Nano photo bleaching method of cotton fabrics for a sustainable finishing

Abstract

In modern textile-bleaching methods, H2O2 is commonly preferred due to its less harmful effects on the environment. The use of hydrogen peroxide in bleaching processes, although biodegradable on its own, increases the waste load due to the high amount of auxiliary chemicals used. The long processing times and high-temperature requirements of hydrogen peroxide bleaching led to increased energy consumption. Moreover, the high-water consumption required for post-treatment is also a disadvantageous factor. In other words, while the use of a high amount of auxiliary chemicals in hydrogen peroxide bleaching increases the waste load, long time and high-temperature requirements also increase energy consumption, and the high-water consumption required for post-treatment has a disadvantageous effect. In this study, raw cotton fabric is subjected to chemical finishing treatments that either oxidize or reduce it as part of the bleaching process. The results of photo bleaching were compared with conventional hydrogen peroxide finishing applications. Our findings showed that nano-TiO2-treated cotton had a better whiteness value than treated with H2O2 cotton according to the color spectrum whiteness indexes. It is strongly considered that this method could be a new alternative way for bleaching textile materials in the finishing departments.