Chemical vapor deposition of poly(3‐alkylthiophene) nanoparticles on fabric: Chemical and electrochemical characterization

Chemical vapor deposition of poly(3‐methylthiophene) and poly (3‐hexylthiophene) as conductive polymers on the surface of polyester fabrics was successfully obtained. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the formation of polymers on surface of fabrics (the fingerprint of polythiophenes, υ 600–1500 cm^?1). The uniformity of deposition and nanoparticles (average size of 60 nm) were proved with scanning electron microscopy. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed that P3HT‐coated samples offer higher conductivity in compared to P3MT‐coated samples. The impedance modulus of P3HT‐coated samples was lowered nine times to that of row materials and reached to c8000 Ω. The samples have also shown electrochromic properties under electrical current, changing its color from yellowish green at 0 V to dark green at +12 V for poly (3‐hexylthiophene) samples and from brown at 0 V to red at +12 V for poly(3‐methylthiophene)‐coated fabrics (V = 0 V, λ = 450 nm; V = 12 V, λ = 650 nm). © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40673.     

Structural,electrical, and electromagnetic properties of cotton fabrics coated with polyaniline and polypyrrole

In this study, the structural, electrical, and electromagnetic properties of cotton fabrics coated with polyaniline (PAni) and polypyrrole (PPy) were investigated and compared. For the aims, anilin and pyrrole were used as monomers, and in situ polymerization on cotton fabric by chemical oxidative polymerization was performed. After production, the structural properties of the fabrics were determined with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction. In addition, ultraviolet (UV) permeability, tensile strength, colorfastness, and electrical and electromagnetic measurements of the fabric samples were carried out. The resistance values of the cotton fabrics coated with PAni and PPy were found to be 350 and 512 Ω, respectively. The average electromagnetic shielding efficiency and average absorption values of the cotton fabrics coated with PAni were determined to be 3.8 dB and 48%, respectively, and these values for the cotton fabrics coated with PPy were 6 dB and 50%, respectively. Consequently, a significant difference was not observed between the resistance values and electromagnetic parameters of the fabrics coated with PAni and PPy, although the intact textile characteristics of the fabric coated with PPy were protected and improved, whereas the characteristics of the fabric coated with PAni were inferior. Moreover, we first report that the fabrics coated with conductive polymers had excellent UV‐protection properties. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

In situ polymerization and characterization of polyester‐based polyurethane/nano‐silica composites

Polyester‐based polyurethane/nano‐silica composites were obtained via in situ polymerization and investigated by Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), or FTIR coupled with attenuated total reflectance (FTIR‐ATR), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), an Instron testing machine, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and ultraviolet‐visible spectrophotometry (UV‐vis). FTIR analysis showed that in situ polymerization provoked some chemical reactions between polyester molecules and nano‐silica particles. FTIR‐ATR, TEM and AFM analyses showed that both surface and interface contained nano‐silica particles. Instron testing and DMA data showed that introducing nano‐silica particles into polyurethane enhanced the hardness, glass temperature and adhesion strength of polyurethane to the substrate, but also increased the resin viscosity. UV‐vis spectrophotometry showed that nano‐silica obtained by the fumed method did not shield UV radiation in polyurethane films. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

Modification of polyester fabric properties by surfactant‐aided surface polymerization

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was applied to polyester fabric using a surface analog of emulsion polymerization. The admicellar polymerization was carried out using 1.5 mM dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (DBSA) at pH 4 with 0.15M NaCl, 1 : 8 DBSA:monomer, and 1 : 10 initiator:monomer molar ratio. The PMMA film, which was formed, was characterized by SEM and FTIR. Hydrolysis of the PMMA film on polyester fabric was carried out to introduce carboxylic acid groups to the polyester surface to increase its hydrophilicity. The results show that a PMMA thin film was successfully formed on the polyester fabric. The water contact angle of the PMMA‐coated polyester fabric after hydrolysis by 10M H₂SO₄ for 5 h was reduced from 117.3° to 0° and there was a significant increase in the moisture‐regain value of the treated fabric. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 103: 4059–4064, 2007     

The fabrication of full color P(St‐MAA) photonic crystal structure on polyester fabrics by vertical deposition self‐assembly

Three‐dimensional (3D) photonic crystals with face‐centered cubic structure were successfully fabricated on soft polyester fabrics via vertical deposition self‐assembly, with monodisperse P(St‐MAA) microspheres prepared by soap‐free emulsion copolymerization. The resultant polyester fabrics exhibited bright structural colors through the well‐ordered photonic crystal microstructure without any chemical dyes and pigments. The tunable structural colors across the whole visible region confirmed by reflectance spectra could be adjusted by controlling the diameters of the microspheres and viewing angles, and this was consistent with the law of the Bragg diffraction. The resultant polyester fabrics also presented some favorable properties including double‐sided coloration effect, clear fabric texture, and soft fabric handle. The structural coloration by vertical deposition self‐assembly of P(St‐MAA) photonic crystals may provide a new strategy for textile coloration without using chemical colorants, and have a potential to reduce the pollution in the current textile dyeing and printing processes. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41750.     

Electroless nickel deposition of a palladium‐activated self‐assembled monolayer on polyester fabric

In this study, an alternative Pd activation process was developed for electroless Ni plating on polyester fabric modified with a self‐assembled monolayer (SAM) of 3‐aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS). The presence of a highly oriented amino‐terminated SAM and the formation of Pd‐activated APTMS were demonstrated by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. After activation, electroless Ni plating was successfully initiated, and the Ni coating was deposited onto the surface of the polyester fibers. The resulting Ni coating was examined by scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, and X‐ray diffraction. The electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness (SE) and adhesive strength of the Ni‐plated polyester fabric were evaluated. On the basis of the experimental results, the Ni coating produced with a Pd‐activated SAM was uniform and dense. As the Ni weight on the treated fabric was 32 g/m², the EMI SE of the Ni‐plated polyester fabric modified with APTMS obtained was more than 30 dB at frequencies that ranged from 2 to 18 GHz. Compared with the conventional two‐step activation method, Ni coating on the Pd‐activated polyester fabric modified with APTMS improved the coating adherence stability. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Vapor‐phase polymerization of pyrrole on flexible substrate at low temperature and its application in heat generation

The vapor‐phase polymerization of pyrrole to form conducting polypyrrole (PPy) films was applied to coat flexible poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fabrics. A PPy‐coated PET fabric surface resistance of 200–20 000 Ω□^?1 was obtained. The polymerization conditions, such as the concentration of oxidant and the reaction time and temperature, were systematically investigated. The coated fabric samples exhibited increasing temperatures when subjected to a fixed DC voltage. This result indicates the potential of these PPy‐coated fabric materials for heating applications. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Preparation of a poly(3‐hexylthiophene)‐grafted indium tin oxide/poly(3‐hexylthiopene) composite and its conductivity–temperature characteristics

The temperature–conductivity characteristics of poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) composites filled with P3HT‐grafted indium tin oxide (ITO) particles were investigated in this work. The ITO particles were first treated with a silane coupling reagent of 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APS), and then thiophene rings were introduced through a condensation reaction between the ending amino groups of APS and the carboxylic groups of thiophene‐3‐acetic acid. The composites were prepared by the polymerization filling of the 3‐hexylthiophene (3HT) monomer with the thiophene‐ring‐introduced ITO particles. Elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to confirm the grafting reaction on the ITO surface. The longer the polymerization time was or the higher the 3HT/ITO feeding ratio was, the more P3HT was grafted. The influence of the grafted amount on the electrical properties of ITO particles was attributed to the wrapping effect formed by the grafted P3HT on the surface of the ITO particles. The conductivity change of the P3HT‐grafted ITO/P3HT composites was proved to be subject to the change in the average gap width of ITO interparticles, which was determined by the filling ratio of P3HT to ITO in the polymerization and the volume expansion effect of a P3HT thin film between neighboring ITO particles during the heating process. In comparison with the ungrafted ITO/P3HT composites, the grafting treatment enhanced the interaction between the particles and polymer matrix, and this was helpful for obtaining a more homogeneous dispersion structure for the composites and thus afforded a higher positive temperature coefficient intensity and better reproducibility. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 100: 1881–1888, 2006     

Cationization of cellulose/polyamide on UV protection,bio‐activity,and electro‐conductivity of graphene oxide‐treated fabric

In this work, cationized cotton/nylon fabric was treated with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to produce highly conductive fabric. The fabric was cationized with 3‐chloro‐2‐hydroxy propyl trimethyl ammonium chloride to attract more anionic GO. The fabric was then treated with GO followed by reduction with sodium dithionite. The results of energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicated entire coverage of the fabric surface with rGO. The color of fabrics changed to gray‐black and the electrical resistance decreased to 0.6 × 103 Ω sq^?1. The washing fastness was measured according to ISO 105‐CO5 for color change and also electrical resistance of the samples demonstrated well stability of rGO on the fabric surface. The antibacterial activities of the treated fabrics improved against Gram‐negative bacteria including Escherichia coli (84.8%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (96.4%) and also Gram‐positive bacteria consisting Staphylococcus aureus (100%) and Enterococcus faecalis (98.4%). Further, the treated fabrics indicated an excellent UV reflectance of 100%. Finally heating of the cationized rGO fabric at 220 °C displayed a lower electrical resistance of 0.5 × 103 Ω sq^?1. The thermogravimetric analysis showed that heating has a slight effect on the dimensional thermal stability of the treated fabric as shrunk 2.43%. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134 , 45493.     

Synthesis and characterization of poly(methyl methacrylate–butyl acrylate–acrylic acid)/polyaniline core–shell nanoparticles in miniemulsion media

Conductive polymer particles, polyaniline (PANI)‐coated poly(methyl methacrylate–butyl acrylate–acrylic acid) [P(MMA–BA–AA)] nanoparticles, were prepared. The P(MMA–BA–AA)/PANI core–shell complex particles were synthesized with a two‐step miniemulsion polymerization method with P(MMA–BA–AA) as the core and PANI as the shell. The first step was to prepare the P(MMA–BA–AA) latex particles as the core via miniemulsion polymerization and then to prepare the P(MMA–BA–AA)/PANI core–shell particles. The aniline monomer was added to the mixture of water and core nanoparticles. The aniline monomer could be attracted near the outer surface of the core particles. The polymerization of aniline was started under the action of ammonium persulfate (APS). The final product was the desired core–shell nanoparticles. The morphology of the P(MMA–BA–AA) and P(MMA–BA–AA)/PANI particles was characterized with transmission electron microscopy. The core–shell structure of the P(MMA–BA–AA)/PANI composites was further determined by Fourier transform spectroscopy and ultraviolet–visible measurements. The conductive flakes made from the core–shell latexes were prepared, and the electrical conductivities of the flakes were studied. The highest conductivity of the P(MMA–BA–AA)/PANI pellets was 2.05 S/cm. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

β‐Cyclodextrin stabilized on three‐dimensional polyester fabric with different crosslinking agents

The stabilization of β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD) on spacer polyester fabric (three‐dimensional) is an interesting task. Using a crosslinking agent to stabilize β‐CD on the spacer polyester fabric is necessary. This causes an increase in the durability of β‐CD on the fabric. In this research, five different crosslinking agents, including two non‐formaldehyde crosslinking agents (citric acid and 1,2,3,4‐butane tetracarboxylic acid), one formaldehyde‐based crosslinking agent (dimethylol dihydroxyl ethylene urea), and two different commercial siloxane‐based softeners, were used to specify the best yield on the polyester spacer fabric with β‐CD. The results showed that, among the different crosslinking agents, 1,2,3,4‐butane tetracarboxylic acid provided the best durability after 10 washings. The changes in the weight, regain, drop absorption time on the fabric surface, metal‐ion (chrome) absorption, and reactive‐dye absorption were also reported, and scanning electron microscopy pictures were observed. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Improvement in the flame retardancy of cotton fabric by admicellar polymerization of 2‐acryloyloxyethyl diethyl phosphate using an anionic surfactant

The phosphorus‐containing acrylate monomer, 2‐acryloyloxyethyl diethyl phosphate (ADEP), was synthesized and applied to cotton fabric by using admicellar polymerization. Sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate was used as the anionic surfactant. The film of polymerized monomer (PADEP) formed on the cotton surface was characterized by FTIR‐ATR spectroscopy and SEM. Thermal and flame retardant properties of PADEP‐coated cotton were investigated by TGA and flammability tests. Results showed that PADEP polymer film was successfully formed on the cotton fabric. The TGA and DTG analyses showed that the phosphorus‐containing PADEP lowered the decomposition temperature of the treated fabric resulting in a higher char yield than in the case of untreated cotton. The flammability tests showed that the treated cotton had much improved flame retardancy property after the treatment. The treated fabric also retained its good pliability and soft touch with good air permeability. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Dielectric barrier discharge plasma induced surface modification of polyester/cotton blended fabrics to impart water repellency using HMDSO

Continuous treatment of polyester/cotton blended fabric samples was carried with hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) plasma on the pilot scale atmospheric pressure plasma reactor. The mixture of helium and argon was used as carrier gas for generating dielectric barrier discharge plasma. The effect of discharge power and treatment time on the water repellent properties of samples were evaluated with contact angle (CA) and spray test measurements. Spray test and CA results showed improved resistance to wetting with water. The effect of discharge conditions on the surface morphology and surface chemistry of plasma treated samples were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic analysis, respectively. The presence of Si‐O‐Si and Si‐CH₃ groups in the structure of plasma polymer deposited at the surface of P/C samples was revealed by FTIR spectroscopy. Further, structural differences in HMDSO plasma polymer deposited under different discharge conditions were reported with reference to organic/inorganic nature of plasma polymer. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011.     

Woven glass fabric/polyester composites: effect of interface tailoring on water absorption

An experimental investigation was carried out to study the effect of different surface treatments on the moisture absorption behavior of glass fabric/polyester composites. The materials under study included composites containing clean glass fabrics, fabrics treated with a silane coupling agent, and fabrics coated with a poly(dimethylsiloxane) elastomer. Weight gain data versus time of immersion were collected at three immersion temperatures and water uptake at equilibrium as well as apparent diffusion coefficients were calculated. The interlaminar shear strength was also measured at the initial dry state and at different stages of the absorption process to estimate the interfacial contribution to sorption behavior. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 98: 843–851, 2005     

Polyaniline–TiO2 hybrid‐coated cotton fabric for durable electrical conductivity

A polyaniline–TiO₂ hybrid was coated on cotton fabric to make it electrically conductive. A One‐pot method of synthesis with acetic acid medium was used, in which TiCl₄ was used as precursor. The oxidative polymerization of aniline adsorbed on TiO₂ (anatase form) was performed in the presence of cotton fabric. Fabric crystallinity was least affected by the coatings, as confirmed by XRD analysis. FTIR studies revealed interactions between fiber and hybrid. The morphological study through SEM showed the uniform coating of hybrid over the fibers of the cotton fabric and AFM analysis revealed the rod‐like structure of the hybrid. The strength of the coated fabrics was assessed using abrasion tests. The electrical conductivity was determined using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).The conductivity value varied with respect toTiO₂ content and ranged in the order 10^?4 to 10²S/cm. The effect of atmospheric aging was assessed. A more durable conductivity was observed in hybrid‐coated fabric than pristine polyaniline‐coated fabric. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Resistivity of conductive polymer–coated fabric

Preparation of conductive polymer–coated fabrics was carried out by admicellar polymerization. By this method, a thin layer of conductive polymers (polypyrrole, polyaniline, and polythiophene) was formed on cotton and polyester fabrics by a surfactant template. The effects of monomer concentration, oxidant to monomer ratio, and addition of salt on the resistivity of the resulting fabrics were studied. The results showed that the apparent surface and volume resistivity decreased with an increase in monomer concentration in the range 5–15 mM, but was not strongly dependent on the oxidant to monomer ratio over the range of 1 : 1 to 2 : 1. Addition of 0.5M salt was found to reduce the resistivity significantly. The lowest resistivity obtained was with polypyrrole‐coated fabric, with resistivity around 10⁶ ohm. SEM micrographs of the treated fabric surface showed a filmlike polymer coating, confirming that the fabrics were successfully coated by admicellar polymerization. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 2629–2636, 2004     

The effect of TiO2 nanopigment on the optical properties of polyester fabric in UV–VIS–NIR regions

The particle size parameter is a key factor that affects radiative properties of nanopigments, and consequently, pigments of the same type but different sizes represent different spectral performance. Therefore, current study dealt with a systematic experimental investigation on the effect of TiO₂ pigmented coatings on spectral reflectance and color performance of white and colored polyester fabrics in UV, VIS, and NIR region of electromagnetic spectrum, with a special emphasis on VIS region. In order to accomplish this target, polyester fabrics were coated with TiO₂ nanopigment with various concentrations and different diameters, and their reflectance spectra were measured using spectrophotometric method. Two‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was utilized to investigate the significance of the effect of TiO₂ nanopigment on the color performance of coated fabrics. According to experimental observations, an organized color shift appears in color coordinate of fabrics coated with TiO₂ nanopigment of various sizes. Moreover, although TiO₂ nanopigment with 35 nm diameter has the most significant impact on short wavelength region (UV region), the effect of pigment with 250 nm diameter is more noticeable on NIR region as long wavelength region.     

Surface‐initiated nitroxide‐mediated radical polymerization of 4‐vinylpyridine on magnetite nanoparticles

Poly (4‐vinylpyridine) (P4VP) brushes had been prepared by the surface‐initiated nitroxide‐mediated radical polymerization of 4‐VP on the surface of 3‐methacryloxyproyltrimethoxysilane (3‐MPS)‐modified magnetite nanoparticles with an average diameter of 30 nm. The grafting polymerization was accomplished by nitroxide‐mediated polymerization of 4‐VP, using 4‐hydroxyl‐2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐1‐piperidinyl‐oxy (HTEMPO·) free radical as capping agent and benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as initiator. X‐ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) measurement demonstrated that the alkoxysilane initiator layer had formed on the magnetite surface. Gel permeation chromatograph analysis and XPS measurement suggested that the amount of grafted P4VP increases with increasing grafting time. The amount of P4VP grafted on the surface could be determined to be 0.09 chains/nm² by thermogravimetric analysis. The P4VP‐grafted magnetite particles exhibited the characteristics of multidomain system, distinct from the single domain attributes of the pure magnetite particles. Atomic force‐microscopy analysis revealed the diameter of the grafted P4VP magnetic latex particles is in the range of 120 nm to 150 nm. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Thermomechanical properties of alkali treated jute‐polyester/nanoclay biocomposites fabricated by VARTM process

A systematic study was carried out to investigate the effect of alkali treatment and nanoclay on thermomechanical properties of jute fabric reinforced polyester composites (JPC) fabricated by the vacuum‐assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) process. Using mechanical mixing and sonication process, 1% and 2% by weight montmorillonite K10 nanoclay were dispersed into B‐440 premium polyester resin to fabricate jute fabric reinforced polyester nanocomposites. The average fiber volume was determined to be around 40% and void fraction was reduced due to the surface treatment as well as nanoclay infusion in these biocomposites. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) revealed enhancement of dynamic elastic/plastic responses and glass transition temperature (T_g) in treated jute polyester composites (TJPC) and nanoclay infused TJPC compared with those of untreated jute polyester composites (UTJPC). Alkali treatment and nanoclay infusion also resulted in enhancement of mechanical properties of JPC. The maximum flexural, compression, and interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) properties were found in the 1 wt % nanoclay infused TJPC. Fourier transform‐infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) revealed strong interaction between the organoclay and polyester that resulted in enhanced thermomechanical properties in the composites. Lower water absorption was also observed due to surface treatment and nanoclay infusion in the TJPC. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

New approach to hybrid materials: Functional sub-micrometer core/shell particles coated with NiS clusters by γ-irradiation

Functional sub-micrometer core/shell hybrid particles coated with inorganic components have many promising applications as new materials based on their multiphase structures with unusual features. Herein we demonstrate a novel approach to produce such particles with potential applications in the fields of magnetic materials. PSt seed latex was prepared through emulsion polymerization. Core-shell P(St-co-Am) particles with polyacryamide (PAm)-rich shell were formed through interfacial-initiated seeded emulsion polymerization. Then spherical P(St-co-AM)/NiS sub-micrometer composites were successfully prepared by the reaction of nickelous sulfate (NiSO₄) and thioacetamide (CH₃CSNH₂) under ⁶⁰Co γ-irradiation at ambient temperature and pressure. P(St-co-AM)/NiS hybrid particles were confirmed with electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy. The properties of P(St-co-Am) hybrid particles were studied with UV-vis spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy and magnetic hysteresis loop analysis.