
Coated fabrics are those that have undergone a
coating
A coating is a covering that is applied to the surface of an object, usually referred to as the substrate. The purpose of applying the coating may be decorative, functional, or both. Coatings may be applied as liquids, gases or solids e.g. Powde ...
procedure
Procedure may refer to:
* Medical procedure
* Instructions or recipes, a set of commands that show how to achieve some result, such as to prepare or make something
* Procedure (business), specifying parts of a business process
* Standard operat ...
to become more functional and hold the added properties, such as
cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor p ...
fabrics becoming impermeable or
waterproof
Waterproofing is the process of making an object or structure waterproof or water-resistant so that it remains relatively unaffected by water or resisting the ingress of water under specified conditions. Such items may be used in wet environme ...
. Coated textiles are used in a variety of applications, including
blackout curtains and the development of waterproof fabrics for raincoats.
Coating
The coating is an application of
chemical substances on the surface of fabric that is to be made
functional
Functional may refer to:
* Movements in architecture:
** Functionalism (architecture)
** Form follows function
* Functional group, combination of atoms within molecules
* Medical conditions without currently visible organic basis:
** Functional s ...
or decorative. Coatings use less material than other types of
applications
Application may refer to:
Mathematics and computing
* Application software, computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks
** Application layer, an abstraction layer that specifies protocols and interface methods used in a c ...
, such as exhaust or
padding
Padding is thin cushioned material sometimes added to clothes. Padding may also be referred to as batting when used as a layer in lining quilts or as a packaging or stuffing material. When padding is used in clothes, it is often done in an attempt ...
on
stenter
A stenter (sometimes called a tenter) is a specialist oven used in the textile industry for drying and heat treating fabric after wet processing.
It consists of heated chambers, adjustable to the width of the fabric being treated. Fabric is fed ...
.
History
The earliest known coated fabric is
Oilcloth
Oilcloth, also known as enameled cloth or American cloth, is close-woven cotton duck or linen cloth with a coating of boiled linseed oil to make it waterproof.
Manufacture
Boiled linseed oil was prepared by a long boiling of linseed oil with ...
. Oilcloth is produced by the application of
boiled linseed oil. The use of boiled oils can be traced back to 200 AD.
Types
Coated fabrics can be made in a variety of ways, depending on the coating ingredients used, such as chemical and particles. Rubber, plastic, and vinyl coatings are just a few examples.
Nanofabrics
Nanofabrics are textiles engineered with small particles that give ordinary materials advantageous properties such as superhydrophobicity (extreme water resistance, also see " Lotus effect"), odor and moisture elimination, increased elasticity an ...
are coated with a wide range of
nanoparticles
A nanoparticle or ultrafine particle is usually defined as a particle of matter that is between 1 and 100 nanometres (nm) in diameter. The term is sometimes used for larger particles, up to 500 nm, or fibers and tubes that are less than 10 ...
to make the fabrics capable of enhanced properties such as
ultrahydrophobicity,
medical textiles
Medical textiles are various fiber-based materials intended for medical purposes. Medical textile is a sector of technical textiles that focuses on fiber-based products used in health care applications such as prevention, care, and hygiene. The ...
(
antimicrobial resistance
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when microbes evolve mechanisms that protect them from the effects of antimicrobials. All classes of microbes can evolve resistance. Fungi evolve antifungal resistance. Viruses evolve antiviral resistance ...
),
Ultraviolet
Ultraviolet (UV) is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelength from 10 nm (with a corresponding frequency around 30 PHz) to 400 nm (750 THz), shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays. UV radiati ...
protection, and elasticity.
Use

The applications and uses of coated fabrics are numerous.
* In manufacturing of pristine clothes.
*Self cleaning fabrics with
lotus effect
The lotus effect refers to self-cleaning properties that are a result of ultrahydrophobicity as exhibited by the leaves of '' Nelumbo'', the lotus flower. Dirt particles are picked up by water droplets due to the micro- and nanoscopic archite ...
.
* PPE kits, aprons, coverall and gowns for healthcare workers usable in viral diseases such as
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickl ...
,
medical textiles with
protecting properties, body fluid resistance and antimicrobial surface.
*Coated fabrics also contribute to
fire-retardant fabrics
Fire-retardant fabrics are textiles that are more resistant to fire than others through chemical treatment of flame-retardant or manufactured fireproof fibers.
Properties
The term ''fire-retardant'' as applied to organic (i.e., containing car ...
.
*In distinctive areas, coated fabrics are used for transportation, industrial application, geotextile, and military use.
See also
*
Adhesive tape
*
Coated paper
Coated paper (also known as enamel paper, gloss paper, and thin paper) is paper that has been coated by a mixture of materials or a polymer to impart certain qualities to the paper, including weight, surface gloss, smoothness, or reduced ink absor ...
*
Plastic-coated paper Plastic-coated paper is a coated or laminated composite material made of paper or paperboard with a plastic layer or treatment on a surface. This type of coated paper is most used in the food and drink packaging industry.
Function
The plastic is ...
*
Plasma treatment (textiles)
Plasma treatment is a surface modification process for textiles that imparts various functional properties at a lower cost, with fewer chemical adverse effects, and with a reduced environmental impact all while maintaining important textile prop ...
References
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Textiles
Textile techniques
Industrial processes
Chemical processes