Imbuing titanium dioxide into cotton fabric using tetrabutyl titanate by hydrothermal method

Nanosized titanium dioxide particle prepared by hydrothermal precipitation method was first loaded onto the surface of cotton fabric using tetrabutyl titanate, and then dyed with Remazol Brilliant Blue R. Scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermal gravimetric, and diffuse reflectance spectrum analyses were used to characterize the morphology, crystalline phase, chemical structure, thermal stability, and optical properties of titanium dioxide-modified fabric. The tensile properties, water absorption, K/S value, and color fastness of cotton fabric before and after treatments were also investigated. It was found that pure anatase phase titanium dioxide particles could be synthesized from tetrabutyl titanate aqueous solution, and were adhered onto the fiber surface by means of physical mode. The secondary particles were composed of the nanocrystallite particles with a diameter of less than 10 nm. As compared with the pristine fabric, the onset decomposition temperature of titanium dioxide-modified fabric changed a little. The degree of orientation was decreased. The ultraviolet protection performance was improved significantly. The color yield (K/S value) was distinctly decreased, but colorfastness to rubbing, wet scrubbing, and light was enhanced. Water absorption was increased slightly. Breaking load and elongation in warp and weft directions were increased to some extent because of the shrinkage of fabric size.