Functional Finishing on Silk Fabric with Acrylamide Monomer and Chitosan

Abstract

The silk fabric was grafted with acrylamide monomer by the radiation of 60Co- ray and subsequently treated with the chitosan solution in aqueous citric acid. The effects of radiation dose, acrylamide monomer concentration and pH value on the grafting yield were investigated, respectively, and the maximum grafting yield was about 14% (w/w). Scanning electron microscopy photographs indicated that the surface of silk fabric was changed after acrylamide monomer and chitosan treatment. Infrared spectra analysis showed that the acrylamide monomer grafted into silk fabric after the 60Co- radiation, furthermore the chitosan combined with silk fabric through the esterifying reaction between citric acid and silk fiber. The crystallinity of the silk fiber grafted with acrylamide monomer enhanced by the analysis of X-ray diffractograms. With the acrylamide monomer grafting after the 60Co- radiation and the chitosan solution in citric acid treating, the wrinkle recovery angle of the treated silk fabric increased about 34.4% than the untreated silk fabric, the breaking strength percentage of the treated silk fabric decreased slightly. Meanwhile, the ratios of both anti-E.coli and anti-Stap.aureus for silk fabric treated by chitosan were over 93%, and the ratio of anti-C.albicans for silk fabric after chitosan treatment was about 77.6%. The properties of anti-wrinkle and anti-bacterium on silk fabric after the above functional finishing increase significantly, which is very helpful for the health of human beings.