APPLICATION OF SELF–CLEANING TREATMENT ON COTTON AND PES/CO FABRIC USING TiO2 AND SiO2 COATING SYNTHESIZED BY SOL–GEL METHOD

Abstract

The photocatalytic activity of TiO2–SiO2 coated and TiO2 coated on 100% cotton and PES/Co fabrics was investigated through the self–cleaning of red wine stains and coffee stains. It was shown that a TiO2 species could be produced at temperatures of 25 °C, 40 °C and 60 °C with acceptable photo–activity and TiO2–SiO2 nanocomposites were prepared by a sol–gel process at a low temperature. The discoloration of red wine and coffee led to CO2 evolution that was more efficient for TiO2–SiO2 coated cotton for samples than of TiO2 coated ones. The textile surface did not show any change after several consecutive light–induced discoloration cycles of a red wine stain and coffee stain. The structural properties of these nanocomposites were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT–IR). The scanning electron microscope (SEM) photo showed that the TiO2–SiO2 layer is thicker than TiO2 layer on the cotton fabric and PES/Co fabric and the Ti–particles were always surrounded by amorphous SiO2 and never alone by themselves. The TiO2–SiO2 nanocomposites were coated onto cotton and PES/Co fabrics by a simple dip–pad–dry–cure process.