SYNTHETIC fibres tend to make low quality clothing. But one of the properties that makes nylon a poor choice of fabric for a shirt, namely its ability to attract and retain dirt and stains, is being exploited by a company that has developed a new laundry system. Its machine uses no more than a cup of water to wash each load of fabrics and uses much less energy than conventional devices.

    The system developed by Xeros, a spin-off from the University of Leeds, in England, uses thousands of tiny nylon beads each measuring a few millimetres across. These are placed inside the smaller of two concentric drums along with the dirty laundry, a squirt of detergent and a little water. As the drums rotate, the water wets the clothes and the detergent gets to work loosening the dirt. Then the nylon beads mop it up.

    The crystalline structure of the beads endows the surface of each with an electrical charge that attracts dirt. When the beads are heated in humid conditions to the temperature at which they switch from a crystalline to an amorphous structure, the dirt is drawn into the core of the bead, where it remains locked in place.

    The inner drum, containing the clothes and the beads, has a small slot in it. At the end of the washing cycle, the outer drum is halted and the beads fall through the slot; some 99.95% of them are collected.

    Because so little water is used and the warm beads help dry the laundry, less tumble drying is needed. An environmental consultancy commissioned by Xeros to test its system reckoned that its carbon footprint was 40% smaller than the most efficient existing systems for washing and drying laundry.

    The first machines to be built by Xeros will be aimed at commercial cleaners and designed to take loads of up to 20 kilograms. Customers will still be able to use the same stain treatments, bleaches and fragrances that they use with traditional laundry systems. Nylon may be nasty to wear, but it scrubs up well inside a washing machine.

    人(ren)造(zao)纖(xian)維(wei)通(tong)常(chang)用(yong)來(lai)製(zhi)作(zuo)低(di)質(zhi)量(liang)衣(yi)物(wu)。尼(ni)龍(long)很(hen)容(rong)易(yi)沾(zhan)染(ran)汙(wu)漬(zi)

，這(zhe)是(shi)它(ta)不(bu)適(shi)合(he)用(yong)來(lai)製(zhi)作(zuo)襯(chen)杉(shan)的(de)原(yuan)因(yin)之(zhi)一(yi)。不(bu)過(guo)，這(zhe)項(xiang)特(te)質(zhi)卻(que)在(zai)一(yi)家(jia)公(gong)司(si)開(kai)發(fa)的(de)新(xin)型(xing)洗(xi)衣(yi)係(xi)統(tong)中(zhong)發(fa)揮(hui)了(le)效(xiao)用(yong)。這(zhe)種(zhong)洗(xi)衣(yi)機(ji)每(mei)次(ci)洗(xi)滌(di)用(yong)水(shui)不(bu)超(chao)過(guo)一(yi)杯(bei)
，耗(hao)用(yong)的(de)能(neng)源(yuan)也(ye)比(bi)常(chang)規(gui)設(she)備(bei)少(shao)很(hen)多(duo)。

    該係統由一家附屬於英國利茲大學名叫Xeros的公司負責開發
，係統內含數以千計的直徑隻有幾毫米的小尼龍珠。將這些尼龍珠
、髒衣服、少許洗滌劑和水
，一起放進小型的雙層同軸滾筒後。滾筒轉動時，水浸濕衣物，洗滌劑讓汙漬鬆脫，然後尼龍珠就會吸附汙漬。

    尼(ni)龍(long)珠(zhu)的(de)晶(jing)體(ti)結(jie)構(gou)會(hui)讓(rang)表(biao)麵(mian)生(sheng)成(cheng)靜(jing)電(dian)並(bing)吸(xi)附(fu)汙(wu)垢(gou)。當(dang)珠(zhu)子(zi)在(zai)潮(chao)濕(shi)的(de)環(huan)境(jing)中(zhong)被(bei)加(jia)熱(re)到(dao)一(yi)定(ding)溫(wen)度(du)時(shi)，會(hui)從(cong)晶(jing)體(ti)結(jie)構(gou)轉(zhuan)換(huan)為(wei)非(fei)結(jie)晶(jing)結(jie)構(gou)。此(ci)時(shi)汙(wu)垢(gou)會(hui)被(bei)吸(xi)入(ru)，並(bing)被(bei)鎖(suo)定(ding)在(zai)尼(ni)龍(long)珠(zhu)的(de)內(nei)核(he)中(zhong)。

    洗滌用時約30分鍾。洗滌周期的末了

，外層滾筒會停止轉動。在放置衣物和尼龍珠的內滾筒上有一小溝槽
，在它繼續旋轉的同時，99.95%的de尼ni龍long珠zhu會hui透tou過guo內nei滾gun筒tong中zhong的de小xiao溝gou槽cao排pai出chu，掉diao進jin外wai滾gun筒tong。從cong機ji器qi中zhong拿na出chu衣yi物wu時shi，卡ka在zai衣yi物wu皺zhou折zhe的de尼ni龍long珠zhu會hui掉diao進jin洗xi衣yi機ji門men下xia的de收shou集ji器qi裏li。拿na出chu衣yi物wu後hou
，還hai可ke以yi用yong吸xi塵chen器qi移yi除chu卡ka在zai口kou袋dai等deng處chu的de尼ni龍long珠zhu。

    由於洗滌過程中使用的水量是如此少，同時升溫的尼龍珠也有烘幹效果。因此
，衣服不太需要烘幹。Xeros委托一家環境顧問公司進行測試，結果顯示，這套係統的碳排放量比當前最有效率的洗衣烘幹係統還要少40%
、用水量少90%,尼龍珠可以重覆使用數百次再回收。

    Xeros推出的第一台機器將定位為容量達到20公斤的商業洗衣機。用戶依舊可以使用傳統洗衣機的去汙劑、漂白劑和芳香劑。尼龍也許因為容易變汙不適合穿著，但在洗衣機裏的表現卻非常亮眼。