Cotton fabric graft copolymerization using microwave plasma. I. Universal attenuated total reflectance–FTIR study

The effect of microwave plasma on lightweight cotton fabric was investigated. N₂‐plasma, O₂‐plasma, and Ar‐plasma were obtained using a microwave generator at 2.45 GHz under vacuum. The universal attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared (UATR–FTIR) instrument was used to monitor the changes created after N₂‐, O₂‐, and Ar‐plasma treatments. The exposure of cotton fabrics to the plasma for 240 s with a microwave power of 500 W was sufficient to create active carbonyl groups, as shown by the presence of a peak around 1725 cm^?1 in the FTIR spectra of the treated cotton fabrics. Ar‐plasma was found to generate more active groups than N₂‐ and O₂‐plasmas. The active centers created within the cellulose chains were used to initiate copolymerization reactions with vinyl monomers to impart hydrophobic character to lightweight cotton fabric. The efficiency of the grafting process and the presence of grafted monomers on fabric surface were confirmed using UATR–FTIR. Testing of treated fabric revealed that excellent water repellency was obtained. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 93: 145–154, 2004     

Gentamicin‐loaded poly(acrylic acid)‐grafted cotton fibers,part 1: Synthesis,characterization, and preliminary drug release study

This study describes preparation of poly (acrylic acid)‐grafted cotton fibers and release of antibiotic drug gentamicin sulfate from them under physiological conditions. Poly(acrylic acid) has been grafted onto cellulose backbone of cotton fibers via Ce(IV)‐initiated polymerization in aqueous medium. The conditions obtained for optimum grafting were as follows: initiation time 30 min; initiation temperature 37°C; monomer concentration 27.8 mM; grafting temperature 30°C; nitric acid (catalyst) concentration 0.1M. The grafted fibers were characterized by FTIR, TGA, and SEM analysis. The antibiotic drug gentamicin sulfate (GS) was loaded into the grafted fibers by equilibration method and release was studied under physiological conditions. The kinetic release data was interpreted by first‐order kinetic model. Finally, drug‐loaded fibers showed fair antibacterial action against Escherichia coli. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Enhancement of thermal stability associated with the chemical treatment of bacterial (Gluconacetobacter xylinus) cellulose

Bacterial cellulose produced by Gluconacetobacter xylinus was treated with sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to remove entrapped noncellulosic materials. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has been used to investigate the effect of alkali on the chemical structure of bacterial cellulose. The changes in the crystalline nature of these membranes were analyzed using X‐ray diffraction (XRD) technique. The morphology and the removal of noncellulosic impurities followed by alkali treatment were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X‐ray spectrometry (EDS). The enhanced thermal stability of bacterial cellulose was evident from thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Further, the alkali treatments resulted in relatively pure form of cellulose, which finds application in various spheres. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

FTIR analysis of crosslinked cotton fabric using a ZnSe–universal attenuated total reflectance

Two cotton fabrics were treated with increasing amounts of a textile‐finishing agent (1,3‐dimethyl‐4,5‐dihydroxy‐2‐imidazolidinone) to impart durable press properties. The Universal Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared (UATR–FTIR) with a ZnSe–Diamond composite crystal was used to determine the amount of the crosslinking agent effectively linked to the cellulose after the required laundering cycles. Textile performance testing conducted on treated and untreated fabrics demonstrated the effectiveness of the treatment applied. The results obtained showed very good correlation between AATCC grading, automatic image analysis of fabric smoothness, textile performance testing, and the amount of finish as evaluated by the UATR–FTIR. The ZnSe–Diamond composite FTIR accessory was proven to be a fast and precise nondestructive technique to evaluate the amount of the crosslinking agent linked to the cellulose macromolecules. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 392–399, 2005     

Influence of alkali fiber treatment and fiber processing on the mechanical properties of hemp/epoxy composites

Industrial hemp fibers were treated with a 5 wt % NaOH, 2 wt % Na₂SO₃ solution at 120°C for 60 min to remove noncellulosic fiber components. Analysis of fibers by lignin analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), zeta potential, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, wide angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXRD) and differential thermal/thermogravimetric analysis (DTA/TGA), supported that alkali treatment had (i) removed lignin, (ii) separated fibers from their fiber bundles, (iii) exposed cellulose hydroxyl groups, (iv) made the fiber surface cleaner, and (v) enhanced thermal stability of the fibers by increasing cellulose crystallinity through better packing of cellulose chains. Untreated and alkali treated short (random and aligned) and long (aligned) hemp fiber/epoxy composites were produced with fiber contents between 40 and 65 wt %. Although alkali treatment generally improved composite strength, better strength at high fiber contents for long fiber composites was achieved with untreated fiber, which appeared to be due to less fiber/fiber contact between alkali treated fibers. Composites with 65 wt % untreated, long aligned fiber were the strongest with a tensile strength (TS) of 165 MPa, Young's modulus (YM) of 17 GPa, flexural strength of 180 MPa, flexural modulus of 9 GPa, impact energy (IE) of 14.5 kJ/m², and fracture toughness (K_Ic) of 5 MPa m^1/2. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Electrospun gelatin/nylon‐6 composite nanofibers for biomedical applications

We describe the preparation and characterization of gelatin‐containing nylon‐6 electrospun fibers and their potential use as a bioactive scaffold for tissue engineering. The physicochemical properties of gelatin/nylon‐6 composite nanofibers were analyzed using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, TGA and contact angle and tensile measurements. FE‐SEM and TEM images revealed that the nanofibers were well oriented and showed a good incorporation of gelatin. FTIR spectroscopy and TGA also revealed that there was good interaction between the two polymers at the molecular level. The adhesion, viability and proliferation properties of osteoblast cells on the gelatin/nylon‐6 composite nanofibers were analyzed by an in vitro cell compatibility test. Our results suggest that the incorporation of gelatin can increase the cell compatibility of nylon‐6 and therefore the composite mat obtained has great potential in hard tissue engineering. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Alkali treatment of viscose cellulosic fibers from eucalyptus wood: Structural,morphological, and thermal analysis

The modification of viscose cellulosic fibers from eucalyptus wood was performed by alkali treatment to improve the surface properties of the fibers for subsequent incorporation as reinforcement into phenolic composites. The treatment was carried out at various NaOH concentrations (1–20 wt %) and soaking times (1 and 2 h). The structural transformations of the fibers were determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). Morphological observations of the fibers were performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and wettability between the fibers and a resol‐type phenolic resin was studied by contact angle measurements. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was used to determine the thermal properties. The treatment of cellulosic fibers with 5 wt % NaOH for 2 h was selected as optimum. According to the analyses, these conditions increase the amorphous regions of the fibers (FTIR), reduce the crystallinity (XRD), swell the microfibers and fibers (SEM), and improve the wettability and the thermal stability. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 2198–2204, 2013     

Thermal characteristics of ethylene‐co‐vinyl acetate/cellulose microfibers composites

Cellulose microfibers were obtained from Hibiscus sabadariffa by steam explosion technique. Structural and surface analysis of the microfibers showed a reduction in diameter and changes in surface morphology from that of raw fibers. The chemical composition of fibers showed increase in α‐cellulose content and decrease in lignin and hemicelluloses for the microfibers. These factors were further confirmed by XRD, SEM, and FTIR results. The CMF were introduced to EVA at different loading by melt extrusion. The composites were analyzed for their thermal stability and phase transition using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). TGA analysis of the composites showed increased onset temperatures for composites compared with pure EVA indicating the superior thermal stability of the composites with fiber loading. DSC analysis shows increase in melting enthalpy and percentage crystallinity with fiber loading increases. Kinetic parameter for the degradation of the composites was obtained using Broido, Coats–Redfern, and Horowitz‐Metzger methods. POLYM. COMPOS., 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Adsorption capacity,kinetics, and thermodynamics of chitosan nanoparticles onto cotton fabrics without any chemical binders

The stable adsorption of chitosan nanoparticles (CNs) onto cotton fabrics was successfully developed without any chemical binders. The adsorption kinetics, thermodynamics, and capacities under different experimental conditions were investigated. The structure and laundering durability of CNs‐adsorbed cotton fabrics (CNs‐cotton) were also characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X‐ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), and Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA). The adsorption capacities of cotton for CNs declined with the increasing CNs particle size and temperature. By contrast, adsorption capacities increased with the increasing adsorption pH and CNs mass concentration. The kinetic adsorption of CNs onto cotton fabrics was found to follow the pseudo‐second‐order kinetic model. The adsorption mechanism reflected a complex process, and the intra‐particle diffusion was not the only rate‐limiting step. The transfer and diffusion rates progressively increased with the decrease of adsorption temperature and CNs particle size. The negative values of the standard Gibbs free energy changes (ΔG°) and the standard enthalpy (ΔH°) indicated that the adsorption was exothermic and spontaneous at 5–75°C. The superior laundering resistance of CNs‐cotton was demonstrated after 30 consecutive washes, thereby proving the stable adsorption of CNs onto cotton fabrics without chemical binders. POLYM. COMPOS., 36:2093–2102, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineer     

Synthesis and application of cotton‐based chelate fibers grafted with poly(1‐vinyl‐1,2,4‐triazole) side chains

Cotton‐based chelate fibers grafted with poly(1‐vinyl‐1,2,4‐triazole) (PVTAZ) side chains were synthesized facilely by ozone‐induced graft polymerization of 1‐vinyl‐1,2,4‐triazole (VTAZ) monomer onto cotton fibers. The synthesis conditions were optimized to improve the yield and mechanical strength of the products. The obtained cotton‐g‐PVTAZ fibers were characterized and evaluated for batch adsorption of heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions. The maximum adsorption capacity of Ag(I), Pb(II), and Cu(II) on the fibers at pH 6.8 was 522, 330, and 184 mg/g, respectively. At 30% graft yield, the Young's modulus of cotton fiber increased about 26.5%, and its adsorption capacities of Ag(I), Pb(II), and Cu(II) increased about 2.6, 1.9, and 1.4 times, respectively. After washed with 0.1 mol/L HNO₃ solutions, the adsorbed metal ions were eluted, and the regenerated cotton‐g‐PVTAZ fibers could be used repeatedly for water treatment. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41617.     

The effect of acid content on the poly(furfuryl) alcohol/cellulose composites

Cellulose/poly(furfuryl alcohol) (PFA) composites were prepared via in situ polymerization process using p‐toulene sulfonic acid as a catalyst. Cellulose was extracted from cotton fibers using chemical treatments with basic media of NaOH, NaClO₂ and KOH. Acid hydrolysis at different concentrations (30, 40 and 50%) of sulphuric acid was used and the final suspended cellulose was incorporated in PFA. The treatments of the cotton fibers ensued to higher crystalline cellulose which was proportional to sulphuric acid contents. Scanning electron microscopy studies (SEM) results showed a poor interfacial interaction when 50% acid content was used for hydrolyses. The effect of fiber reinforcement on thermal and dynamic mechanical properties of the composites was investigated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMTA). The TGA results showed higher thermal stability of cellulose/PFA composites as compared to the neat PFA. The DMA results showed that the incorporation of the cellulose fibers imparts significant enhancement in the storage modulus of the PFA matrix. There was also the clear decrease in intensity of the tan peak of the composites compared to the neat PFA. POLYM. COMPOS., 37:2434–2441, 2016. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers     

A study on melt spinning of polyethylene terephthalate filament yarns containing various concentrations of synthesized CuO nanoparticles

In this research the CuO nanoparticles were synthesized with four different methods then used to produce polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers with antibacterial, antifungal, and photocatalytic properties during the melt spinning process. Nanoparticles were synthesized in different ways using copper acetate salt (Cu(CH₃COO)₂) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The synthesis of copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles was confirmed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM images), EDX patterns, TGA, FTIR, X-ray diffraction pattern XRD, and UV-vis absorption spectrum. The results showed that synthesized nanoparticles exhibited strong antibacterial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Finally, after examining the fibers with different percentages of nanoparticles), fibers containing 1% of nanoparticles were produced using a 20% nanocopper oxide masterbatch as the optimal sample. The presence of nanoparticles in the fiber structure was confirmed by FE-SEM images, EDX, XRD, and FTIR analysis. Furthermore, the tensile properties, thermal behavior, and photocatalytic properties of the fibers were investigated. Evaluation of the antibacterial and antifungal activity of the produced fibers against gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans fungus showed about 90% death of bacteria and fungi.     

Frequency distributions of breaking load,tenacity, and ratio of cell wall thickness to ribbon width for single cotton fibers

Analysis of the frequency distributions of breaking load, tenacity, and ratio of cell wall thickness to ribbon width (C/R) for single cotton fibers in this study has indicated that they can all be represented by β-distributions. This suggests that a parallel model of element configurations exists in which there is a uniform distribution of elemental strengths in single cotton fibers before as well as after slack mercerization. In the case of breaking load and tenacity, the distributions are positively skewed and the skewness decreases on slack mercerization, suggesting that quite a few potentially weak places have been either completely removed or at least strengthened. The changes in C/R ratio on slack mercerization for cottons having a range of maturity have been examined and discussed. The dependence of properties such as breaking load, tenacity, and linear density on cell wall to ribbon width ratio (C/R) have also been studied.     

Functional modification of poly(vinyl alcohol) through phosphorus containing nitrogen heterocyclic moieties

Functional modification of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with phosphorus containing nitrogen heterocyclic has been believed to have extensive thermal and biological applications in the area of polymers. Efforts have been taken for the synthesis of phosphorus‐containing N‐heterocyclic (5,6 member and fused ring) based PVA. The synthesized compounds were characterized using UV, FTIR, and NMR spectral studies. Thermal studies (DSC‐TGA) scans display phosphorus‐containing five membered and fused heterocyclic‐based PVA has less thermal stability than six‐membered compounds. Modified polymers infer to have excellent bacterial response against micro‐organisms. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Enhanced enzymolysis of never-dried cotton fibers belonging to different species

Enzymolysis of cotton cellulose in their never-dried state, belonging to all the four cultivated species of cotton, was carried out with the enzyme derived from penicillium funiculosum F₄. Hydrolysis to reducing sugars was almost complete for all the cottons in 6 h, though glucose percentage varied. X-ray characterizations of the residues obtained, which were both after enzyme and acid hydrolysis, showed significant differences between both hydrolyses, as well as differences in the behavior of different cotton fibers towards enzyme action. These differences have been attributed to the different structural organization of cellulose in the secondary cell wall of cotton fibers.     

Electron-microscopic investigation of cerium–cotton cellulose reactions

Cotton fibers were treated with an aqueous solution of ceric ammonium nitrate and examined with the electron microscope. The greatest deposition of cerium occurred in the primary wall due largely to the reaction with noncellulosic constituents in this area of the fiber. The use of ceric ions for an electron-microscopic stain was found ineffective for producing the desired contrast in the cotton fiber.     

The phase behavior and thermal stability of blends of poly(styrene‐co‐methacrylic acid)/poly(styrene‐co‐ 4‐vinylpyridine)

The hydrogen bonding and miscibility behaviors of poly(styrene‐co‐methacrylic acid) (PSMA20) containing 20% of methacrylic acid with copolymers of poly(styrene‐co‐4‐vinylpyridine) (PS4VP) containing 5, 15, 30, 40, and 50%, respectively, of 4‐vinylpyridine were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). It was shown that all the blends have a single glass transition over the entire composition range. The obtained T_gs of PSMA20/PS4VP blends containing an excess amount of PS4VP, above 15% of 4VP in the copolymer, were found to be significantly higher than those observed for each individual component of the mixture, indicating that these blends are able to form interpolymer complexes. The FTIR study reveals presence of intermolecular hydrogen‐bonding interaction between vinylpyridine nitrogen atom and the hydroxyl of MMA group and intensifies when the amount of 4VP is increased in PS4VP copolymers. A new band characterizing these interactions at 1724 cm⁻¹ was observed. In addition, the quantitative FTIR study carried out for PSMA20/PS4VP blends was also performed for the methacrylic acid and 4‐vinylpyridine functional groups. The TGA study confirmed that the thermal stability of these blends was clearly improved. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Properties of osmanthus fragrance‐loaded chitosan–sodium tripolyphosphate nanoparticles delivered through cotton fabrics

Osmanthus fragrance‐loaded chitosan nanoparticles (OF‐NPs) were prepared via complex coacervation successfully. Then, the OF‐NPs were applied in the cotton fabrics directly. The microstructures of OF‐NPs were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The sustained property of the cotton fabrics treated with OF‐NPs was investigated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS). The common OF was also treated on fabrics for the parallel comparison. TEM and DLS displayed that the spherical OF‐NPs kept about 130 nm and dispersed evenly. FTIR confirmed that OF had been interacted with chitosan via the hydrogen bonds. TGA demonstrated that the thermal stability of OF‐NPs had been improved in contrast to OF and the loading content of OF was as high as 12.05%. SEM and GC‐MS displayed that the cotton fabrics treated by OF‐NPs had an excellent washing resistance. Overall, nanoencapsulation with CS‐TPP will provide an excellent method for releasing fragrance. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Polypropylene‐based composites reinforced with textile wastes

The present work describes the preparation of polypropylene composites reinforced with cotton fibers, which were obtained from textile waste. The cellulosic fibers were bleached and then chemically modified on the surface using acetylation or silanization methods. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis and energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy confirmed the efficiency of both treatments. Results of thermal degradation by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of treated fibers indicated that the acetylated ones decreased thermal stability while the silanized fibers increased this property. The influence of the chemical modifications and fibers content in polypropylene‐based composites was studied by thermomechanical and mechanical properties (dynamic mechanical analysis and tensile tests) and thermal analyses (TGA and differential scanning calorimetry). The results showed that the addition of the obtained cellulose fibers in polypropylene caused increase of storage and Young's moduli, along with stress at break. Moreover, scanning electronic microscopy micrographs of cryofractured surfaces revealed stronger adhesion between fiber and matrix in the composites reinforced with the modified fibers. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 45060.     

Dielectric studies of composite paper reinforced with polypyrrole coated pulp fibers from wasted egg holders

Development of thin, flexible, light‐weight, renewable, low‐cost, and environmentally friendly electrode materials are highly feasible in era of modern disposable electronic technology. This article presents the synthesis and dielectric studies of polypyrrole (PPy) coated pulp fibers, directly collected from wasted egg holder's tray. PPy coated pulp fibers converted into compact sheet for the development of potential renewable and low‐cost electrode materials. The morphology, chemical structure, and thermal stability of naked and PPy coated pulp fibril sheets were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. PPy coated pulp fibers revealed better thermal stability and compactness of sheet morphology. Impedance measurements showed a high value of dielectric constant of 1.15 × 10⁶ at 0.5 Hz and conductivity of 7.45 × 10^?4 S/cm at room temperature for PPy coated pulp fibril sheet. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42422.