Durable multifunctional properties on acrylic fabric using nano TiO2 and polysiloxane

Producing fabric with multifunctional properties has been recently a center of research and utilizing nanoparticles is an efficient approach to gain this purpose. Here, nano TiO₂ photo catalyst and polysiloxane softener were utilized as stabilizer on the acrylic fabric to obtain soft handle, hydrophilic, and self-cleaning features on the fabric. The effect of various concentrations of nano TiO₂ and polysiloxane on the fabric handle, water droplet absorption time, and self-cleaning properties of the fabric has been mathematically modeled based on the response surface methodology (RSM). The optimized treatment conditions indicated that treated acrylic fabric with 2.19 % polysiloxane and 0.68 % nano TiO₂ produced the rigidity of 26.8 g.cm, water absorption time of 15.8 s and self-cleaning of ΔE _T *=18.1. Also increasing the concentration of polysiloxane enhanced both wettability and photoactive properties of nano TiO₂ treated acrylic fabrics. Further, the nano TiO₂/polysiloxane treated acrylic fabrics is significantly enable to absorb the light with wavelength lower than 400 nm and improve discoloration of C.I. Reactive Yellow 1.     

Multifunctional modification of wool fabric using graphene/TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> nanocomposite

In this study, a new finishing technique is introduced through treatment of wool fabric with graphene/TiO₂ nanocomposite. Graphene oxide/titanium dioxide nanocomposite first applied on the wool fabric by hydrolysis of titanium isopropoxide in graphene oxide suspension and then this coating chemically converted by sodium hydrosulfite to graphene/TiO₂ nanocomposite. The homogenous distribution of the graphene/TiO₂ nanocomposite on the fiber surface was confirmed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray mapping. X-ray diffraction patterns proved the presence of titanium dioxide nanoparticles with a crystal size of 127 Å on the treated wool fabric. Also, the defect analysis based on X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) established the composition of the nanocomposite. Other characteristics of treated fabrics such as antibacterial activity, photo-catalytic self-cleaning, electrical resistivity, ultraviolet (UV) blocking activity and cytotoxicity were also assessed. The treated wool fabrics possess significant antibacterial activity and photo-catalytic self-cleaning property by degradation of methylene blue under sunlight irradiation. Moreover, this process has no negative effect on cytotoxicity of the treated fabric even reduces electrical resistivity and improves UV blocking activity.     

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.     

Self-cleaning Properties of Nylon 6 Fabrics Treated with Corona and TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Nanoparticles under Both Ultraviolet and Daylight Irradiations

Nylon 6 fabric with self-cleaning properties was prepared by corona discharge pre-treatment and coating with TiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) using pad-dry-cure technique. The self-cleaning property was studied by discoloration of methylene blue (MB), ketchup, tea and coffee stains from the corona+TiO₂ treated nylon-6 fabric. Color difference (ΔΕ*), reflectance (R) and K/S of MB stain were investigated by diffuse reflectance spectrophotometry. The MB stain was almost completely removed from the corona+TiO₂ treated nylon surface after 24 h under UV light/daylight irradiation. Both of these phenomena (corona and TiO₂) led to an increase in the discoloration of stains under UV and daylight irradiations. The EDS analysis showed an increase in the concentration of deposited TiO₂ NPs coating after corona treatment. The FE-SEM images revealed that the surface of nylon 6 was coarser after the corona treatment. Also, the FE-SEM micrographs exhibited that a uniform layer of TiO₂ NPs was formed on the corona treated nylon fabric. The corona+TiO₂ treated nylon illustrated antibacterial activity against E. coli and B. subtillis microorganisms. The EDS and FE-SEM analysis confirmed that after 5 washing cycles, the amount of TiO₂ NPs was higher on the surface of corona+TiO₂ treated nylon than that of the fabric only treated with TiO₂ without corona pretreatment. This result justifies that the corona+TiO₂ treated nylon fabric with appropriate self-cleaning property can be applied cost-effectively in the textile industry.     

Effect of nano SrTiO3 supporting nano TiO2 on self-cleaning of cotton fabric

This study reports the results of an investigation aiming at finding what affect nano titania (TiO₂) and nano strontium titanate (SrTiO₃) on self-cleaning of cotton fabrics. The photocatalytic activity of nano strontium titanate has been examined on cotton fabric under UV irradiation in various concentrations in mixing of nano titania. The amount of loaded nano titania and nano strontium titanate particles on cotton fabrics were investigated using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) and crystallinity of coatings by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD). The treated cotton fabrics, which were stained with two common synthesized dyes, were exposed to 400 W UV radiation for 30 hours and their self-cleaning property was investigated by a reflectance spectrophotometer. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images show pervasion of nano materials on the surface of the treated cotton. Adding nano strontium titanate to nano titania showed the most promising photocatalytic activity toward dye degradation.     

Photoinduced reaction of lyocell with water-soluble photoinitiator and multifunctional acrylate

The photo-induced reactivity of lyocell fabrics containing two water-soluble photoinitiators and multifunctional acrylate was characterized by the UV absorption and photoluminescence properties. The relative quantum yields of the fluorescence and phosphorescence were analyzed at three exciting wavelengths and the proportional constants were compared. The fabrics containing [2-(acryloyloxy)ethyl](4-benzoylbenzyl)dimethylammonium bromide (PIA) and 1,3,5-triacryloylhexahydro-s-triazine (TAF) exhibited smaller relative quantum yields than the fabrics containing [3-(3,4-dimethyl-9-oxo-9h-thioxanthene-2-yloxy)-2-hydroxypropyl]trimethylammonium chloride (PIB) and TAF. The modified cellulose fabrics with tertiary amine also had smaller relative quantum yields than regular fabrics. We found that the cellulose/PIA/TAF system was a more photoactive process than the cellulose/PIB/TAF system and that the AM/PI/TAF system was more active than the regular/PI/TAF system. Furthermore, a TAF molecule was proved to have photo-reactivity with cellulose by a comparison between the proportional constants in the fluorescence quantum yields of PI/TAF solutions and cellulose/PI/TAF fabrics. These fabrics were irradiated by a high-power UV system with an electrodeless lamp. FTIR-ATR spectra showed that TAF molecules were successfully introduced to the surfaces of the irradiated fabrics. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the thermal stability increased and the degree of thermal depolymerization decreased with the addition of PI and TAF; therefore, it was inferred that TAF molecules were cross-linked between adjacent cellulose chains to some degree. These results agreed well with the ESCA data; the N_1s/C_1s ratios increased and O_1s/C_1s ratios decreased with the TAF addition. The water retention value (WRV) decreased because of the drop in swellability of the cross-linked fabric and the moisture regain value (MRV) decreased because the total water absorption sites diminished. In particular, the irradiated cellulose/PIA/TAF fabrics exhibited more distinct effects than the irradiated cellulose/PIB/TAF fabrics and the AM/PI/TAF fabrics were more photoactive in this UV-irradiation system than regular/PI/TAF fabrics.     

Multifunctional,Hydrophobic and Flame-retarded Cotton Fabrics Modified with Liner Piperzine/Phosphorous/Polysiloxane Copolymer

α,ω-di[(4-butoxy-piperazin-1-yl)-phosphinic acid methyl ether]-terminated linear polysiloxane (PNPDMS) was synthesized and utilized as the flame retardant and hydrophobing agent. The flame retardance and thermal decomposition behaviors of cotton fabrics were systematically estimated by limiting oxygen index (LOI), thermogravimetric analysis and vertical burning test, respectively. It was found that the LOI of cotton fabric treated with PNPDMS enhanced to 29.82 % compared with cotton fabric without treatment, whose LOI was only 18.00 %. The treated cotton fabric showed a shorter char length, a shorter After-flame time, and no After-glow time as revealed in vertical burning test. The mechanical property in treated cotton fabric was slightly decrease. Furthermore, the grade of water repellency of treated cotton fabric reached to 90 and water contact angle (WCA) increased to 141.90° compared with cotton fabric without treatment whose WCA was 62.80°. The result showed that the cotton fabric treated with PNPDMS exhibited excellent flame retardance and hydrophobic properties.     

Improving Application Performance of <Emphasis Type="Italic">in situ</Emphasis> Polymerization and Crosslinking System of Maleic Acid/Itaconic Acid for Cotton Fabric

Maleic acid (MA) and itaconic acid (IA) used as crosslinking agents for cotton fabrics are more cost-effective than the most efficient nonformaldehyde crosslinker 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA), but poor stability of finishing bath and fabric yellowing are the main disadvantage of MA/IA in situ polymerization and crosslinking system. In this research, the application performance improvement of MA/IA crosslinking system for cotton fabrics was studied. Replacement of the widely used sodium hypophosphite (SHP) with potassium hypophosphite (PHP) as catalyst allowed for obtaining a stable finishing bath under ambient temperature and led to improved final durable press (DP) performance of the treated fabrics. The influences of PHP concentration, curing temperature, and curing time on the performance of finished fabrics were investigated. Cotton fabrics treated by MA/IA/PHP crosslinking system exhibited comparable DP performance and laundering durability to that finished with BTCA. To address the fabric yellowing problem, the residual MA and IA attached on the treated fabrics by single-ended ester linkage was determined by HPLC. The data indicated that the degree of fabric yellowing was linearly related to the unpolymerized carboxylic acid MA and IA concentration on the treated fabrics. Several approaches were explored to improve the whiteness of MA/IA/PHP crosslinked fabrics. It was found that steam drying with 30-50 % humidity could effectively improve fabric whiteness. The findings of this study have significant implications for better application of unsaturated polycarboxylic acids in crosslinking of cellulose.     

A study on mechanical,thermal and environmental degradation characteristics of N,N-dimethylaniline treated jute fabric-reinforced polypropylene composites

The mechanical and thermal behavior of compression molded jute/polypropylene (PP) composites were studied by evaluating tensile strength (TS), bending strength (BS), tensile modulus (TM), bending modulus (BM), impact strength (IS), thermogravimetric (TG/DTG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). A chemical modification was made to jute fabrics using N,N-Dimethylaniline (DMA) in order to improve the interfacial adhesion between the fabrics and matrix. It was found that jute fabrics on treatment with N,N-Dimethylaniline (DMA) significantly improved the mechanical properties of the composites. Thermal analytical data of PP, both treated and untreated jute fabrics as well as composites revealed that DMA treatment increased the thermal stability of the fabrics and composite. DMA treatment also reduced the hydrophilic nature of the composite. DMA treated jute composite was found less degradable than control composite under water, soil and simulated weathering conditions.     

Encapsulation of phase change materials by complex coacervation to improve thermal performances and flame retardant properties of the cotton fabrics

This paper reports a study on the thermal stability and flame-retardant properties of microencapsulated phase change materials (PCMs) with clay nano-particles (Clay-NPs) doped gelatin/sodium alginate shell. The novel microcapsules were fabricated by the technique of complex coacervation using gelatin and sodium alginate as the shell and PCM n-eicosane as the core. Their flame retardant property as well as their practicable thermal performances when incorporated into woven cotton fabrics by pad-dry-cure were investigated. Thermal storage/release properties of the prepared microcapsules were analyzed using DSC instrument. Thermal gravimetry (TG) analysis was performed to measure the thermal stability and surface morphology of the microcapsules was observed by means of optical microscopy and SEM. The DSC results indicated that the latent heat storage capacity of prepared microcapsules changed in range of 97-114 J/g. The microcapsules had spherical shape with particle sizes between 1.37 μm and 1.6 μm. The PCM microcapsules (PCMMs) and nano-composite PCM microcapsules (NCPCMMs) with clay-NPs doped gelatin/sodium alginate shell were found to have good potential for developing thermal comfort in textiles. Comparing with conventional PCMMs, NCPCMMs have significantly better thermal stability. Nano-composite structure of the NCPCMMs, in which clay-NPs doped in the polymeric shell structure, attributed to increase the shell thermal stability. Improved flame retardant properties of the cotton fabrics treated with NCPCMs were declared as a result of flame retardant tests. Thermo-regulating properties of the fabrics were proved by thermal history (THistory) measurement results from releasing heat from microcapsules.     

Novel one bath application of oil and water repellent finish with environment friendly cross-linker for cotton

The performance of the fluorocarbon based acrylate polymer, Genguard, was evaluated on cotton fabric. Genguard treated fabric exhibited good oil and water repellency rating before washing. However, rating was lost immediately after washing. In order to enhance the washing durability of the Genguard finish, citric acid was incorporated into the recipe as a formaldehyde free cross-linker. The combination of citric acid with fluorocarbon exhibited good improvement in the durability of the oil and water repellency rating after multiple washings. In addition, fabric treated with this novel combination demonstrated excellent increase in the easy care performance. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to examine the surface of the fabric treated with Genguard and citric acid as a cross-linker.     

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.     

Synthesis,film morphology and performance of novel crosslinked polysiloxane with end-capped epoxy groups on cotton substrates

An epoxy group-terminated polyvinylmethylsiloxane (EPVMS) was firstly prepared via the cohydrolysis/condensation reaction of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D₄), 2,4,6,8-Tetramethyl-2,4,6,8-tetravinylcyclotetrasiloxane (D₄V), and epoxy group-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (ETP) under a base catalyst. Then, the EPVMS was reacted with polymethylhydrosiloxane oligomer (PHMS) by hydrosilylation to develop novel crosslinked polysiloxane with end-capped epoxy groups (CLPS). The chemical structure and the thermal property of the as-prepared products were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectra (¹H/¹³C NMR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Finally, the CLPS was applied as the finishing agent to treat the cotton fabrics. The film morphology and the surface properties were examined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), contact angle measurements, and other instruments. FT-IR and NMR results confirmed the structure of the resultants. The crosslinked polysiloxane CLPS showed better thermal stability than the uncrosslinked polysiloxane EPVMS. The CLPS film on cotton fabric surface seemed to be smooth compared to the control by SEM. However, owing to the crosslinked structure, the CLPS film on silicon-wafer was inhomogeneous and had a few weak or strong peaks. At 5 nm data scale and in 2×2 μm² scanning field, the root mean square roughness of CLPS film reached to 0.414 nm. XPS analysis further demonstrates that there was a CLPS film covered on the cotton surface. Hydrophobicity of the CLPS treated fabric was superior to that of the EPVMS treated one. Whiteness of the treated fabrics by CLPS and EPVMS did not change at all compared to the control. The softness of the two treated fabrics was both better than that of control and particularly the softness of the EPVMS treated fabrics was preferable. The CLPS treated fabric possessed good washing durability.     

Antimicrobial treatment properties of Tencel Jacquard fabrics treated with ginkgo biloba extract and silicon softener

Tencel Jacquard fabric is one of the eco-fabrics used for underwear, sportswear, bedclothes, clothes for aged people, and hospital textiles. It is popular for these uses because it is easy to process into yarns and fabrics alone or in blends, very stable in washing and drying, thermally stable, and easy to dye with deep vibrant colors using direct, reactive, or vat dyes. In order to provide antimicrobial properties for Tencel Jacquard fabrics, they were treated with ginkgo biloba extract and silicon softener using two different processes so the results could be compared. One of the processes treated the fabrics with ginkgo biloba extract and silicon softener simultaneously, and the other process treated the fabrics with these agents sequentially. The treated Tencel Jacquard fabrics were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, and their antimicrobial properties were evaluated. In addition, water repellency, air permeability, water vapor permeability, and yellowness were measured. It was observed that the ginkgo biloba extract and silicon softener were present on the surface of the treated fibers, and the quantity of these agents before and after laundering was proportional to the measured antimicrobial activity of the fabrics before and after laundering. Fabrics treated with both agents had stronger water/oil repellency than fabrics treated with only ginkgo biloba extract. As the quantities of the two treating agents on fabrics were increased, their air permeability and water vapor permeability decreased. No significant changes were observed for yellowness based on the amounts of treating agents applied. From these results, it is expected that Tencel fabrics treated with ginkgo biloba extract and silicon softener are excellent for use as bedclothes.     

Evaluation of comfort properties of polyester knitted spacer fabrics finished with water repellent and antimicrobial agents

In order to impart barrier properties against water and microorganisms on breathable three dimensional spacer fabrics as medical or technical textiles, fabric samples were treated with two water repellent agents and a quaternary ammonium salt namely cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), using pad-dry-cure method. Two different water repellent agents based on hydrocarbon and acrylic copolymer were used. The water repellent property of samples was tested by Bundesmann and contact angle tests. Antimicrobial activity of samples was analyzed quantitatively according to AATCC 100. Simultaneous finishing of samples was done with 3 % CTAB and 4 % fluoroalkyl acrylic copolymer. To study the effect of various treatments on comfort related properties, air and water vapor permeability, water repellency and compression were measured. The results showed that the antimicrobial and water repellent spacer fabrics can be achieved applying selected material without significant changes on their comfort properties. Also a regression model was presented to predict the water vapour permeability of knitted spacer fabrics based on course density (CPC) changing.     

Self-cleaning and handle properties of TiO2-modified textiles

Self-cleaning surfaces based on photocatalysis are an extremely promising nano-technological field of extensive research and development. Recently comprehensive research work has been performed to evaluate the optical, photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties of TiO₂ nano-particles and composites thereof. The aim of this study was to obtain self-cleaning properties for regenerate cellulose surfaces by nano-modification, using TiO₂ nano-coating and to define the impact of the modification on fabrics end-use properties. Two different modified fabrics with self-cleaning effect were prepared and analysed, i.e. the modification efficiency was determined. In addition, the influence of fibre modification on several textile properties was determined. However, a soft handle, good appearance and some other surface properties accompanied by appropriate mechanical properties represent the basis for a high quality fabric therefore the influence of the modification procedure on textiles handle was studied.     

Structure and performance of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bombyx mori</Emphasis> silk modified with nano-TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> and chitosan

Bombyx mori (B. mori) silk was modified with the nano-TiO₂ and chitosan dispersion system by the crosslinking reactions of citric acid (CA) and maleic anhydride (MA). The average size of the nano-TiO₂ particles in the aqueous dispersion system was 36.7 nm. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs showed that the nano-TiO₂ particles were spherical and homogeneously dispersed in the dispersion system, and the surface ofB. mori silk fiber treated with the nano-TiO₂ and chitosan dispersion system was rougher than that of the untreated one. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) Spectrometry indicated that the crystallinity of theB. mori silk fiber increased after treatment. It was also found that the nano-TiO₂ and chitosan contributed to significantly enhance the mechanical properties including breaking strength, breaking elongation, initial modulus, rupture work, and elastic recovery property of theB. mori silk fiber. The wrinkle-resistant performance of the treatedB. mori silk fabrics was also greatly improved.     

Water repellent cotton fabrics prepared by PTFE RF sputtering

A poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) sputtering technique was employed to introduce water repellency onto the surfaces of commercial cotton fabrics. Sputtering power, time, and argon pressure were varied as processing parameters, when PTFE coatings were applied on the fabrics. Total 27 different samples were prepared to compare their water repellent properties, which were investigated by contact angle measurements. Morphology of the PTFE coatings were probed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Also, the extent of the coating was examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Maximum hydrophobicity was obtained when PTFE coating was extensive enough to cover cotton fabrics almost completely, and the extensive coating was the roughest among the samples prepared in this study.     

Study the effect of operating parameters and intrinsic features of yarn and fabric on thermal conductivity of stretch knitted fabrics using artificial intelligence system

An artificial intelligence-based system approach is presented in which the effects of the operating parameters and intrinsic features of yarn and fabric on Thermal Conductivity of Stretch Knitted Fabrics are investigated. These parameters were pre-selected according to their possible influence on the outputs which were the thermal conductivity. An original fuzzy logic based method was proposed to select the most relevant parameters. The results show that Knitted Structure’s is the most important input parameter, followed by Lycra Proportion (%), Loop length (cm), Yarn Count, Weight per Unit Area (g/m²), Thickness (m), Gauge, Lycra Yarn Count (dtex) and Yarn Composition. According to our previous works, two types of model have been set up by utilizing multilayer feed forward neural networks, which take into account the generality and the specificity of the product families respectively. The relative importance of the input variables was calculated using the connection weight approach. The results were found to agree with the fuzzy logic based sensitivity criterion. The trend analysis of the developed model revealed the influence of various input parameters on the thermal conductivity of knitted fabrics. Thus, it is believed that artificial intelligence System could efficiently be applied to the knit industry to understand, evaluate and predict thermal comfort parameters of stretch knitted fabrics.     

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.