Since 2005, the INDEX Innovation Awards have become a recognized means of identifying and rewarding some truly revolutionary developments.
INDEX is the leading nonwovens trade fair organized by EDANA, the European Nonwovens and Disposables Association. Over the past 15 years it has been held five times. The exhibition’s successive INDEX Innovation Awards since 2005 have become a proven means of identifying and rewarding some truly game-changing developments.
Originally scheduled to take place at INDEX 20 in April, but now rescheduled to September 7-10, 2021, EDANA will now present this year’s awards live at an online awards ceremony on October 6, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. Awards – 4:00 pm.
All award nominees’ videos are currently posted on the INDEX Non Wovens LinkedIn page, and the video with the most likes will receive a special INDEX 20 award.
Previous winners in the nonwoven roll category include Berry Global’s NuviSoft at the previous show in 2017, Sandler’s Fibercomfort roof insulation (2014) and Freudenberg’s Lutraflor (2011), with Ahlstrom-Munksjö winning in 2008. She received the award twice in 2005 and 2005.
Berry’s NuviSoft is a proprietary spunmelt technology that combines a unique filament profile geometry with a splice pattern that enhances softness. Substrates used in absorbent hygiene products can improve coverage at lower weight while providing less breathability, tighter packing and better printing.
Sandler’s Fibercomfort is expanding the nonwovens market in the construction sector by effectively replacing wood for roof insulation with lighter nonwovens based entirely on recycled polyester.
Lutraflor is a 100% recycled polyester produced by Freudenberg for automotive interiors that is also fully recyclable at the end of its life. It is characterized by very high abrasion resistance, which is achieved through the combination of a layer of short fibers (provides an excellent surface) and a layer of spunlaid (provides mechanical stability).
Ahlstom-Munksjö’s Disruptor, which received the Membrane Innovation Award back in 2008, is a wet filtration technology for pleated, spiral wound, disc or flat media formats that has been established in the water filtration market thanks to the following initiatives having a major impact : AquaSure Storage Water Purifiers. Developed in collaboration with industrial products manufacturer Eureka Forbes, the new product is launched to meet the growing demand for clean water in the Indian subcontinent.
Designed and manufactured by Eureka Forbes, AquaSure devices use Disruptor filter media to combat a wide range of pathogens and submicron contaminants. The result is not only microbially pure water, but also safe drinking water.
Designed for challenging distribution, storage and end-user use in emerging markets such as India, this technology eliminates the need to add disinfectant chemicals, thereby avoiding potential public health and safety concerns. It also provides consumers with a simple, convenient and affordable way to purify their water that matches their established consumer habits.
The key to Disruptor’s effectiveness is the grafting of aluminum oxide nanofibers onto microglass fibers, which has been shown to remove a variety of contaminants from water. Its properties make it an alternative to membranes in many applications.
Disruptor was developed from a three-layer activated carbon nonwoven fabric that Ahlstrom-Munksjö won in 2005 with Advanced Design Concepts, a joint venture between BBA Fiberweb (now Berry Global) and The Dow Chemical Company that developed the first cost-effective elastic band. non-woven alternative to laminated film/non-woven structures.
Sandler was again nominated for an Innovation Award in the roll media category this year for its new collection and distribution layer (ADL), along with Italy’s Fa-Ma Jersey’s Microfly nanocham AG+ and Jacob Holm’s Sontara Dual.
Every component of Sandler’s new ADL can be made from renewable or recycled raw materials, making it an ideal alternative to many of the hygiene products the industry is currently seeking. In addition, its performance properties such as absorbency, liquid distribution and storage capacity can be fine-tuned to suit the requirements of each product.
Sandler is currently focusing on the use of environmentally friendly raw materials and will present at INDEX 2020 a non-woven fabric made from 100% unbleached cotton, suitable for both napkin bases and top layers.
Additionally, the company combines linen and viscose materials to enhance the softness of its skincare products, and its 100% viscose BioWipe has a special embossed design that not only adds visual interest, but the small squares add volume and the surface area is increased for optimization. its absorbency for skin care products such as cosmetics and baby wipes.
“All of these nonwovens gain their special properties from the special fiber blends used,” Sandler said. “The raw materials are selected to not only maximize functionality, but also reduce basis weight.”
Sontara Dual is a new 100% cellulose wiping base made with Sontara’s patented technology that combines a rough and soft surface for a more effective and fine cleaning.
The textured structure easily grips and removes oily and viscous liquids and is ideal for removing accumulated contaminants without damaging the underlying surface like abrasive pads. Its unique three-dimensional pore structure protects delicate surfaces from scratches and is gentle enough to apply to skin.
In addition to its 2-in-1 functionality, Sontara Dual is made from wood pulp and regenerated cellulose without any adhesives or chemicals and is biodegradable, reducing your environmental impact and keeping up with the trend toward plastic-free wipes. At the same time, it has higher absorbency, low lint content, excellent durability in long-term use, high tear resistance and excellent cleaning properties.
In 2017, Glatfelter received a Finished Product Award for its Dreamweaver Gold Battery Separator; In 2014, Imeco received an award for its new hospital cleaning solution Nocemi-med.
Safe Cover repellent bedding, developed by PGI (now Berry Plastics), was named the most notable finished product in 2011, and in 2008, Johnson’s Baby Extracare wipes were recognized as the first lipid-based lotion.
Freudenberg and Tanya Allen received awards at INDEX 2005 for the first two patented pleated air filter cartridges in their line of disposable boxers and briefs sold under the Foreverfresh Global brand and made from stretchable spunbond nonwoven material.
Dreamweaver Gold was developed through Glatfelter’s collaboration with Soteria Battery Innovation Group, a consortium created by Dreamweaver to advance lightweight, safe and cost-effective lithium-ion battery architectures. Sorteria currently has 39 member companies representing the entire supply chain and holding numerous technology patents.
Soteria’s separator and current collector technology helps prevent internal short circuits in the battery from escalating into overheating and includes Dreamweaver non-woven battery separators that combine microfibers and nanofibers in a porous substrate.
Smaller nanofibers result in higher porosity, allowing ions to move more freely and quickly without resistance. At the same time, the microfibers are fibrillated to sizes much smaller than a micron to achieve a very narrow pore distribution, allowing the separator to maintain electrical insulation of the electrode while ions can flow freely.
Dreamweaver Gold wet laid battery separators are based on Twaron aramid fiber which is stable up to 300°C and retains its shape and size even at temperatures up to 500°C, providing safe performance at a reasonable cost.
Nocemi-med from Imeco is a cleaning product that has subsequently gained popularity in the healthcare industry.
While doctors, nurses and hospital support staff understand the need to wash their hands as often as possible, they also know that most disinfection methods currently used contain alcohol or QAT, which can be very harmful to the skin. So doing this as often as necessary and no more remains the norm.
Meanwhile, for hospital cleaning staff, disinfecting surfaces using existing methods can be time-consuming, often requiring soaking a roll of non-woven wipes in a disinfectant solution for about 15 minutes to be effective.
As a cost-effective solution, Imeco has launched ready-to-use pouches that come pre-filled with wipe rolls and sanitizer, as well as a separate device that is activated before use.
Containing 98% water and 2% organic AHAs, Nocemi-med wipes are highly effective and free of alcohol, QAV and formaldehyde, so importantly they’re also safe for your hands.
Three products were nominated in this category for the INDEX 2020 Awards: Tampliner from Callaly, Tychem 2000 SFR from DuPont Protective Solutions and a new heated geosynthetic material from Hassan Group from Turkey.
London-based Callaly is promoting Tampliner as a new feminine care product made up of three parts: an organic cotton tampon, an organic cotton mini-pad and a virtual applicator connecting the two.
Wearing a Tampliner is said to be completely different from wearing a regular tampon, providing extra protection against leakage. The breathable pacifier applicator is made from ultra-thin medical grade film and is worn inside the vagina to hold the mini pad in place.
This hypoallergenic product is specially formulated to leave the body clean and ready for disposal.
Tychem 2000 SFR is a new class of chemical and secondary fire resistant clothing, the latest addition to DuPont Tyvek and Tychem protective clothing designed for oil refineries, petrochemical plants, laboratories and hazardous maintenance operations requiring dual protection against chemicals and fire.
“Tychem 2000 SFR is the latest in a series of solutions introduced by DuPont since the early 1970s to meet the growing protective clothing needs of workers around the world,” said David Domnisch, global marketing manager for Tyvek Protective Apparel. “By providing dual protection, Tychem 2000 SFR meets the unique needs of industrial workers and hazardous materials responders exposed to chemical and fire hazards.
Tychem 2000 SFR effectively blocks a range of inorganic acids and bases, as well as industrial cleaning chemicals and particulates. In the event of a flare-up, clothing made from it will not ignite and therefore will not cause additional burns as long as the wearer wears appropriate flame-resistant personal protective equipment (PPE).
Features of the Tychem 2000 SFR include a respirator-fit hood lined with DuPont ProShield 6 SFR fabric, a chin flap with double-sided tape for a secure fit, an elastic waistband and tunnel elastic at the hood, wrists and ankles for a better fit. Compatibility. The garment’s design also features a single flap zipper closure, as well as double-sided tape for added chemical protection.
When Tyvek was introduced to the market in 1967, protective clothing for industrial workers was one of its first commercial applications.
Among the raw materials recognized at the Geneva show since 2005, Italy’s Magic received the show’s award in 2017 for its Spongel superabsorbent powder, while Eastman’s Cyphrex microfiber was recognized in 2014. A useful new method for producing wet laid nonwovens tailored to individual customer requirements. .
Dow received this award in 2011 for Primal Econext 210, a formaldehyde-free adhesive that provides the industry with a highly valued solution to previously challenging regulatory requirements.
In 2008, ExxonMobil’s Vistamaxx specialty elastomers impressed with their ability to impart softness, strength and flexibility to hygiene nonwovens, while BASF’s Acrodur adhesive, established in 2005, has been widely used in a variety of applications, particularly in the automotive industry.
Magic’s Spongel is primarily a cellulose-based material cross-linked and/or reinforced with natural, inorganic fillers. It has significantly higher absorption and retention rates than most commercially available bio-based SAPs today and has a gel-like appearance when wet, similar to acrylic SAPs. Organic solvents and toxic monomers are not used in its production.
The company explains that currently most bio-based SAPs are absorbents only in the free state, and only acrylic products can absorb water under external pressure.
However, the free-swelling capacity of the sponge in saline ranges from 37-45 g/g, and the absorption under load ranges from 6-15 g/g with minimal or no gel clogging.
In addition, it has the ability to retain its ability to absorb liquids after centrifugation. In fact, its centrifuge holding capacity of 27-33 g/g is similar to that of the best acrylic SAPs.
Magic currently produces three varieties of sponges, primarily for use in the food packaging and hygiene sectors, but also targeting the biomedical sector, as soil additives in agriculture for moisture retention and fertilizer control, and as for collecting and solidifying household or industrial waste. .
Post time: Nov-22-2023