Newly synthesized by SiO2 surface treated TiO2 nanoparticles (TiO2–SiO2) were prepared, characterized and utilized in functional dyeing as combined reactive dyeing of cotton fabrics. Factors affecting the dyeing and functional properties of the treated fabric, concentration of TiO2–SiO2 and of reactive dye as well as dyeing regime were studied. The chemical and morphological structures of nano-upgraded cotton fabrics were characterized by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. UV-blocking ability, coloration and comfortable behaviour of cotton have been evaluated through ultraviolet protection factor, CIE L*a*b* color values and air permeability determinations, respectively. Incorporation of TiO2–SiO2 into the dyeing with reactive dyes brought about an outstanding UV protection functionality of the dyed fabrics even after 15 laundering cycles with a negligible negative impact on color and comfortable properties. Improvement or decrement in the UV protection, comfort, and dyeing properties is governed by the reactants concentrations and the dyeing temperature.
COBISS.SI-ID: 15768854
Despite of all problems which textile industry is facing in the developed world, textiles and their end products constitute still the worldćs second largest industry, placed only below food products. At least 10 % of the world's productive energies are devoted to this activity. Current textile wet processes suffer from two major drawbacks: large process time and low energy efficiency. Despite over 100 years of process improvements, the preparation, dyeing and finishing of textile continues to utilize large volumes of pure and clean water and therefore produce enormous amounts of textile wastewater which is heavily charged with unconsumed dyes and other chemicals. In order to overcome these problems various novel processes are being introduced or studied. Lately, textile wet processes assisted by ultrasound are of high interest for the textile industry, owing to following reasons: process acceleration and attainment of the same or better results than existing techniques under less extreme conditions, i.e. lower temperature and lower chemical concentrations. In this paper the fundamentals of ultrasound and its broad application in textile wet processes will be shortly presented. Results obtained with the use of ultrasound technology on laboratory scale textile wet processes like ultrasound-assisted dyeing (polyamide, cotton, wool, flax), scouring and bleaching will be discussed as well as the environmental aspect of this technology.
COBISS.SI-ID: 15577622