Modification and Dyeing of Silk Fabric Treated with Tetrabutyl Titanate by Hydrothermal Method

Abstract

Nano-structured TiO2 particles prepared by hydrothermal method are first immobilized on the surface of silk fiber using tetrabutyl titanate, which is dyed with C.I. Reactive Blue 19. The morphology, crystalline phase, chemical structure, thermal, and optical properties of silk fabric before and after treatment are determined by means of scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric, and diffuse reflectance spectrum techniques. The UV protection, percentage of exhaustion, percentage of fixation, K/S value, and color fastness are investigated. The results indicate that when silk fabric is treated with tetrabutyl titanate aqueous solution at 110 °C for 2 h, pure anatase phase TiO2 nanoparticles of size less than 10 nm are synthesized, and then simultaneously grafted onto fiber surface. Compared with the original fabric, the thermal stability of the TiO2-coated fabric changes little. The protection against ultraviolet radiation is distinctly improved. The yellowness and whiteness values change a little. The percentage of exhaustion, fixation and K/S value are reduced to some extent due to the existence of TiO2 film. The color fastness to wet rubbing decreases slightly. The K/S value of the TiO2-coated fabric increases after being scrubbed. The color fastness to light of silk fabric after treatment is enhanced.