Biodegradable Polyamide 6.6 for Textile Application

The study evaluates comparatively some physical and chemical properties of polyamide 6.6 standard and biodegradable. It also evaluates the period of biodegradation of the biodegradable yarn sample and standard sample. The physical properties analyzed were tensile strength, elongation, and tenacity. The chemical properties were related to the behavior of the samples in dyeing and the evaluation of subsequent strength dyeing. The evaluated samples were taken from knitwear produced with polyamide textured filament yarn 80 dtex f 68x1, standard and biodegradable, being purged, bleached, and dyed. The results of the physical tests, although statistically different, have values ​​very near the average, which in practice represent acceptable values ​​within the statistical control process. Both standard and biodegradable samples had the same chemical behavior and there is no difference. Concerning to biodegradation time under laboratory conditions, the carbon dioxide produced by the samples was monitored and measured to determine the percentage of biodegradation according to ASTM D 5511. After 735 days the percentage of biodegradation of the biodegradable yarn was 81.7% and of the normal yarn was 5.2%. This is an expressive gain in ecological terms for synthetic fiber.