Polyester Scrim Meets High Demands for Military Fabrics

Designed for military fabrics, the men and women who serve deserve fabrics that can stand up to tough environments. These fabrics must be both strong and lightweight.

The polyester fibers and acrylic polymer latexes used in these wet-laid scrims or web structures are less expensive than nylon fibers. They are also readily thermo-pleated.

Tensile Strength

Polyester Scrim have high tensile strength, which helps to prevent the fabric from becoming torn or damaged during use. These qualities make the material an excellent choice for military applications, as they are able to stand up to a great deal of stress and protect soldiers from injuries due to weaker materials.

In addition to being highly durable, the tensile strength of these fabrics is also very flexible. This flexibility is achieved because the scrim fabrics are made with a knit instead of a weave, making them more versatile and capable of adapting to the environment in which they are used.

Additionally, the fabrics are treated with chemicals to ensure their durability and resistance against various chemicals. The fabrics are able to resist acids, alkalis, molds, and insects. The fabrics are also treated to reduce the damage caused by UV rays. The chemical bond between the exterior coating and the scrim fabrics also prevents moisture from wicking into the fibers of the fabric, which could cause fungal growth or freeze thaw damage to the structure.

Elasticity

The elasticity of fabrics made with knitted polyester scrims is unmatched. These fabrics are designed for important military uses that require top quality, such as the tarps that protect weaponry from weather conditions on Navy ships.

Elasticity is achieved by using a combination of synthetic fibers and latex binder polymers that have different softening points. This allows the elastic web to be mechanically shaped (e.g., pleated) and then heated and cooled so that the web and fibers remain in the shaped shape.

The process used to make the scrim and web structures of the present invention is wet-laid which results in a much more uniform web than spun bond processes produce. This uniformity, in turn, makes the elastic web less prone to lateral slippage when wrapped around a weapon and fastened to itself. This is critical because if the elastic web were to slide or twist it would not provide sufficient support for the weapon.

Durability

A scrim vinyl banner is much more durable than a non-scrim one and can be used indoors or outdoors. Many scrim vinyls are made from water-resistant or waterproof materials, which is ideal for outdoor use, as they can withstand rain or snow and still look good for a year or more.

In addition, the innovative wet-laid process allows the scrim to be thermopleated without affecting its tensile strength or porosity characteristics. This is accomplished by using a combination of synthetic (polyester or acrylic) fibers and latex or thermoplastic binder polymers that have different softening and melting points, allowing the scrim to be shaped without changing its fiber structure or changing the physical properties of the latex or thermoplastic binder. The binders also enable nonwoven scrims to achieve yarn densities and placement angles that looms can’t match. During thermopleating, portions of the mechanically pleated scrim are pushed through channels composed of top and bottom platens that are heated to 250 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit to soften the latex or thermoplastic binder of the scrim at its pleat tips. The pleat tips then retain the geometry of their original shape upon cooling.

Chemical Resistance

Military fabrics must be tough, durable and reliable to ensure the men and women serving in our country’s armed forces are safe. Knitted polyester scrims meet these high demands with proven strength and durability.

Scrim fabric is often used in theatre to create some stage magic. It can be hung as a curtain and when lit correctly from the front it appears opaque. However, when the front lights are off and objects behind the fabric are lit it suddenly becomes transparent.

Nonwoven scrims are made of multifilament yarns that can be manufactured using polyester, nylon, nomex or glass. These yarns are available at an affordable price and offer excellent translation of polymer properties from raw material to yarn form. They also have the advantage of flatness and good stability, which are desirable in reinforcing tape applications like paper or film tapes. The binder used in the fabrication of these scrims may be a thermoplastic acrylic latex.