Photocatalytic clearing of disperse dyed polyester

Abstract

Trials were conducted to examine the efficiency of photocatalytic afterclearing on disperse dyed polyester. The photocatalytic afterclearing was performed by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Polyester fabric samples were dyed with three disperse dyes at 4% depth of shade, individually. The control afterclearing treatment was a conventional reductive clearing by thiourea dioxide and caustic soda. The H2O2 impregnated samples, using various concentrations of H2O2 at various pH values, were treated under 254 nm UV irradiation (5, 10, 20, and 30 min) at room temperature. Color, color difference, wash fastness, and tensile strength values of the samples were compared. Photocatalytic clearing of disperse dyed polyester was successful in giving comparable wash fastness results as compared to conventional reduction clearing without significant color differences.