Polyethylene Terephthalate Fiber Surface Research Articles

The role and mechanism of temporary blocked isocyanate at interface between polyethylene terephthalate high‐strength fibers and activation oil

AbstractIn this paper, activation oil added with temporary blocked isocyanate was chosen to enhance interfacial adhesion in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) high‐strength fibers reinforced rubber via one‐step dipping method, in which the temporary blocked isocyanate could be activated during vulcanization process of rubber. The effect of isocyanate in enhancing adhesion between PET high‐strength fibers and rubber was explored. The amount of residual resorcinol formaldehyde latex on the surface of fibers and H‐extraction force of PET high‐strength fibers reinforced rubber are both obviously increased with 5% activation oil addition especially containing 2% isocyanate. After peeling fibers from composite rubber, the amount of residual rubber on the surface of fibers with activation oil is increased, which is even higher when further adding temporary blocked isocyanate. Based on the results of infrared spectra and nuclear magnetic resonance carbon spectra, the added isocyanate is confirmed to bond with the PET component most likely through reacting with the terminal hydroxyl groups on the surface of PET fibers. This interface reinforcement strategy based on one‐step dipping method will contribute to studies on PET high‐strength fibers reinforced rubber.

Mechanical performance and feasibility analysis of green concrete prepared with local natural zeolite and waste PET plastic fibers as cement replacements

Green concrete is a sustainable composite material having natural and waste materials replacing carbon dioxide gas-producing cement, and aggregates in the concrete. Thus, it significantly contributes in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improves the economic viability of a country as well. Literature suggests that research on the development of green concrete is evolving with widely-available natural and waste materials. Considering the need for the development of green concrete, the current research is conducted. It was hypothesized that the mechanical performance of green concrete prepared by substituting cement with Natural Zeolite (NZ) and waste Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) fibers will yield stronger, cost-effective, and environmentally green concrete for the construction industry. The microstructure, morphology, and surface properties of the locally extracted NZ were characterized using X-ray Diffraction, SEM and BET, respectively. The influence of quantity, shape, orientations, and surface of NZ and PET fibers along with varying curing times, i.e., 28, 90, and 180 days were considered for experimentation. The main findings of this study are that two optimum proportions for the concrete mixtures are obtained: the first one was 10 % NZ while the other one was 2.5 % PET, and 15 % NZ, and 1.0 % PET. These optimum mixing ratios were found to enhance the compressive strength of concrete, reduce the production cost, and reuse waste PET bottles effectively, which are key points of this study. Furthermore, the workability of the fresh concrete was improved with higher proportions of PET rather than NZ. Finally, the findings of the current research highlight a pragmatic remedial solution for saving energy, turning non-decomposable waste into useful materials for green concrete, and simultaneously contributing to a cleaner environment.

Influence of Pet Fiber Geometry on Properties of Concrete Using Partial Replacement of Fine Aggregate with Copper Slag

In the last few years with the growth of population, development of industry and technology there has been rapid increment in the waste materials and by-products production. The basic strategy to decrease solid waste and plastic waste bottle disposal problems have been focused at the reduction of waste production and retrieval of usable materials from waste as raw materials . In present study, the PET fibers were achieved by manually hand cutting from Kinley polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic drinking water bottles. Three different geometrical shape Straight shape fiber, Flattened shape fiber and ‘O’ shape polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers 0.5% by weight of cement were used. Fine aggregate were partially replaced with copper slag at percentages of 0%, 20%, 40% and 60%. Effect of different geometry of PET fiber and copper slag on fresh and hardened properties of concrete was investigated. Test result revealed that geometry of fiber and copper slag has good effect on fresh properties of concrete. Without use of super plasticizer workability was increasing. The combination of O shape fiber with 60% copper slag demonstrate enhancement in compressive strength, split tensile strength and flexural strength up to 25.85%,26.39% and 28.09% respectively compared to standard mix M 25 grade concrete. With the Increment of copper slag enhancement in strength was observed it was due to the friction developed between copper slag and PET fiber surface. Development of friction was due to the angularity of copper slag particles and bridging action of PET fiber. From water absorption test result it was concluded that water absorption is less in O shape fiber. It is due to the less water absorption properties of PET fiber and copper slag and also the O shape fiber provide good interlocking property in concrete matrices compare to other two geometrical shape fiber.

Plasma-exposed TiO2 nanoparticles on polyethylene terephthalate matrix surface and its effects on the durable hydrophobic coating

Commercial dull polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabric treated by radio frequency (13.56 MHz) plasma and further coated with perfluoroalkyl methacrylate copolymer C6 displays much highly durable hydrophobicity and oleophobicity. The as-prepared fabric exhibited a water contact angle above 170°, a water spray rating of 80 (ISO 3), and oil resistance ratings of B and C separately for different oil composition grades after 10 washing cycles, which were two levels higher than the untreated and C6-coated PET[TiO2] fabric. The organic component PET was more prone to etching than TiO2, which created a waviness structure and exposed prominent TiO2 nanoparticles on the PET fiber surface. The relative atom ratio O and Ti increased through energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy spectra and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. This result indicates that the exposure of TiO2 and the introduction of reactive polar groups such as O=C-O on the fiber surface contributed to react with C6 and improved the washing durability. In general, such coating technology may provide a simple benign technique for constructing materials with physicochemical properties.

Visible-light-driven photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B using Bi2WO6/GO deposited on polyethylene terephthalate fabric

The environmental repercussions of wastewater from the dye process mean that it is very important to obtain an eco-friendly photocatalyst that would degrade wastewater. Herein, bismuth tungstate/graphene oxide (Bi2WO6/GO) composites are fabricated through in-situ hydrothermal reaction and then the Bi2WO6/GO photocatalysts are deposited onto polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabric. The obtained Bi2WO6/GO deposited PET fabrics are then characterized through XPS, Raman, SEM, TEM, XRD, UV-vis, BET method and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) to investigate their chemical and crystal structures, morphology, optical property, surface area and photochemical properties. Photocatalytic performance is studied through examining the rate of degrading rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light. Surface of PET fibers is densely covered with Bi2WO6/GO. Bi2WO6/GO deposited PET fabrics show a broad absorption band in the visible spectra. Removal rate of RhB on the Bi2WO6/GO deposited PET fabric is the highest with the GO content of 2 g/L (labeled as Bi2WO6/2 g/LGO). The result of active species experiment shows that superoxide radicals (·O2−) plays a major role in the degradation of RhB. Moreover, Bi2WO6/2 g/LGO deposited PET fabric shows excellent cycle stability of photocatalytic degradation for RhB. The findings in this work can be extended to preparation other types of composite on the textile for photocatalysis, which can be applied to remove dyes in the wastewater produced by the textile or leather industry.Graphical abstract

Estimating Nanoscale Surface Roughness of Polyethylene Terephthalate Fibers.

Quantitation of surface roughness is difficult, if subtle, but significant differences cause an uncommon variance. We used atomic force microscopy to measure the surface roughness of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers before and after a 30 s plasma treatment of 300 W. Samples were measured multiple times at different locations, in four scan sizes. The surface roughness was expressed in terms of nine roughness parameters. Despite the large number of data, simple statistics was not able to detect significant differences in roughness before and after plasma treatment. A factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the normalized data and a sum of ranking differences analysis using four types of data preprocessing and their factorial ANOVA confirmed that (i) the plasma treatment had roughened the PET fiber surface; (ii) the roughness increases with the scanned area in the measured range; and (iii) what the best roughness parameters are in discriminating between surfaces before and after treatment. Although the compared roughness estimators were on different scales, a roughness estimation of the nanoscale surfaces was feasible, where other methods fail. The presented methodology can be applied widely and unambiguously for highly different method comparison tasks.

Anti-ultraviolet and anti-static modification of polyethylene terephthalate fabrics with graphene nanoplatelets by a high-temperature and high-pressure inlaying method

Grafting graphene on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers requires a large number of environmentally harmful chemicals. In this study, a facile high-temperature and high-pressure method of inlaying graphene nanoplatelets was applied to fabricate anti-ultraviolet (UV) and anti-static graphene/PET composites. The resulting graphene-inlaid (GI) PET fabric, which showed excellent anti-ultraviolet and anti-static properties, was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform–infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Results suggested that graphene had been inlaid into the PET fiber surface, and that the optimal inlaying conditions were as follows: inlaying temperature 200℃, inlaying pressure 15 MPa, and inlaying time 15 s. The UV protection factor of the GI PET fabric under optimal conditions could reach 50+ and was maintained at 50+ after 50 laundering cycles. The peak values of the static voltage and its half-time in the GI PET fabric could be reduced from 500.0 V to 10.0 V and from 7.39 s to 0.53 s, respectively, and the electrical resistivity of the GI PET fabric was 36.04 ± 0.14 kΩ.cm. The breaking strengths of the GI PET fabrics could be retained over 70.0% that of the pure PET fabric. The facile high-temperature and high-pressure inlaying method is an eco-friendly technique that requires very few chemicals, except for ethyl alcohol.

Surface modification of PET fabric through in-situ reduction and cross-linking of graphene oxide: Towards developing durable conductive fabric coatings

A durable electro-conductive polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabric has been fabricated via reduction and cross-linking of graphene oxide (GO) with SnCl2. The stannous ions (Sn2+) reduce GO and generate multilayer cross-linked and reduced graphene oxide (XrGO) coatings on PET fabric surfaces. In addition to the chemical treatments, thermal annealing was also used to improve the electrical conductivity and durability of coatings on PET surface. The planner aromatic structure of PET promotes the adsorption of the XrGO sheets via π–π interactions, and the adsorbed XrGO sheets can be physically fused onto the surface of PET fibers below 200 °C, mainly due to the thermoplastic nature of PET. A good washing fastness and mechanical stability has been observed confirming the effectiveness of the chemical cross-linking and thermal anealing on the durability of the conductive coating onto the PET fabric surface.

Effects of irradiation on polyethyleneterephthalate(PET) fibers impregnated with sensitizer

Polyethylene terephthalate(PET) is difficult to be irradiation cross-linked at low dose for the aromatic groups. In this paper, trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA) was incorporated in PET fibers to sensitize the cross-linking. Changes in PET fibers subjected to electron beam irradiation at dose up to 200 kGy and dose rate 12 kGy/s were investigated by gel content, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The gel content was 0.14% at dose of 60 kGy and it arrived at the maximum value 0.53% at 100 kGy. Irradiated fibers showed a decrease in the breaking strength and an increase in the elongation at break. The crystal form of PET fibers had not been changed and crystallinity decreased 28% with the increasing dose. The melting temperature shifted from the original 254.28 °C to 253.44 °C. The thermal stability and the amount of non-volatile residue at 800 °C increased at dose of 100 kGy. XPS analysis indicated that the number of C-C band increased to prove the occurring of cross-link. The surface of PET fibers got rougher after irradiation and the anti-dripping property had not been improved effectively for the low degree of cross-linking.

Electrically controllable twisted-coiled artificial muscle actuators using surface-modified polyester fibers

As a new class of thermally activated actuators based on polymeric fibers, we investigated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) yarns for the development of a twisted-coiled polymer fiber actuator (TCA). The PET yarn TCA exhibited the maximum linear actuation up to 8.9% by external heating at above the glass transition temperature, 160 °C–180 °C. The payload of the actuator was successfully correlated with the preload and training-load conditions by an empirical equation. Furthermore, the PET-based TCA was electrically driven by Joule heating after the PET surface was metallization with silver. For the fast and precise control of PET yarn TCA, electroless silver plating was conducted to form electrical conductive layers on the PET fiber surface. The silver plated PET-based TCA was tested by Joule heating and the tensile actuation was increased up to 12.1% (6 V) due to the enhanced surface hardness and slippage of PET fibers. Overall, silver plating of the polymeric yarn provided a fast actuation speed and enhanced actuation performance of the TCA actuator by Joule heating, providing a great potential for being used in artificial muscle for biomimetic machines including robots, industrial actuators and powered exoskeletons.

Durable grafting of silkworm pupa protein onto the surface of polyethylene terephthalate fibers

In this paper, reactive –NH2 groups (8.36×10−6mol/g fabric) were introduced to the surface of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabrics by a nitration and reduction method, and epoxy groups were introduced to silkworm pupa protein (SPP) by reaction with epoxy chloropropane. PET-SPP composite fabrics were then prepared by reaction of these two precursors. The results showed that the SPP was firmly grafted onto the PET fabric surface and that the hydrophilicity of the fabric was markedly improved by the grafting of SPP. SEM images revealed a layer of substance covering the surface of the PET fibers, and XPS investigation showed that the nitrogen content of the PET-SPP fabric was higher than that of the original PET fabric (2.32% vs 0%). ATR-FTIR adsorption bands at 1653 and 1543cm−1 suggested the successful grafting of SPP onto the PET fabric surface. The DSC and TG of the PET fibers demonstrated that the thermal stability of the original PET fibers was maintained well by the SPP-grafted PET fibers. The breaking strength, bending rigidity, air permeability, and crease recovery angle of the original PET fabric were also retained by the SPP-grafted PET fabric.

A novel preparation of milk protein/polyethylene terephthalate fabric

In this work, -NH2 groups were introduced to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers by nitration and reduction method, and then milk protein was grafted on the nitrated and reduced PET (NR PET) fibers by sucrose glycidyl ether crosslinking agent. FTIR suggested the milk protein was successfully grafted on PET fiber surface. SEM images showed a layer of substance covered on the PET fiber surface. DSC demonstrated an excellent thermal stability of milk protein/PET fiber. The moisture regain was improved by milk protein/PET fiber. Moreover, the crease recovery angle and stiffness were retained by the milk protein/PET fabric.

Thermal, mechanical, and viscoelastic properties of recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate) fiber‐reinforced unsaturated polyester composites

Recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fiber has been used as reinforcing filler for unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) in order to obtain UPR/PET fiber composites. Different loadings of PET fibers (5–18 phr—parts per hundred parts of resin) of different average lengths (2–3 to 20 mm) were added to the UPR. The mechanical properties of the UPR/PET fiber composites increased up to 8 phr PET fiber loading with a length lower than 5 mm, because of the high affinity between the UPR and the PET fiber surface and the good dispersion of the fiber into the matrix. However, higher PET fiber loading caused a decrease in the mechanical properties of the composites because of the agglomeration of the fibers. The UPR/PET fiber composites presented higher storage moduli than the UPR, and an increase of the glass transition temperature in the composites reinforced with 5–8 phr of short PET fiber was found; further, higher degree of crosslinking was reached. The addition of 5–8 phr PET fiber of short length improved the thermal stability of the composites and the post‐curing was produced at higher temperature with much reduced enthalpy. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:1682–1693, 2018. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers

Improving the low temperature dyeability of polyethylene terephthalate fabric with dispersive dyes by atmospheric pressure plasma discharge

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fiber and textile is one of the largest synthetic polymer commodity in the world. The great energy consumption and pollution caused by the high temperature and pressure dyeing of PET fibers and fabrics with disperse dyes has been caused concern these years. In this study, an atmospheric pressure plasma with fine and uniform filament discharge operated at 20kHz has been used to improve the low temperature dyeability of PET fabric at 95°C with three cation disperse dyes: Red 73, Blue 183 and Yellow 211. The dyes uptake percentage of the treated PET fabrics was observed to increase as twice as much of untreated fabric. The color strength rate was increased more than 20%. The reducing of the water contact angle and the raising of the capillary height of treated PET fabric strip indicate its hydrophilicity improvement. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) results display nano to micro size of etching pits appeared uniformly on the fiber surface of the treated PET. Simultaneously, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis indicates an increase of the oxygen content in the surface caused by the introduction of polar groups such as CO and COOH. The rough surface with improved polar oxygen groups showed hydrophilicity and affinity to C.I. dispersive dyes and is believed to be caused by the strong and very fine filament discharge appearing randomly at one place at an instant but evenly at many places at a longer period. This increases the diffusion and absorption of the C.I. disperse dyes on the PET fiber surface, which improve its low temperature dyeability.

Silvering of three-dimensional polyethylene terephthalate textile material by means of wet-chemical processes

The aim of this research is to develop a wet-chemical silvering method for a three-dimensional (3D) textile material made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) to prevent and eliminate biological contaminants in drinking water and other liquid-containing systems. Three-dimensional textile fabrics are particularly well-suited as silvered disinfection materials in water systems, because they have 3D structures, pressure-elastic textile design, and provide large contact areas. Furthermore, water can easily be passed through the structure. The developed wet-chemical procedures are based on aminosilane, which consists of at least two amine groups and is well-suited to form a silver diamine complex. The silvered textile material was coated with cationic silver. After the chemical reduction, the cationic silver turns into metallic silver on the surface of PET spacer fabrics.The surface morphology of silver-coated spacer fabrics was analyzed and the uniform silver layer on the PET fiber surface was found. X-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis spectrums showed that the silver was immobilized on the PET fiber surface. The layer thickness and the silver amount were also determined. The silvered spacer fabrics can be used in sealing and/or cooling water systems; therefore, the silver ion release in water was analyzed. Furthermore, textile physical tests for the measurement of breaking force and elongation were carried out. No significant change in breaking force and elongation was observed after silvering of PET spacer fabric.

Bioactivation of PET woven fabrics using alginate biopolymer and the bacteriocin nisin

Bioactive antibacterial PET (polyethylene terephthalate) woven fabrics were produced by fixing a thin alginate coating with entrapped nisin at the PET fiber surface. These textiles may find applications in the field of hygiene or food packaging. In the first part of the study, thin solid alginate films (without nisin) capable of forming hydrogels in aqueous medium were deposited at the PET fiber surface and the properties of the resulting textiles characterized. Methods using padding with CaCl2 solution before or after sodium alginate deposition, with or without a prior PET fiber surface activation with air atmospheric plasma, were used. The following properties of the functionalized PET textile were tested: the durability and cohesion of the alginate film to the fiber surface, in water and in dry conditions under friction; the surface properties of the functionalized textile; and the water and moisture absorption capacity of the alginate films. These properties depend on the film adhesion to PET fibers and on the degree of alginate crosslinking. Entrapped bioactive nisin in the alginate film imparted antibacterial properties to the woven polyester fabric against Staphylococcus aureus. However, differences in inhibition zone were due to the method of alginate film formation, which had an impact on the rate of release of nisin.

Multiwalled carbon nanotube-coated polyethylene terephthalate fibrous matrices for enhanced neuronal differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells.

The next-generation of tissue scaffolds should incorporate 3-D structures with nanofeatures. Fibrous polyethylene terephthalate (PET) matrices have been widely studied as tissue engineering scaffolds, but their performance is limited by the lack of nanotopography. Carbon nanotubes can provide nanoscale structures similar to those present in natural extracellular matrices in vivo, but are difficult to use as 3-D scaffolds for tissue engineering. In this study, multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were used to coat and provide nanofeatures on the surface of PET membranes and fibers. The effects of MWCNTs on the cellular functions of mouse embryonic stem (mES) cells cultured on the nanoengineered PET surface and 3-D scaffolds were investigated. In general, MWCNTs promoted cell adhesion and proliferation of mES cells while maintaining excellent cell viability in the growth medium. Neuronal differentiation was also significantly enhanced when cells were cultured in the differentiation medium. Different cell morphologies were observed in the presence of MWCNTs. Cells were stretched and well spread out in MWCNT-coated PET scaffolds, whereas cells were sporadically distributed in non-coated PET scaffolds. Furthermore, more filopodia were formed in MWCNT-coated PET matrices, suggesting increased interactions between scaffolds and cells. Also, neuronal cells differentiated from mES cells in the 3-D nanoengineered PET scaffolds formed extensive nerve networks around each fiber and neurite bridges between fibers. These findings suggest that MWCNTs can provide nanofeatures on PET fibrous matrices and enhance their performance as 3-D nanoengineered tissue engineering scaffolds.

Mechanical properties of fiber‐reinforced natural rubbers using surface‐modified PET fibers under EB irradiation

AbstractAiming to develop a high performance fiber‐reinforced natural rubber (NR), a special technique using electron beam (EB) irradiation‐induced graft‐polymerization was applied to high‐strength polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers. Although PET is chemically robust, allyl methacrylate (AMA) could be graft‐polymerized onto the PET fiber surface with this special technique. The composite of NR and grafted‐PET fibers indicated a linear increase in the initial modulus with the fiber content. At the fiber content of 10%, the initial modulus was improved about five times with respect to that of the pure NR, whereas the breaking strength increased by ca. 35% and the breaking strain decreased by ca. 45%. The fiber‐reinforced rubber with a good performance was obtained in the system of NR and grafted‐PET fibers. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009

Surface treatment of PET fiber by EB-irradiation-induced graft polymerization and its effect on adhesion in natural rubber matrix

Aiming to develop a high performance fiber-reinforced natural rubber (NR) without using resorcinol formaldehyde latex (RFL) adhesives of environmental load substances, a special technique using electron beam (EB) irradiation-induced graft polymerization was applied to high-modulus polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers. Although PET is chemically inert, acrylate functional silane could be graft-polymerized onto the PET fiber surface by this special technique. The composite of NR and grafted PET fibers indicated a linear increase in the initial modulus with the fiber content. The fiber reinforced rubber with a good performance was obtained in the system of NR and grafted PET fibers.