Relationship between dye sorption and morphology in polypropylene/poly (butylene terephthalate) microfibrillar blend nanocomposite fibers

Abstract

In this research work, the relation between microstructural enhancement and dyeing behavior of immiscible blend nanocomposite fibers was investigated using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction patterns, and rheometric mechanical spectrometer along with quantitative analysis of dye sorption. A novel microfibrillar morphology blend fiber, in which poly (butylene terephthalate) nanocomposite fibrils uniformly distributed in the cross section of polypropylene matrix, was successfully developed using melt compounding process. Preferred location of nanoclay had improving effect on poly (butylene terephthalate) fibril formation such that there was an organoclay concentration above that fiber with fine microfibrillar morphology could hardly be produced. It was demonstrated that nanoclay melt intercalation and partitioning controlled the activation energy of dyeing. The maximum sorption rate was achieved by utilizing compatibilizer to transfer part of nanoclay platelets into the polypropylene matrix.

Modification of polypropylene fibres with cationic polypropylene dispersion for improved dyeability

“…polyester and polymeric additives) leading to the formation of a bicomponent fibre with an increased capacity for dyestuff sorption ; the incorporation of colourless additives as dye‐binding sorbents [e.g. minerals, polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) nanoparticles and clay], which also improve the dye‐binding capacity ; surface modification by plasma activation or the grafting of different compounds (e.g. acrylic acid, ethylenediamine, acrylamide and hexamethyldisiloxane), which are used to increase the sorption properties of PP fibres ; dyeing with selected dyes (although this restricts the range to a few colours and shades, and therefore can't be used in wider applications) .…”