Carpet Testing
Colorfastness Testing
Colorfastness to Light
(ATTCC 16E Xenon Arc)
Colorfastness to Light: The ability of a fabric to retain its color. Colorfastness can be checked in several modes. The most elementary is the colorfastness to crocking test which determines whether the color will rub off on a white cloth and, if so, to what extent. Crocking should be checked in both a wet and a dry mode. The check for colorfastness is to light the Xenon Arc Light Fadeometer. This test result will be expressed in the number of hours of exposure to a Xenon Arc Light source the carpet withstood before fading occurred.
Colorfastness to Ozone
(AATCC 129 High Humidity)
Colorfastness to Ozone:(O3) A highly reactive gas and strong oxidizing agent formed by passing a high voltage current through air. Used as a deodorizing agent. It is an unstable oxygen molecule which dissipates in minutes.
Colorfastness to Shampoo
(AATCC 138)
Colorfastness to Shampoo: Generally a high foam detergent preparation used for rotary cleaning to improve appearance.
Colorfastness to Crocking
(AATCC 8)
Colorfastness to Crocking: Term used to describe excess color rubbing off as the result of improper dye penetration, fixation, or selection.
Colorfastness to Water
(AATCC 107)
Colorfastness to Water: The amount of metallic salts, such as calcium, magnesium, or iron, dissolved in water. These can form insoluble curds with some surfactants and reduce the effectiveness of the cleaning.
Colorfastness to Heat
(AATCC 117)
Colorfastness to Heat: Process for stabilization of carpet yarns by exposure to heat Conventional autoclave heat-setting treats yarns in relaxed skein configuration with pressurized steam, usually at temperatures in the 240-300 F range, oftern 270 F for nylon. some continuous heat-setting machines employ dry heat. The principal benefits are twist retention in plied yarns in cut-pile carpet and genral stabilization yarn configuration.
Colorfastness to Acids & Alkalis
(AATCC 6)
Colorfastness to Acids & Alkalis: Acid dyes are derived from the dyeing process itself. Acid dyes are applied to wool, silk and polyamides in the presence of an organic or inorganic acid. Acid dyes are anionic (negative charge) with a relatively low molecular weight. Alkali, is a term that should more properly be restricted to the hydroxides and carbonates of sodium and potassium, but which sometimes is loosely applied to the hydroxides of the other alkali metals, the alkaline earth metals and bicarbonate and bicarbonate of soda, salsoda (washing soda), caustic potash and ammonia are examples. Phosphates such as trisodium and silicates such as metasilicate are also commonly considered as alkalies. Alkalies have the power to neutralize an acid forming salt, to turn litmus paper blue and phenolphtalein red, and to impart soap feel and taste to their water solutions.
Colorfastness to Solvent Spotting
(AATCC 157)
Colorfastness to Solvent Spotting: A fluid which is capable of dissolving another substance. Water is the universal solvent.
Colorfastness to Burnt Gas Fumes
(AATCC 23)
Colorfastness to Burnt Gas Fumes: Also referred to as gas fading, this is a loss or shift in the dye color of the carpet due to attack by atmospheric contaminants. Ozone, generated during thunderstorms, and oxides of nitrogen from gas furnaces, and aldenydes from particle board are the most common fading agents.
Colorfastness to Nitrous Oxide
(AATCC164/subcontracted)
Colorfastness to Nitrous Oxide: The addition of oxygen to fabrics or stains to make them colorless chlorine, peroxide, or sodium perborate.
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