Ana Marija Grancarić

• Professor (Full) at University of Zagreb

Interface phenomena that occur at the solid–liquid interface, such as wettability, adsorption, and particle aggregation, depend on the kind and magnitude of the solid surface free energy and electrokinetic properties found in water solutions. These phenomena are crucial for textile dyeing, finishing, and care. They characterize the material surface...

In the last years, several technologies have been investigated to introduce cationic sites onto cotton fibres to enhance anionic dyestuff uptake properties. However, several limitations of proposed technologies, such as fabric yellowing, high cost, inadequate reactivity, and toxicity of used chemicals, have still restricted the development of catio...

In recent years, mosquitoes that can transfer viruses causing vector-borne diseases, such as dengue fever, chikungunya, Zika and West Nile virus have dramatically increased and reached Europe. In 2018, a higher number of 1503 human cases were reported in the EU/EEA and EU neighbouring countries. The current research was involved in the development...

In this study, the poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) conductive dry films were observed in terms of their thicknesses versus electrical resistances measured and related electrical resistivities calculated. The evolution of their electrical resistances was monitored in 75 days. Three groups of sensor yarns were studied also whe...

An ionic liquid (IL)-assisted cotton fabric treatment was developed that uses the sol–gel method, methylimidazolium and pyridinium cations combined with Cl⁻, PF6⁻, (CF3SO2)2N⁻, BF4⁻ and CH3CO2⁻ anions. Scanning electron microscopy, elemental analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were first performed to characterize the morphology and...

Smart textile structures such as sensor yarns provide real possibility for in situ structural health monitoring of textile reinforced thermoplastic composites. In this work thermal properties of E-glass/polypropylene (GF/PP) and E-glass/poly(N,N’-hexamethylene adipamide) (GF/PA66) sensor yarns based on conductive polymer complex [3,4(ethylenedioxy)...

Smart textile structures are promising solution nowadays for in situ structural health monitoring of composite parts that have important place in transportation industry. Composites made from a polymeric matrix and a fibrous reinforcement have been increasingly studied during the last decade. Conductive yarns as textile sensors can be integrated in...

The focus of this paper is to study the quality of goat fibres / hair from various Albanian regions for possible use in the textile industry. In Albania there are several regions where the collection of these fibres is possible but interest to employ them is lacking. This dearth of interest could be due to the paucity of information regarding the q...

Many metallic structural and non-structural parts used in the transportation industry can be replaced by textile-reinforced composites. Composites made from a polymeric matrix and fibrous reinforcement have been increasingly studied during the last decade. On the other hand, the fast development of smart textile structures seems to be a very promis...

The final geometry of 3D warp interlock fabric needs to be check during the 3D forming step to ensure the right locations of warp and weft yarns inside the final structure. Thus, a new monitoring approach has been proposed based on sensor yarns located in the fabric thickness. To ensure the accuracy of measurements, the observation of the surface d...

Smart textiles are fabrics able to sense external conditions or stimuli, to respond and adapt behaviour to them in an intelligent way and present a challenge in several fields today such as health, sport, automotive and aerospace. Electrically conductive textiles include conductive fibres, yarns, fabrics, and final products made from them. Often th...

Recent studies have shown that the combustion behaviour of cellulose-based materials can be strongly affected by the presence of a protective phosphorus-rich silica coating obtained with a promising sol-gel approach. Thus, in the present work, monoethanolamine (MEA) was used in combination with diethylphosphatoethyltriethoxysilane sol-gel precursor...

Forming behaviour of thick 3D fabric leads to unknown locations of yarns inside the 3D warp interlock structure. To check their position, global observation of painted points located at the upper surface with cameras and local measurement of the elongation of inserted sensor yarns have been done simultaneously. Depending on the fabric structure, el...

Purpose – The cotton and its blends is the most commonly used textile material in the design and production of protective clothing. However, as the cellulose textiles are the most flammable materials it is necessary to improve its flame retardancy. The government regulations have been the driving force for developing durable flame retardants finish...

Forming behaviour of thick 3D fabric leads to unknown locations of yarns inside the 3D warp interlock structure. To check their position, global observation of painted points located at the upper surface with cameras and local measurement of the elongation of inserted sensor yarns have been done simultaneously. Depending on the fabric structure, el...

The incidence of skin cancer is increasing by epidemic proportions. Basal cell cancer remains the most common skin neoplasm, and simple excision is generally curative. On the other hand, aggressive local growth and metastasis are common features of malignant melanoma, which accounts for 75% of all deaths associated with skin cancer. The primary cau...

Research on electro-conductive textiles and related up graded composites prepared from conductive polymers such as Polypyrrole (PPy), Polythiophene (PT), Polyaniline (PANI) and Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) has been increased in the recent years due to its compromise between electrical conductivity, stability, processability and high pot...

Monitoring the structure of composites inside or on its surface and crash tests are difficult to obtain in the same time. Pretest was made by insertion of four developed sensor yarns in weft and four sensor yarns in warp direction during weaving of 2D structures at the ARM loom. The weaving step of 2D fabrics due to checking the thermo-forming cons...

Cotton fabrics have been treated with two different finishing compositions based on urea (U) and ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (AP) in order to enhance their flame retardancy properties, particularly referring to the resistance to a flame application (namely, Limiting Oxygen Index tests) and to an irradiative heat flux of 35 kW/m2 (by cone calorime...

Diabetes has become a major public health problem and grows rapidly in the most developed countries of the world. Beside genetic and environmental factors, lifestyle habits play an important role in the development and progression of diabetes mellitus. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) about 15% of diabetic patients develop a foot ul...

Interface phenomena occur between liquid and solid phases (e.g. baths - textiles). The research of adsorptive, electrokinetic and thermodynamic properties of textile materials leads to knowledge of the mechanisms in textile wetting, finishing and dyeing processes. The present chapter systematically investigated the interface phenomena of modified c...

melanoma was diagnosed in an advanced stage. The back sides in men and women, as well as the lower limbs in women, are the most common site for melanomas 3. The primary cause of skin cancer is long exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation (UV-R) crossed with the amount of skin pigmentation and family genetics. UV as a whole does not exceed 5% of the...

The primary cause of skin cancer is believed to be a long exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation (UV-R) crossed with the amount of skin pigmentation in the population. It is believed that in childhood and adolescence 80% of UV-R gets absorbed, whilst in the remaining 20% gets absorbed later in the lifetime. This suggests that proper and early phot...

The removal of copper (Cu2+), and lead (Pb2+) ions from aqueous solutions with the functionalized olyamide 6.6 Yarns with N-Allyliminodiacetic Acid to 20% (PA6.6-ALD-20%) chelating ion exchange fiber is described at different conditions. The removal of the above mentioned heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions was studied by batch method. The effe...

Interface phenomena have a significant role in wet finishing processes of cotton. Therefore, interface phenomena of cotton fabric, cationized with commercial cationic compound, were studied in this paper. The characterization of surface after cationization, was performed by FTIR-ATR and SEM. Interface phenomena were studied through electrokinetic p...

Cationisation is the modification of cotton cellulose by using quaternary ammonium compounds that block negative OH groups, thus resulting in electropositive cotton cellulose. It is an alternative method for achieving better adsorption of chemical compounds and substances, such as dyestuffs, fluorescent whitening agents, and other textile auxiliari...

Cationisation during the mercerisation process with an epihalohydrin results in novel cotton cellulose that gives a new dimension to cotton pre-treatment and finishing. The modified cotton retains all the beneficial properties of mercerised cotton with a change of the surface charge that ensures further quality improvement. The present paper deals...

The Leather and Footwear Industry in Europe has changed in the last decade. Faced with the Far East competition, based on intensive, low-cost, unskilled manpower, companies have understood that the only way to survive was to focus on high-quality, high-end products with design and strong added value. However, that approach requires a highly skilled...

Interface phenomena have a significant role in the wet finishing processes. Therefore, in this paper the electrokinetic phenomena of cotton fabric cationized with commercial cationic compound was researched. After cationization, the characterization of surface and chemical composition was performed by FTIR-ATR. Electokinetic phenomena - Zeta potent...

Large quantities of available biomass that needs to be used are the main reason for bioplastics revival. In many cases it is an optimal solution for a particular purpose. The production of textile used for clothing, medicine, and the automotive industry being the main consumer of technical textile where textile constitutes almost 85% of the car int...

Clothing designed to protect against radioactive contamination was based on a simple principle. It was important not to inhale contaminated dust and air and to ensure that contaminated particles could not reach the skin. Therefore, the density of the textile was crucial. New developments, keeping in mind that textile should be lightweight, are focu...

The paper describes the results of changed size viscosity as a function of the temperature, concentration and shear stress. The rheological properties of size with various concentrations in combination with components of synthetic sizing agents based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) were investigated. The size viscosity...

Silver is used in the treatment for more than 4000 years. It exists in elemental form, in the salts (silver nitrate, silver sulfide, silver acetate, etc.) and in the alloys. Silver sulfadiazine was used in the treatment of wounds from burns, injuries and some bacterial infections. With the application of antibiotics, use of silver in the treatment...

The word polymers is usually related to plastics and rubber. This definition narrows down the meaning of the word to a very significant group of materials, but leaves out numerous other substances and materials that are also polymers. The consequence is the difficulty in observing the interconnection or comparability of polymers among each other or...

Surfactants as organic compounds are widely used in the processes of textile finishing and care with regard to different variations and specific hydrophilic/hydrophobic character. Specific behaviour of these compounds is partly based on the adsorption process. In this study the adsorption and desorption of ionic surfactants have been studied upon t...

Skin cancer incidence in Croatia is steadily increasing in spite of public and governmental permanently measurements. It is clear that will soon become a major public health problem. The primary cause of skin cancer is believed to be a long exposure to solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The future designers of UV protective materials should be able...

Healthy and active lifestyle has led in recent years to the rapid development of antimicrobial treatment. Such antimicrobial materials provide lasting freshness and a sense of security and well-being of consumers. At first glance it seems easy to achieve antimicrobial properties, but the persistence of such treatment is a bigger problem. Applicatio...

Modification of textiles for achieving multifunctional materials is one of the guidance for future textile development in Europe. As highly hydrophobic synthetic material, polyester fabric from poly(ethylene-terephthalate) (PET), is not comfortable. Surface modifications such are aminolysis and alkaline hydrolysis result in better comfort and other...

Based on the philosophic ideas of O. Spengler and Aristotle it has been determined that polymers are ancient since they reach back all the way to the origin of the basic natural organic and inorganic polymers. At the same time it has been noted that the word polymers is frequently used as a common name for plastics and elastomers. Since the basic n...

Polazeći od fi lozofskih misli O. Spenglera i Aristotela, utvrđeno je da su polimeri prastari, jer sežu tamo do postanka osnovnih prirodnih organskih i anorganskih polimera. Istodobno je uočeno da se riječ polimeri učestalo upotrebljava kao zajedničko ime za plastiku i elastomere. Od osnovnih prirodnih organskih polimera: bjelančevina, nukleinskih...

Despite the beneficial effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on the skin, radiation can cause sunburn, skin aging, allergies and even skin cancer. Textiles can provide effective protection against such damage. Unlike cosmetics, using textiles to protect the skin has only recently been researched. The design and modification of fabrics leading to a...

It is well known that alkali scouring is ecologically and economically unfavorable; therefore in last Jew years new procedures of enzymatic scouring with pectinases were investigated. The scouring with alkali pectinases results in better sewability. Recently, the new neutral pectinases were introduced. In this paper, the influence of these pectinas...

Activated natural zeolite clinoptilolite is microporous hydrated aluminosilicates crystals with well-defined structures containing AlO4 and SiO4 tetrahedral linked through the common oxygen atoms. It is to point out that zeolites act as strong adsorbents and ion-exchangers but having many other useful properties. Due to its cationexchange ability,...

Textile modification for achieving materials for human performance (medical, protective and sports) is one of the guidance for future textile development in Europe. The present paper shows results of the modification of polyester surface with nanoparticles of activated natural zeolite for achieving better ultraviolet protection. For this purpose th...

Abstract The paper is based on the fundamentals of material science, which is decisive for material application in various fields of human activities. Materials science inevitably links the molecular level of organizing substances and its three-dimensional structure with particular macroscopic substance properties which is the basis for the action...

The mechanical performance of the textile structures is substantial for their application field. Especially in the area of technical textiles the accurate knowledge of the mechanical performance is demanded for the design of high-tech textile products. Therefore the mechanical analysis of the textile structures aiming at the prediction of the perfo...

Europski tekstilci udruženi u European Technology Platform for the Future of Textile donijeli su devet smjernica za razvoj tekstilstva u Europi. Nova primjena tekstilne tehnologije za izradu materijala visokih svojstava (medicinski tekstil, tekstil za zaštitu i sport) jedna je od njih. U skladu s tim, ovaj rad je pokušaj modifikacije površine polie...

Phenomena on the Interface in textile wet finishing processes are described: wetting, penetration and adsorption. These phenomena occur in contact of two surfaces - liquid (bath) and solid (textile) whose surface properties determine the intensity of the solid-liquid interaction. These interactions are the result of the textile surface free energy...

Natural zeolites are aluminosilicate crystals with unique absorption and catalyst properties. In medicine they are attributedanticancerogen, antiallergic, antiseptic, antireumatic and other properties. They also exert a strong influence on blood circulation improvement. Addition of zeolite nanoparticles in different textile pretreatment and treatme...

UV radiation (UV-R) can be divided into UV-A, UV-B and UV-C radiation. UV-C radiation get absorbed by atmosphere, but diminishing of the ozone layer results with the reaching of UV-B and UV-A rays on the Earth's surface. Even though the UV-A rays are necessary for vitamin D synthesis, longer exposure to UV-A and UV-B rays can cause acute and chroni...

The most important phase in textile finishing processes is adsorption of chemical substances and compounds on textile materials surface and wettability as well. Interface phenomena happen between liquid and solid phase, like water solution and textile material, resulting in change of textile material surface free energy. Electrokinetic phenomena, a...

Textile Scientists, united in the European Technology Platform for the Future of Textiles, established nine topics as guidance for future textile development. New textile application for achieving the materials for human performance (medical, protective and sports) is one of them. This paper is an attempt to modify the surface of polyester fabric w...

Standard procedures of cotton scouring involve alkali treatment, usually with NaOH. Waxes, protein substances, pectin and other impurities are removed from fiber during alkali conditions and some damages occurred. Enzymatic cotton scouring with pectinases is ecologically and economically favorable, compared with traditional NaOH scouring, and has b...

This paper explores protection against UV-radiation using a polyester fabric. A polyester fabric from poly(ethylene-terephthalate) was modified by alkaline hydrolysis in sodium hydroxide with addition of two accelerators. Optimal accelerator concentration and time necessary for reaching the same appearance of silk like fabric intended mainly for su...

Flax/wool (33/66) and flax/polyester (33/66) blend yarns, spun from short staple flax, were scoured using either conventional or enzymatic scouring methods before bleaching under appropriate conditions for the different blends. The efficacy of the various preparation routes was evaluated using a water droplet absorption test, a vertical wicking tes...

This paper reports electrokinetic phenomena concerning the properties of textile fabrics that are crucial for dyeing and finishing processes. These interface phenomena influence the adsorption of surfactants, optical brighteners, dyes and finishing agents due to interaction forces between the fibre surface and solution. Zeta potential, isoelectric...

Despite some beneficial effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on skin, radiation can cause sunburn, allergies, skin aging, and even skin cancer. Protection from clothing is, in most cases, inadequate. To help prevent skin damage, fabrics can be treated with UV absorbers. While visible light interacts with dyes, UV radiation also interacts with UV a...

The influence of phosphorescent pigment concentration on fluorescence of optical bleached cotton fabrics was investigated from theoretical and practical point of view. The aim of the paper is to achieve the optimal superposed fluorescence and phosphorescence effects on the fashion designed models under the UV lights and in the dark. In the experime...

Due to the depletion of the ozone layer, shorter but high energy UV-B rays and longer energy UV-A rays causing known skin aging and recently the formation of skin malignant neoplasm are reaching the surface of earth. The paper deals with the influence of different fabric construction on ultraviolet skin protection expressed as the ultraviolet prote...

Raw and bleached cotton threads were cationized with 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl-trimethyl ammonium chloride (CHPTAC). It is known that cotton is electronegative in aqueous solutions and repels anions making the adsorption of anion particles difficult such as dyes and fluorescent brighteners. In such a way modified cotton is electropositive in the ent...

Beside the vital and powerful role of sun in our everyday lives the overdose of UV radiation on skin can lead to potential skin damage from exposure to the sun's ray. Compare with visible light that interacts with dyes UV radiation interacts with ultraviolet absorbers and fluorescent whitening agents. Middle UV-rays (UV-B region, λ = 280-315 nm) ca...

The determination of the size coat, will be described as it has been done so far According to the laboratory determination of size coat by desizing (by cooking) and the quantum method (by drying), some differences have been identified. By desizing the size coat showed a higher percentage, so that it can be ascertained that by cooking, in addition t...

Important characteristics of softening cotton knitted fabrics in the process of knitwear sewing and the influence of softening on the reduction of the sewing needle penetration force (snpf) are presented. The application of a measuring system for testing the snpf is discussed and loop damages are described. The reduction of the snpf and of loop dam...

Environmental considerations and constant urge to rationalise production have initiated the development of new technologies in textile finishing. Alkalis in wet finishing of cotton, present for centuries, will soon be abandoned and enzymes introduced wherever possible: in scouring, bleaching and other processes. Scouring cotton employing convention...

In the wet finishing processes adsorption of surfactants, dyes, optical whiteners and finishing agents on the textile fibres plays the important role in the finally effects. Adsorption of such particles on textiles Is depended of wetting and capillary properties of porous textile structure. Beside of these factors the adsorption is depended upon el...

The impact of conventional and enzymatic pre-treatment of cotton knitted fabric on its sewability is investigated. Conventional boiling-off procedure eliminates unwanted waste materials from the cotton, but cellulose is also damaged to a degree. The fibre becomes brittle and susceptible to damages in sewing garments from the knitted fabric, making...

Cotton is modified in pre-treatment finishing processes and its physical properties are changed. The intensity of these changes depends upon the conditions under which processing is done. The properties obtained are the results of changes in micro and macro structure of the cotton treated fibres. The structural differences of the modified cotton, b...

Important parameters influencing size layer are described. An analysis of the balance of matter is: given, and its advantages as compared to the conventional method of continuous determination or size layer are presented. The values of size layer obtained by the balance of matter through continuous parameter measuring are similar to the values obta...

The breaking force of warp yarns taken per segments on the loom is measured using three weaves from the same warp on different looms. To simulate the deformation of warp yarns, samples from the warp beam are taken and, after various conditions of cyclic stress on a dynamometer, the most approximate degree of warp deformation is that which occurs in...

Investigates the factors, including softeners and sewing needle gauges, that could reduce the number of damaged loops in knitted fabric seams. Knitted fabric sewability is reduced by processes of boiling, bleaching, mercerisation, dyeing, and overdrying, but can be reversed by the sue of softeners to reduce interfibre friction and friction between...

Reactive dyestuffs represent a very important group of dyestuffs used for dyeing of cotton due to the simplicity of dyeing process, brilliant colour shades and good wash fastness. Their disadvantage is, however, their low degree of a dyestuff fixation the consequence of which is a considerable amount of a dyestuff residue in dyeing and washing bath...

Mercerisation changes the fine structure, morphology and conformation of cotton cellulose chains (cellulose I to cellulose II), resulting in a variation in fibre strength and lustre as well as adsorption properties. Recently it has been shown that mercerisation also changes the electrokinetic behaviour of cotton. The aim of the work presented here...

Electrokinetic potential plays an important role in textile wet processes such as dyeing, finishing, and washing. The zeta potential of cotton fiber in aqueous solution is negative and influences adsorption of surfactants having the same or opposite electrical sign. The influence of zeta potential of cotton fibers on the adsorption of two cationic...

The method of determining Ba-number involves a few days work, ellimination of all the waste material from the cotton, extraction in organic solvent and boiling, then drying and Ba(OH)2 adsorption. Ba(OH)2 is conventionally done in Erlenmayer shaker, at room temperature, for two hours, by manual shaking of the vessel. The purpose of this investigati...