conditions.
Since it can be dyed at ambient temperatures of 100 degrees Celsius or less, as well as at ambient pressure, the V4 dyeing process requires 30% less power and steam energy consumption and can produce 25% fewer CO2 emissions compared to conventional dyeing at 130 degrees Celsius and 1.3 atmospheres, according to tests conducted by Teijin Fibers.
V4 is also said to open the way for a wide variety of raw yarns, including non-circular cross-section yarn and ultra-fine highly multi-filament yarn measuring about 1.0 dpf (0.01 mm in diameter) or less per single yarn. V4 also can be crimped and marketed as textured yarn.
Source: www.teijin.co.jp