Effects of deposition parameters of electroless copper plating on polyester fabric

Properties of electroless copper-plated polyester fabric mainly depend on the plating bath constituents/conditions. The nickel serves to catalyze the copper deposition when hypophosphite is used as a reducing agent. In this study, the effects of deposition parameters including additive NiSO₄ concentration and pH on microstructure and properties of the electroless copper plating on polyester fabric using hypophosphite as a reducing agent were investigated. The results show that at a higher NiSO₄ concentration, the copper content present in the coating decreases whereas the nickel content increases slightly. On the other hand, the copper content present in the coating increases, whereas the nickel content and phosphorus decreases with respect to the rise of pH. The morphology of the copper deposits show that the particle size increase with respect to the rise of NiSO₄ concentration and pH. The XRD patterns indicate that the copper-plated polyester fabrics are crystalline. In addition, there is a decrease in the surface resistance and an increase in the electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness (SE) with respect to the rise of Ni²⁺ concentration and pH of the solution as a result of gaining a greater weight in the deposits. The results suggest that the copper-plated polyester fabrics have a great potential application as an EMI shielding material.     

Polyester metallisation with electroless silver plating process

In this paper, electroless silver plating process for polyester was reported. The electroless silver plating is basically divided into four stages including pre-cleaning, sensitisation, electroless silver deposition and post-treatment. As the electroless silver plating stage is the key stage in affecting the brilliant appearance and various functional properties such as conductivity and ultra-violet protection, we will study the effect of process variables, i.e. amount of silver nitrate (AgNO₃), concentration of ammonium hydroxide (NH₄OH), concentration of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and process temperature, using increased amount of silver in fabric surface as an indicator, for optimising the electroless silver plating process for possible industrial application. Experimental results revealed that amount of silver nitrate (AgNO₃)=1.77×10^?3 mole; concentration of ammonium hydroxide (NH₄OH)=6.25 %; concentration of sodium hydroxide (NaOH)=0.008 g/ml and process temperature=25 °C can give the best electroless silver plating for polyester fabric. The surface characteristics of the electroless silver-plated polyester fabric were evaluated by scanning electron microscope, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. Meanwhile, the performance properties of the electroless silver-plated polyester fabric were measured by CIE L*, a* and b* values, conductivity as well as ultraviolet protection. The experimental results would be discussed thoroughly in this paper.     

Microstructure and properties of Ni-Fe3O4 composite plated polyester fabric

In this study, electroless Ni-Fe₃O₄ composite plating on polyester fabric modified with 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) was investigated under ultrasonic irradiation. Effects of deposit weight on microstructure and properties of Ni-Fe₃O₄ composite coating were studied. Surface morphology, chemical composition and state, crystal structure of the electroless Ni-Fe₃O₄ composite plated polyester fabric were characterized by SEM, EDX, XPS and XRD. Magnetic properties, electrical resistivity and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness (SE) of Ni-Fe₃O₄ plated polyester fabric were also evaluated. The presence of co-deposition of Fe₃O₄ in Ni coating on the polyester fabric is demonstrated by an XPS analysis. At a higher deposit weight, there is an increase in particle size and saturation magnetization, and a decrease in electrical resistivity with respect to the rise of deposit weight, respectively. As the Ni-Fe₃O₄ weight on the treated fabric is 32.90 g/m², the EMI SE of the Ni-Fe₃O₄ plated polyester fabric arrives 15–20 dB at frequencies that range from 8 to 18 GHz. The results indicate the Ni-Fe₃O₄ plated polyester fabrics are used as super-paramagnetic, conductive and EMI shielding materials.     

Optimization of electroless nickel plating on polyester fabric

Electrical conductivity is an important property of electroless nickel plated fabric. The optimized electroless nickel plating method can provide useful information for textile industries to obtain optimum surface resistance and stable plating. In this study, a screening experiment with factorial design and response surface method (RSM) with central composite design (CCD) was used to optimize the electroless nickel plating on polyester fabric. A two-level full factorial design (FFD) was used to determine the effects of five factors, i.e. the concentrations of nickel sulfate, sodium hypophosphite and sodium citrate, pH and temperature of the plating solution on surface resistance of the electroless nickel plated fabric. It is found that the nickel sulfate concentration and temperature of the plating solution are the most significant variables affecting the surface resistance of electroless nickel plated fabric. The optimum operating condition is finally obtained by using a desirability function. The test for reliability for predicting response surface equations shows that these equations give an excellent fitting to the observed values. In addition, the deposit composition, surface morphology, crystal structure and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness (SE) were studied. The EMI SE of the nickel plated polyester fabric obtained under the optimal condition is about 60 dB at the frequency ranging from 2 to 18 GHz.     

Conductive aramid fiber with Ni-Cu composite coating prepared using the metalation swelling method

Conductive aramid fiber with nickel-copper composite coating is prepared by consecutive steps of metalation swelling, sensitization, activation, nickel electroless deposition, and copper electroless deposition, respectively. The metalation swelling of aramid fiber makes the follow-up sensitization and activation feasible. The as-prepared samples are characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD and XPS. After metalation swelling, the aramid fibers look like cotton fibers with numerous nano-scale pits of 50–300 nm in diameter. Pd metal as nuclei for Ni crystal growth with the size of 10±5 nm is originated from Pd²⁺, which can be reduced to Pd⁰ by Sn²⁺. The Ni-Cu composite coating of 1-µm thickness has polycrystalline structure. And the electrical resistance of conductive Ni-Cu aramid fiber is 0.035 Ω/cm. The synthesis mechanism of the conductive aramid fiber with Ni-Cu composite coating is given.     

Influence of deposition parameters and kinetics of electroless Ni-P plating on polyester fiber

The electroless nickel-phosphorous (Ni-P) plating on polyester fiber using sodium hypophosphite as a reducing agent in alkaline medium was studied. The effects of plating parameters including concentrations, pH and bath temperature of the plating bath on deposition rate of the electroless Ni-P plating were investigated. The results reveal that the deposition rates increase with the increase in the concentration of nickel sulfate, sodium hypophosphite, pH and bath temperature, respectively. However, it is determined that the deposition rates decrease with the rise of sodium citrate. The kinetics of the deposition reaction was investigated and an empirical rate equation for electroless Ni-P plating on polyester fiber was developed.     

Enhanced Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Effects of Cobalt-Nickel Polyalloy Coated Fabrics with Assistance of Rare Earth Elements

Co-Ni-P coatings were prepared on ramie fabric by electroless plating with addition of rare earth (RE: Ce, Pr, and Nd). The proposed ultra-low-cost and easy-operated electroless plating method involved successive steps, namely, alkali mercerization, malic acid modification, Co nanoparticles activation, and Co-Ni-P deposition. FT-IR and XPS measurements were utilized to verify the functions of modification and activation procedures. Refined effects of Ce, Pr, and Nd on the structures and morphologies of resulting Co-Ni-P coatings were demonstrated by XRD and FE-SEM measurements. Moreover, by adding tiny dose of RE into the one-pot plating solution, electroless deposition rates were substantially accelerated in all cases. With regard to the resulting fabric-based Co-Ni-P coatings obtained in the presence of RE, not only mechanical durability but also chemical stability were improved. All Co-Ni-P coated fabrics displayed admirable electromagnetic properties and high electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness (SE). Owing to the benefits from RE, EMI SE values of Co-Ni-P shielding fabrics were enhanced with increment of 3-11 dB ranging from 30 to 6000 MHz. Significantly, Co-Ni-P-Nd coated fabric with uniform surface morphology and outstanding corrosion resistance possessed the highest EMI SE of 42.27-66.76 dB.     

Unprecedented Electromagnetic Shielding Effectiveness of Lightweight Nonwoven Ag/PA66 Fabrics

Novel, high-performance silver coated polyamide, Ag/PA66, nonwoven fabrics with a density of only 0.04 g/cm³ have been developed using staple fibres of 19 (3.3 dtex) and 27 (6.7 dtex) μm diameter. The obtained nonwoven fabrics with an Ag loading of 12-18 wt% exhibited excellent weight-normalised specific electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of over 1200 dB/(g/cm³) in the 0.015-3 GHz range, which is among the highest reported till date. Moreover, the applied microwave was verified to be absorbed rather than being reflected back making the fabrics highly suitable for shielding applications. It was also observed that nonwoven fabrics made from finer 3.3 dtex Ag/PA66 fibres have higher reflection and lower absorption values than their thicker (6.7 dtex) counterparts. Additionally, we have also explored the use of these nonwoven Ag/PA66 fabrics for personal thermal management via Joule heating with samples showing rapid heating response (up to 0.2 °C/sec) and long-term stability measured over 10,000 seconds. The needle-punched Ag/PA66 nonwoven fabrics, in spite of their low density of the order of 0.04 g/cm², exhibited high EMSE values of nearly 69-80 dB, leading to excellent weightnormalised specific electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of over 1200 dB/(g/cm³) in the 0.015-3 GHz range. The production of Ag/PA66 needle punched nonwoven fabrics thus offers a facile route to develop multifunctional fabrics for EMI shielding as well as personal thermal management applications.     

Green Approach for Multifunctionalization of Cellulose-Containing Fabrics

Development of multifunctional textile and clothing products with improved environmental profiles has been demanded both by textile industry and by consumer. Herein, dialdehyde sodium alginate (DASA) and dialdehyde carboxymethyl cellulose (DACMC) have been prepared, characterized and utilized, as an eco-friendly binding/ macromolecular crosslinking/hand building agents, in functional finishing of cellulose-containing fabrics. Fabric samples were treated with the nominated dialdehyde polysaccharide (DAPS, 10 g/l) along with the reactant resin (DMDHEU, 50 g/l), Ag- or TiO₂-NPs as active ingredients (20 g/l) and ammonium persulfate catalyst (5 g/l) using the padding method. After functional finishing, the finished fabrics demonstrated a remarkable improvement in their antibacterial efficacy, UV-blocking ability, self-cleaning capacity, and surface roughness functionality without adversely affecting fabrics resiliency. The variation in these functional properties is affected by kind of DAPS, type of added nanoparticles as well as the treated substrate. Additionally, FTIR, SEM, EDS, and durability to wash measurements for selected samples were performed. Moreover, pre-oxidation of DAPS, functionalization reactions/interactions among the nominated reactants and the textile materials were also suggested.     

Graphene Oxide/Polyester Fabric Composite by Electrostatic Self-Assembly as a New Recyclable Adsorbent for the Removal of Methylene Blue

A novel graphene oxide/polyester (GO/PET) composite fabric as a recyclable adsorbent was prepared via electrostatic self-assembly. The structure, morphology, and properties of the GO/PET composite fabrics were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and contact angle (CA), respectively. The absorption property was evaluated by the absorption amount and removal efficiency of methylene blue (MB) solution on the GO/PET composite fabric. The results indicated that the absorption amount was found to be 21.80 mg/g and the removal efficiency reached 99.93 % under the experimental conditions of GO concentration of 2 mg/ml, initial concentration of 50 mg/l, and area of 64 cm². The experimental parameters were investigated including the concentration of GO, the initial concentration of MB solutions, and adsorbent area. Simultaneously, according to a series of dynamic analysis, the absorption process revealed that the kinetics was well-described by pseudo-second-order model. This study showed that the GO/PET composite fabric could be a recyclable, efficient adsorbent material for the environmental cleanup.     

Simultaneous synthesis of nano ZnO and surface modification of polyester fabric

In this study, synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles was carried out along with the hydrolysis of polyester fabric using sodium hydroxide to increase the surface activity and enhance the nanoparticles adsorption. The polyester fabrics were treated with zinc acetate and sodium hydroxide at different bath conditions, ultrasound and stirrer, resulting in formation of ZnO nanospheres and ZnO nanorods. The presence of zinc oxide with different shapes on the surface of the polyester fabrics was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Also, the X-ray diffraction patterns established the composition of wurtzite structure of zinc oxide. The self-cleaning property of treated polyester fabrics was evaluated through discoloring dye stain under sunlight irradiation. The antibacterial activities of the samples against two common pathogenic bacteria including Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were also assessed. The results indicated that the photocatalytic and antibacterial activities of the ultrasound treated polyester fabrics were superior compared to the stirrer treated samples.     

Evaluation of the Electromagnetic Shielding Effectiveness of Carbon-Based Screen Printed Polyester Fabrics

Electromagnetic shielding has a very emerging role in the textile applications. Screen-printing is a well-known, easy and cost effective process for textile printing. In this study, carbon black and graphite particles were used to impart electromagnetic shielding property to polyester fabric by screen printing technique. To this aim, printing pastes containing carbon materials were prepared with different binder concentrations. The electrical resistance, surface morphology, color coordinates and washing fastness properties of screen printed polyester fabrics were investigated. The washing durability of electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of carbon based printed fabrics as a function of binder concentration have also been studied. Electromagnetic shielding effectiveness was evaluated in the frequency ranges between 15-3000 MHz. The results showed that the electromagnetic shielding properties of fabric were affected by increased binder concentration. The most durable electromagnetic shielding effectiveness after washing process was obtained at highest binder concentration. The surface morphologies and color difference values of printed fabrics after washing process also provided a positive contribution.     

Effect of polyester fabric through electroless Ni-P plating

Process for electroless nickel-phosphorous (Ni-P) plating has been investigated as a metallizing treatment technology on polyester fabric. The microstructure and mechanical performance of Ni-P-plated polyester fabric are investigated in this study. Surface modifications of Ni-P-plated polyester fiber were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The changes in weight and thickness of the Ni-P-plated polyester fabric were determined through direct measurements. Systematic investigations, including bending rigidity, tearing strength, tensile strength, elongation at break, air permeability, wettability and absorbency, and anti-static property were conducted on untreated and metallized polyester fabrics. A thorough discussion and quantitative report were made on the specific performance of the Ni-P-plated polyester fabric.     

Copper functionalization of polypropylene fabric surface in order to use in fog collectors

Polypropylene fabrics were coated with copper particles using electroless plating, screen printing and wire arc spray coating techniques. Surface morphology of the fabrics was studied using optical and scanning electron microscopes (SEM). Furthermore, tensile strength, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, air permeability, water contact angle and fog collection efficiency of the coated fabrics were measured and the obtained results were analyzed. SEM micrographs showed that a very thin and uniform layer of copper deposited on the surface of the electroless plated polypropylene fibers. In the printed or spray coated fabrics the copper particles filled the spaces between yarns and fibers. The polypropylene electroless copper plated fabrics showed higher tensile strength, electrical conductivity, air permeability and thermal conductivity when compared with the fabrics coated with copper screen printed and copper spray coated fabrics. Finally, the obtained results showed that copper electroless plating could increase the fog collection efficiency of polypropylene fabrics considerably. As a conclusion, the surface modified copper electroless polypropylene fabrics are good candidates for fog collection in appropriate regions which need further investigations.     

Multifunctional colored polyester fabric treated with dopamine hydrochloride at room temperature: higher tensile,hydrophilicity and anti-bacterial properties along with aminolysis

In this work, dopamine hydrochloride, an environmental friendly compound, was applied on polyester fabric through conventional simple impregnation method in alkaline solution (pH=8.5) at room temperature. In situ spontaneous oxidative polymerization of dopamine form polydopamine (PDA) along with aminolysis of polyester fabric surface. Also, a range of colored polyester fabric were successfully achieved by formation of polydopamine adhesive coating layer at different concentration of dopamine hydrochloride (0.001-4 g/l). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy showed deposition of polydopmaine on the polyester fabric surface. The modified colored polyester fabric showed reasonable durability against washing, rubbing and light. The treated polyester fabric with 2 g/l dopamine hydrochloride as optimum concentration indicated not only lower spreading time for water droplet and electrical resistance with higher tensile strength but also very good bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.     

The study of coloration and antibacterial efficiency of corona activated dyed polyamide and polyester fabrics loaded with Ag nanoparticles

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of dyeing on antibacterial efficiency of corona activated polyamide and polyester fabrics loaded with colloidal Ag nanoparticles as well as the influence of the presence of Ag nanoparticles on the color change of dyed fabrics. C.I. Acid Green 25 and C.I. Disperse Blue 3 were used for dyeing of polyamide fabrics and C.I. disperse violet 8 for polyester fabrics. The color change of polyamide fabrics depends on the dye type, which was generally lower compared to polyester fabrics. Antibacterial efficiency of Ag loaded fabrics was tested against Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli. Corona activated polyester and polyamide fabrics showed excellent antibacterial efficiency independently of order of dyeing and Ag loading. The morphology of fibers loaded with Ag nanoparticles was assessed by SEM and atomic absorption spectroscopy for elemental analysis.     

Photooxidation Properties of Photosensitizer/Direct Dye Patterned Polyester/Cotton Fabrics

Towards the goal of developing anti-infective textiles based on a photodynamic inactivation mechanism, here we present the design, dyeing procedure, characterization, substrate photooxidation studies, and antibacterial efficacy of methylene blue-dyed polyester fabrics, termed MB-polyester. Dye-uptake and apparent K/S (absorption and scattering coefficient) values as a function of MB concentration % (o.w.f) were determined, and were found to correlate. Photooxidation studies employing the model substrate 1,5-dihydroxynaphthalene (1,5-DHN) revealed that the MB-polyester fabrics were able to generate singlet oxygen in an illumination time-dependent manner. Antibacterial efficacy was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC-29213), with our best results achieving a 99.89 % (~3 log units) reduction in Colony-Forming Units (CFU)/mL after only 30 min illumination (Xenon lamp, 3500 mW/cm², 420–780 nm). On the basis of these results with MB-polyester, we subsequently designed patterned dual-dyed polyester/cotton fabrics, wherein an alternating pattern of MBdyed polyester was combined with direct dyes-dyed cotton, and showed that their ability to sensitize singlet oxygen (¹O²) in the photooxidation reaction of 1,5-DHN was maintained. Taken together, these findings suggest that MB is a suitable photosensitizer (PS) against S. aureus for the practical development of low-cost polyester-based antimicrobial textiles, and can potentially be used in the production of diverse form-patterned textiles that possess a photodynamic antimicrobial inactivation mechanism.     

Evaluation of bamboo charcoal/stainless steel/TPU composite woven fabrics

Composite woven fabric satisfies what people require. Bamboo charcoal (BC) has been identified as a multifunctional material that has far-infrared ray, anions, deodorization and etc. BC fibers and yarns were made of bamboo charcoal powders and have further become a pervasive materials used in textile industry. In this study, cotton yarns, stainless steel/cotton (SS/C) complex yarn, bamboo charcoal/cotton (BC/C) complex yarns were woven into the plain, twill and Dobby composite woven fabrics. The warp yarn was composed of cotton yarns, and the weft yarn was made up of BC/C and SS/C complex yarns with a picking ratio of 1:1 and 3:1. Thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) film was then attached to the composite woven fabrics, forming the BC/SS/TPU composite woven fabrics. Tests of electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (EMSE), far-infrared emissivity, anions, water resistance, and water vapor permeability measured the single-layer, two-layer and four-layer composite woven fabrics, obtaining a far-infrared emissivity of 0.95 by 39.8 counts per minute, an anion count of 149 amount/cc, an EMSE of −11.87 dB under frequency of 900 MHz, a surface resistivity of 8×10⁻⁶ Ω/square, a water resistance of −8219 mmH₂O, and water vapor permeability of 989 g/m²·h and 319 g/m²·24 h in accordance with JIS L 1099 A1 and ASTM E96 BW.     

Highly flame retardancy of cotton fabrics with a novel phosphorus/nitrogen/silicon flame-retardant treating system

A novel reactive flame retardant (FR) containing phosphorus, nitrogen, and silicon was synthesized successfully, and its chemical structure was fully characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry (¹H-NMR and ³¹P-NMR). Then it was used to impart flame resistance to cotton fabrics. Vertical flammability and limiting oxygen index test were used to evaluate the flame retardancy of the cotton fabrics treated with FR. When the cotton treated with 150 g/l FR and 50 g/l sodium hypophosphite, the finished cotton can pass the vertical flammability test. Thermogravimetry (TG) was used to evaluate thermal behavior of FR and cotton fabrics. TG results demonstrated that the FR has good thermostability and char-forming ability. After treatment with FR, the thermal stability of the cotton fabrics was clearly improved, indicating that the FR can protect cotton fabric from fire to a certain degree. Furthermore, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was utilized to characterize the chemical structure of FR treated cotton fabrics. Finally, the surface morphology in different regions of the treated cotton was observed using scanning electron microscopy.     

Copper metallization of poly(ethylene terephthalate) fabrics via intermediate polyaniline layers

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) fabrics were metallized through electroless plating of copper. The copper plating was performed on palladium-decorated polyaniline surfaces, and polyaniline was present as an intermediate layer on fabrics to facilitate palladium formation. Different oxidation states of polyaniline were tested in their efficacy in Pd (II) reduction and subsequent Cu plating. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to monitor the surface changes along the metallization procedure, and surface resistance was measure to probe the electrical properties of the metallized fabrics.