Application of MCT-βCD to Modify Cellulose/Wool Blended Fabrics for Upgrading Their Reactive Printability and Antibacterial Functionality

Pre-loading of monochlorotriazinyl β-Cyclodextrin (MCT-βCD) onto/within viscose/wool (V/W) and cotton/wool (C/W) blended fabrics provide hosting cavities that can form host-guest inclusion complexes with reactive dyes in postprinting as well as with triclosan derivative or silver nanoparticles/hyperbranched polyamide-amine (AgNPs/HBPAA) composite in subsequent final antibacterial finishing step. Coloration properties, antibacterial activity against (S. aureus) and (E. coli) pathogenic bacteria, durability of the obtained products, according to the above mentioned route, to wash, surface morphology and composition of selected samples were investigated. Results obtained signify that premodification of the nominated substrates with MCT-βCD (10 g/l), followed by reactive printing with mono-or bifunctional reactive dye (20 g/l), and subsequent post-finishing with triclosan derivative or AgNPs/HBPAA composite (15 g/l each) is an efficient treatments sequence for attaining reactive prints with significant antibacterial efficacy and noticeable durability to wash. Surface depositions of selected active ingredients were also confirmed using SEM and EDX analysis.     

Effects of low temperature plasma on wool and wool/nylon blend dyed fabrics

Knitted wool and wool/nylon blend dyed fabrics were treated with low temperature plasma (LTP) to achieve optimum shrink-resistance without impairing surface topography, colour or fastness to washing of the fabrics. As LTP tends to impair handle of the fabrics, both wool and wool/nylon blend fabrics were submitted to industrial softening and/or biopolymer treatments after LTP treatment, leading to hydrophilic wool and wool/nylon blend fabrics with improved shrink-resistance without any colour changes and good fastness to washing. The results obtained were compared with those obtained by an industrial shrink-resist treatment.     

New thiol-disulfide exchangers as anti-setting agents for wool fabric during dyeing

Setting of wool fabrics during dyeing is an acute industrial dilemma facing most of wool dyers. Therefore, wool fabrics were dyed with acid, basic, as well as mono- and bi-functional reactive dyes in the presence of selected aliphatic and aromatic anti-setting agents; namely 3,3-dithiodipropionic acid (DTDPA), dithiodiglycolic acid (DTDGA), 5,5-dithio-bis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTBNBA), dithiodibutyric acid (DTDBA), 2,2-dithiodisalicylic acid (DTDSA), and 6,6-dithiodinicotinic acid (DTDNA). The effect of incorporating the said thiol/disulfide-exchangers into the dyeing bath of wool on its dimensional stability was assessed. The influence of the proposed anti-setting agents on the dyeability of wool with the said reactive dyes was monitored. The alteration in the chemical composition of the dyed fabrics was monitored by determining their sulfur and nitrogen contents, cysteine content, and the solubility degree in alkaline solution. The used reagents were found to be effective in stabilization of wool during dyeing with reactive dyes to different extents depending on the nature of the used anti-setting agent. Limited change in the chemical composition of the dyed samples was monitored without affecting their dyeability with the said dyes. The mechanism of interaction of these reagents with wool fabrics during dyeing was proposed.     

Dimensional and physical properties of plain knitted fabrics made from 50/50 bamboo/cotton blended yarns

In this study, the dimensional and some physical properties of plain knitted fabrics made from 50/50 bamboo/cotton blended yarns are investigated. In order to see the differences and similarities, the results are then compared with those for similar fabrics knitted from 50/50 conventional viscose/cotton and 50/50 modal/cotton blended yarns. Each fabric type was produced with three different stitch lengths. After all fabrics were dyed under identical dyeing conditions, they were subjected to dry and full relaxation treatments. For dimensional properties of fabrics, course, wale and stitch densities were measured. Then, by calculating statistically best-fit lines passing both through the experimental points and the origin, dimensional constants i.e. k values were predicted in terms of the fiber types. The result show that each fabric type knitted from bamboo/cotton, viscose/cotton and modal/cotton blended yarns behaves in a similar manner. However, in both dry and fully relaxed states, the modal/cotton knitted fabrics tend to have slightly higher k values than the bamboo/cotton and viscose/cotton knitted fabrics. For physical properties, fabric weight per unit area, thickness, bursting strength, air permeability and pilling were evaluated. The results show that the weight, thickness and air permeability values are independent of the fiber type. Plain knitted fabrics from modal/cotton blended yarns have the highest bursting strength values. Plain knitted fabrics from bamboo/cotton blended yarns tend to pill less.     

Dimensional,physical and thermal properties of plain knitted fabrics made from 50/50 blend of modal viscose fiber in microfiber form with cotton fiber

In this study, the dimensional, physical and thermal comfort properties of the plain knitted fabrics made from 50/50 blend of modal viscose fiber in microfiber form with cotton fiber are compared with those of the similar fabrics made from 50/50 blend of conventional modal viscose fiber with cotton fiber and made from 100 % cotton fiber. All the fabric types are produced in three different stitch lengths. The slight differences among the fabric types are observed in terms of the stitch density results and the dimensional constants calculated in the fully relaxed state. In the fully relaxed state, the dimensional K values of the modal microfiber blended knitted fabrics are found to be more closely resemble those of the cotton fabrics rather than those of the conventional modal fiber blended fabrics. The lowest fabric thickness and bursting strength results are obtained for the modal microfiber blended fabrics. The modal microfiber blended fabrics reveal lower air permeability than the conventional modal fiber blended fabrics and higher air permeability than the cotton fabrics. It is also observed from the thermal comfort results that the modal microfiber blended fabrics have the lowest thermal resistance and the highest thermal absoptivity values. The thermal conductivity results of the modal microfiber blended fabrics are lower than those of the cotton fabrics and higher than those of the conventional modal fiber blended fabrics. Because of the highest thermal absorptivity values, the modal microfiber blended fabrics provide the coolest feeling when compared with the other two fabric types.     

The effect of ultrasonication on the micro-splitting of wool fiber

In this study, normal and dichlorodicyanuric acid (DCCA)-treated wool slivers were ultrasonicated in formic acid aqueous solutions. The effect of the ultrasonication condition on the wool fiber splitting was examined and the mechanism of the splitting by ultrasonication in formic acid was elucidated. No wool fiber splitting occurred at formic acid content up to 70 %, but the fiber splitting accelerated as the formic acid content increased from 75 %. Although no fiber splitting occurred up to 450W ultrasonic power, the degree of splitting increased significantly with increasing ultrasonic power above 450W. The wool fiber splitting by ultrasonication was heterogeneous and FE-SEM observations revealed a three-step splitting process: 1) full removal of scale, 2) removal of cell membrane complex (CMC), and 3) fiber splitting. A comparison of the fiber splitting of normal and DCCA-treated wool revealed that the scale of the ultrasonication-treated wool was removed by peeling off rather than by dissolution.     

LED-UV grafting of vinylsulfone dyes onto photo-oxidized wool fabrics

Photografting coloration of wool was carried out under UV-LED irradiation at room temperature using aqueous vinylsulfone dye solution containing vinylsulfonic acid as a comonomer. UV-LED irradiation of the 395 nm emission is more energy efficient, less damaging to the dyes, and much safer to human eyes compared with polychromatic mercury UV lamps. However, in case of the UV-LED lamps, the wool needs to be photo-oxidized either by UV/ozone or polychromatic UV irradiation before the dye photografting. The surface treatments increased the sulfur and oxygen contents in the modified wool surfaces. While the optimally photografted wool fabrics under the UV-LED lamp yielded a K/S value of 9.9, the K/S of the grafted wool increased to 25.2 and 13.6 after the UV/Ozone or polychromatic UV preoxidation at UV energies of 10.6 J/cm² and 25 J/cm² respectively. The color fastness properties of the photografted fabrics were far better than with those of the conventionally reactive-dyed fabrics, implying that the high-molecular-weight photografted dyes seemed to be more durable than the low-molecular dyes.     

Dyeing of synthetic fabrics in water using azoic dyes based on boronic acid derivatives

Development of water-soluble dyes for the dyeing of different textile fabrics is essential for the textile industry due to ecological and economical reasons. In this study, a series of new azoic dyes were prepared by diazotization reaction between the phenyl boronic acid and different aniline derivatives, and their dyeing capacity in aqueous solution was evaluated. The synthesized boronic azo dyes present good water solubility and can dye polyamide (nylon), wool, silk, and cellulose acetate fabrics. The effect of factors such as concentration of dye, dyeing temperature, and pH on the level of color strength (K/S) was studied. The dyeing results showed that higher color strength K/S (about 16) and fastness properties (about 4/5) with boronic acid dyes were achieved at higher temperatures avoiding the use of surface agents, mordants, and other polluting chemical additives.     

Meta-mordant Dyeing with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Camellia sinensis</Emphasis> (L.) O. Ktze var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">waldensae</Emphasis> (S.Y.Hu) Chang (Yellow-bud Tea) Extract for Wool Fabrics Treated by UV Radiation

The wool fabrics were treated by ultraviolet (UV) radiation and then dyed with Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Ktze var. waldensae (S.Y.Hu) Chang (yellow-bud tea) extract using meta-mordant dyeing method. The results indicated that the hydrophilicity of wool fabrics was improved after UV radiation treatment, which was conducive in improving color performance for the meta-mordant dyeing with yellow-bud tea extract of wool fabrics. The optimal dyeing process was that the powdered extract (5.0 % o.w.f) and the CuSO₄ (2.0 % o.w.f) were added to the dyeing liquor, the pH value was adjusted to 3.5-4.0 by HCOOH, the wool fabrics treated by UV radiation for 10 min and then were dyed at a bath ratio of 1:50 under 95 °C for 70 min. By means of three-factor quadratic current rotation revolving design (TQCRRD) method, the computation results of the mathematical equations and models indicated that UV radiation was the most important factor for meta-CuSO₄ dyeing with yellow-bud tea extract for wool fabrics.     

Effect of wool surface modification on fluorocarbon chain re-orientation

There is an increasing demand for air-dry performance of fluorocarbon finished materials. Thus, surface modifications of wool fabrics were evaluated. Untreated, gaseous fluorinated, Chlorine/Hercosett processed 100 % wool fabrics were treated with different fluorochemicals and their liquid repellency after washing, and dry cleaning were evaluated. The results indicated that Chlorine-Hercosett treated samples, wool with a positive charge, after few washing cycles, showed better air dry performance with higher level of repellent properties. In addition, the comparison of the wool surface modifications treatment with different applied fluorochemicals, with different commercial formulations, illustrated that the fluorocarbon chain re-orientation and fastness properties are more affected by the nature of the wool surface while the used fluorocarbons showed more or less similar behaviours. In general, the fluorination increases fabric stiffness with lower fabric formability. The surface interface was effectively probed by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, XPS, which enabled the characterisation of the loss of surface lipids, the nature of the fibre oxidation and the deposition of fluoropolymers.     

Functional Antibacterial Finishing of Woolen Fabrics Using Ultrasound Technology

The growing concern for the personal health and hygiene has created the necessity of acquiring wool fabric antibacterial activity. Silicon dioxide nanoparticles (SiO₂ NPs) have appropriate features to enhance the functional properties of wool fabrics, especially with polymer application. In this study efficient coating using polyethylene glycol (PEG₂₀₀₀) and SiO₂ NPs were used for imparting antibacterial properties to treated fabrics. All the treatments were carried out using both conventional and ultrasound techniques. The physical and chemical properties were evaluated using FTIR, XRD, and SEM. The result indicated that treated wool fabrics by PEG/SiO₂ NPs improved the dyeability and antibacterial of the fabrics and also enhanced its mechanical properties. Furthermore, it is believed that the ultrasound radiation causes homogeneous distribution of cross-links and polymerization throughout the wool surface. This offers considerable advantages compared to conventional treatment.     

A comparative evaluation of the action of savinase and papain to the cutinase-pretreated wool

The enzymatic anti-felting of wool with proteases is a promising eco-friendly alternative to the chlorine-Hercosett process. However, protease molecules could penetrate into the interior of fibers during wool processing, easily causing unacceptable damages. In this paper, the action and mechanism of two protease treatments, i.e. Savinase and papain treatments on the properties of cutinase-pretreated wool fabrics were investigated and compared. The results showed that the anti-felting processing based on cutinase and papain treatments seemed more effective. When the percentages of weight loss for the combined treated fabrics were similar, the improvement of wettability and shrink-resistance for the cutinase-papain treated sample was more remarkable, the strength loss was also lower than that of the sample treated with cutinase and Savinase consecutively. The mechanisms of the two different combined treatments were further evaluated by Allwöden’s reaction and amino acid analysis. The comprehensive comparison proved that the hydrolytic activity of papain towards the scale exocuticle of wool was a bit higher than that of Savinase and less degradation of the interior of fibers occurred during the cutinasepapain treatment.     

UV-grafting coloration of cotton and wool fabrics using bismethacrylated quinizarin dye

A novel bifunctional quinizarin dye possessing two photoactive methacrylate groups was synthesized by the reaction of quinizarin with methacryloyl chloride. The synthesized dye, a low substantive dye under the conventional dyeing process, can be photografted onto cotton and wool fabrics at room temperature without neutral salts, which makes it a novel coloration process of excellent environmental friendliness. The concurrent polymerization and grafting of the synthesized dye onto cotton or wool can be assisted by a photoinitiator and acrylic acid in the case of cotton grafting. Moreover, color yields of the grafted fabrics improved significantly with the photografting of the bifunctional dye. The bifunctional dye can be photopolymerized with the increase in UV energy to 25 J/cm² and the oligomeric dye has a degree of polymerization of 5 or more. Furthermore, the color fastness properties of the grafted fabrics were superior to those of the dyed fabrics via exhaustion.     

Effects of bending properties and drapability on the hand and appearance of wool-blended Fabrics: Comparison of real clothing with online and 3D virtual garments

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of bending properties and drapability on the hand and appearance of wool-blended fabrics for comparison of real clothing with online and 3D virtual garments. Objective evaluations were performed by measuring mechanical properties of fabrics, while subjective evaluations were performed by subjects evaluating sensory images of fabrics; real clothing evaluations were performed offline and online, and 3D virtual garments were evaluated. Bending properties and drape coefficients of fabrics were affected by wool blending ratio, and fabrics with high wool blending ratio showed low stiffness, warm-cool, weight, and high smoothness, drapability image. In the real clothing evaluation, stiffness image showed many differences with online evaluation with respect to wool blending ratio. Objective bending properties and drape coefficients showed no correlation with subjective sensory images offline. For the online results, objective mechanical properties had good correlations with all sensory images except smoothness. Stiffness and warm-cool online scores were higher than the offline ones and the offline drapability was higher than the online one for 100 % wool fabrics. Thus, clothing was generally evaluated online as more hard and moist than real clothing. For the virtual garment evaluation, sensory images had no difference according to wool blending ratio compared with real clothing. Many differences in subjective sensory images between real clothing and virtual garments were observed, except for smoothness and weight images. The results showed that it is difficult to exactly predict the hand and appearance of clothing according to fabric properties using 3D virtual garment system.     

Dyeing properties of wool fabrics dyed with Vitis Vinifera L. (black grenache) leaves extract

In this work, water-extraction of Vitis Vinifera L. (Black Grenache) leaves and analysis of aqueous extracts for anthocyanins were investigated. Vegetable leaves were cultivated in North of Tunisia at different dates. Anthocyanins were identified as main constituents in these natural dyeing materials using high performance liquid chromatography (HPCL). Dyeability of wool and its fastness properties using Vitis Vinifera L. leaves extract were also determined. Aqueous extract of Vitis Vinifera L. leaves has markedly yielded shades with good fastness properties. Thus, affordability is a point favorable for Vitis Vinifera L. leaves. Effects of dye bath pH and temperature on dyeability and fastness proprieties of wool fabrics by aqueous extract of Vitis Vinifera L. leaves were evaluated. Experimental results showed that fastness properties of dyed fabrics ranged from average to very good. Vitis Vinifera L. leaves extracts showed potential to dyeing wool fibers under highly acidic conditions (pH ≤2). The results obtained here revealed that natural dyes extracted from Vitis Vinifera L. leaves can be cost-effective for dyeing wool fabrics.     

A comparative study on wool bio-antifelting based on different chemical pretreatments

The enzymatic antifelting of wool with proteases, which is referred to as bio-antifelting, has become a promising eco-friendly alternative to conventional chlorination treatment. However, wool bio-antifelting in industrial scale has not been reached so far due to its unsatisfactory shrink-resistance and uncontrolled action in fiber damage. In this paper, the action and mechanism of two kinds of chemical pretreatments, i.e., hydrogen peroxide and dichlorodicyanuric acid pretreatments on the shrink-resistance of protease-treated wool fabrics were investigated and compared. The results show that although hydrogen peroxide treatment could decrease the shrinkage of wool in comparison with untreated one, its contribution to the enhancement of wool bio-antifelting with protease was not remarkable. An effective shrink-resistance can be obtained when the wool fabric was treated with dichlorodicyanuric acid and protease consecutively. Both of the two chemical pretreatments could improve the wettability and whiteness of protease-treated wool. The mechanism of different pretreatments for enhancing wool bio-antifelting with protease was further illustrated and compared via several microscopic analyses such as Allwörden’s reaction, FTIR-ATR and SEM. The comprehensive comparison for wool bio-antifelting based on different chemical pretreatments reveals the difference of hydrogen peroxide and dichlorodicyanuric acid pretreatments in antifelting mechanism, which is valuable for getting a clear understanding and further modification of wool bio-antifelting.     

The comparison of the effect of enzyme, peroxide, plasma and chitosan processes on wool fabrics and evaluation for antimicrobial activity

Pretreated (enzymatic and enzymatic+hydrogen peroxide) knitted wool fabrics were treated with atmospheric argon and air plasma to improve their adsorption capacity. After plasma treatments chitosan solution was applied to have antimicrobial effect on wool fabrics. The treated fabrics were evaluated in terms of washing stability as well as antimicrobial activity. The surface morphology was characterised by SEM images and FTIR analysis. From the results it was observed that atmospheric plasma treatment had an etching effect and increased the functionality of a wool surface. Atmospheric plasma treatment also enhanced the adhesion of chitosan to the surface and improved the antimicrobial activity of the wool sample. Argon was found to be more effective than air, since argon radicals played an important role in killing and removing bacteria. No significant difference in washing durability was observed in terms of plasma treatments. The samples of combined pretreatment processes had good washing durability even after 10 washing cycle. From the SEM images it was observed that combination of plasma and the other pre-treatment processes gave less damage than only one process.     

Studies on a novel polyacrylonitrile copolymer/cellulose acetate blending water absorbency fiber

Polyacrylonitrile copolymer (CPAN) was obtained by water-deposit polymerization, using acrylonitrile (AN), vinyl acetate (VAc), potential crosslinking moiety (hydropropyl acrylate, HQ) as monomer, NaClO₃ as initiator. CPAN was blended with cellulose acetate (CA) to prepare CPAN/CA blending fiber via wet spinning. The fiber was post-crosslinked and hydrolyzed to get water absorbency fiber. The structures and properties of the fibers were studied and the results showed that potential crosslinking moiety was necessary in making CPAN/CA blending water absorbency fiber. The saponification reaction was accelerated after blended with CA and the interfacial microvoids enhanced the water absorbency ability.     

Improving certain properties of wool fibers by applying chitosan nanoparticles and atmospheric plasma treatment

The nanochitosan particles were prepared by ionic gelation method using sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) as anionic chemical agent. Structural and morphological properties of the nanoparticles were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses. The results showed that nanoparticles were spherical with a diameter range of 17-105 nm. After nanochitosan synthesis, the effects of chitosan and nanochitosan concentrations on the dyeability, fastness properties, shrink-proofing, tensile strengths, and surface friction coefficients of untreated and plasma treated wool fabrics were investigated. The studies revealed that nanochitosan treated wool fabric possesses better dyeing and shrink-proofing properties in comparison with conventional chitosan treated fabrics.     

Functional modification of wool fabric by thiol-epoxy click chemistry

The paper reports modification and characterization of wool fabrics achieved through thiol-epoxy click chemistry. A pretreatment with tris (2-carboxyethyl) phosphine (TCEP) as an effective reducing agent was carried out to produce thiol groups on wool surface. Glycidyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (GTAC) was later covalently bonded with wool fibers via thiol-epoxy reaction. The reaction was confirmed by SEM, FTIR, Raman and TG analysis. Antibacterial activity, antistatic property, hydrophilicity and dyeability of treated wool fabric were assessed. The results demonstrated that TCEP-GTAC treatment can endow wool fabric good antibacterial and antistatic properties as well as improved hydrophilicity. Tensile strength studies indicated fiber strength loss of ~12 % on modification.