Modification Of Fabric Loaded With TiO₂Nanoparticles By Hydrothermal Method

Recently, the requirements of textiles with high performances are mainly focus on the health care, security, and other special aspects, such as antibacterial, anti-mites, negative ions, far infrared, ultraviolet resistant and so on. The TiO2-loaded fabric is imparted with the special functions, for example, ultraviolet resistance, antibacterial and self-cleaning ability. Polyester and polyamide fabrics are treated with different compounds containing titanium by low temperature hydrothermal process. In this paper, a simple method was employed to modify polyester or polyamide fabric by using tetrabutyl titanate in presence of different dispersants. Polyamide fabric was also treated with tetrabutyl titanate combined with reactive dyes or ferric trichloride. The TiO2-loaded fabric were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), different scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal gravimetric (TG) techniques. The reflectance spectrum, tensile, water absorption, air permeability, luster, K/S value and color fastness for fabric before and after treatments were also measured.The results can be concluded in the following:1. Compared with the TiO2-loaded fabric without using dispersant, the crystal size of TiO2nanoparticles decreased significantly by adding different dispersants. The onset decomposition temperature increased slightly. The absorbing ability to ultraviolet radiation was improved to some extent. The type of dispersants had little effect on the crystalline phase and crystal size of TiO2nanoparticles. The properties of tensile, water absorption, K/S value and color fastness for the TiO2-loaded fabrics did not change. Compared with the TiO2-loaded fabric without using coupling, the crystal size of TiO2nanoparticles increased significantly. The onset decomposition temperature also increased slightly. The absorbing ability to ultraviolet radiation for polyester fabric modified with coupling KH-550and KH-560increased. The properties of tensile, air permeability, luster, K/S value and color fastness for the TiO2-loaded fabric did not change. 2. Polyamide fabric was treated with tetrabutyl titanate or titanium sulfate and urea in presence of reactive dye KN-R under hydrothermal condition. The crystal sizes were less than10nm for tetrabutyl titanate and50nm anetase for titanium sulfate. The onset decomposition temperature changed. The absorbing ability to ultraviolet radiation was improved to some extent. The absorbing ability to visible light increased. The properties of tensile, water absorption, air permeability, K/S value and color fastness for the TiO2-coated fabrics changed little.3. Polyamide fabric was treated with tetrabutyl titanate as the precusor, chitosan as the dispersant and chloride-ferric chloride for the doping iron source. The crystal size was less than10nm. The onset decomposition temperature and mass loss decreased slightly. The absorbing ability to ultraviolet radiation was improved. The absorbing ability to visible light increased too. The properties of tensile, air permeability for the TiO2-loaded fabric changed little. TiO2nanoparticles with anatase structure doped with iron ion (Fe3+) could degrade methylene blue dye.