Many potential applications exist where synthetic splittable fibres can be used to add value, and create
marketing advantages and a head start onto the market for innovative filter suppliers.
The addition of a small amount of splittable fibre should increase the dust spot efficiency of filter
materials significantly due to its low fibre diameter, in relation to the other fibre diameters currently
being incorporated into the filter medium.
In pulsing applications where the filter medium is continuously flexed but also requires stiffness,
splittable synthetic fibres add a high degree of reinforcement to the filter medium because there are
number is at least 16 times the number of fibres available for reinforcement when they are spilt for
segmented fibres or more than 33 times for the islands-in-the-sea type fibres.
Protection against the weather [6]
Woven sportswear fabrics are also used for protection against wind and weather, and also for
insulation purposes. Woven fabrics for protection against the weather were previously coated with
polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in most cases.
The PVC coating guarantees absolute waterproofness, but has a serious disadvantage. It allows no
passage of air, the wearer perspires after only a few minutes, and has no opportunity of expelling his
body moisture to the outside of the garment. This coating is equivalent to an airproof package, and is
used nowadays only for heavy duty rainproof clothing (the so-called oil-cloth).
Today, there is a wealth of alternative coatings and methods to replace PVC, such as microporous
fluorocarbon coatings, which guarantee some breathing activity on the part of the fabric.
Thanks to ever finer yarns, fabrics can now be produced to meet practically all functional sportswear
requirements without additional coating or membranes. They are wind- and water-repellent, yet can
breathe.