Over almost nine decades of its existence, ICAR-CIRCOT has been developing new technologies and machinery for better utilization of cotton and other textile fibres. Following are some of our success stories.
Cotton is a principal source of income for a large number of farmers and other stake holders in India. Fibre quality is a key factor determining cotton price and quality of cotton textile products. Fibre quality is mainly characterized by fibre length, strength and micronaire, and the textile industry has a preference for long and strong fibres of moderate micronaire for producing high-quality yarns.
Before 2,000 AD, Indian cottons were considered to be trashy despite being handpicked and being contaminated by wide range of impurities gathered during post-harvest handling till it reaches the spinning mills. The cotton is sold in the market based on its grade. The trash content in the cotton is the predominant parameter to decide the grade and value of the cotton.
Nanotechnology, that has already revolutionized material science, pharma, electronics and industrial chemistry, is now spreading its wings in the fields of agriculture & allied sectors. ICAR-CIRCOT has taken the lead in ICAR system to explore the applications of nanotechnology in agriculture, cotton textiles and composites. ICAR-CIRCOT, Mumbai ventured into Nanotechnology from 2004 onwards to impart novel functional finishes to cotton textiles to impart antibacterial and UV protection properties using silver and zinc oxide nanopares.