Innovative Nano voided polyester fibres creating the next generation of lightweight textiles

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Global demand for technical textiles has been increasing rapidly since the 1980s & willcontinue to grow at a CAGR of 18.20% from 2014-2019. Growth will be greatest in productsshowing superior performance, likely to be delivered by producers’ ability to tailor chemical& functional characteristics to specific applications (transport, healthcare, sport, packaging).One of the biggest opportunities for further advancements in technical textiles lies within theability to deliver greater lightweighting in multifunctional textiles whilst maintaining strength,durability & comfort. Few textiles are able to achieve this due to a trade-off betweenfunctionalities - as weight decreases, strength is normally sacrificed. The primary method toachieve lightweight polyester (the most widely used synthetic polymer in textiles) is currentlyhollow fibre production (HFP), which leads to a reduction in cross-sectional area => reducingtensile strength, bursting strength & abrasion resistance.To address this major business opportunity (Global Technical Textiles market £134bn in2012), Void Technologies Limited (VOID) are seeking to further develop their novel,multiple-patented Engineered, Nano-Cellular, Composite (ENC) which engineers nanocellularstructures (voids) into polymers to tailor & enhance product performance:- Reduction in weight of the fibre by 30% compared to standard polyester fibre- Increased strength of the fibre by 10% compared to polyester- Multifunctional performance incl. enhanced thermal insulation, breathability & comfort- Reduced amount of polyester per fibre by ~30% compared to standard polyesterDuring the project the ENC will be demonstrated on polyester as this is the principle materialused for textiles within the sports/outdoor apparel (market size $19.4bn) &aerospace/automotive (market size $29.5bn) sectors; chosen as initial targets due to sizeablebusiness opp & VOID’s established route to market, Market entry expected in Q3 2017.