Metal oxide doped polypropylene yarns with photocatalytic effect

Abstract

Abstract Functionalised textiles are produced eighter by surface treatment of textiles and by knitting or weaving of yarns and fibers with surface modification, or additive incorporated by compounding. Photocatalytic activity of oxides used as pigments TiO2 and ZnO can be utilized to add antimicrobial and self-cleaning properties to polymerbased fibers and yarns. False twist textured polypropylene yarns containing micronized titanium dioxide, zinc oxide and α-ferric oxide, as well as control sample without oxide pigment, were produced by means of compounding, melt spinning and false-twist texturizing. Knitted textiles made of these yarns were subsequently tested for photocatalytic activity, using sodium salicylate as a model pollutant in indoor conditions and a solution of dye Orange II for solar test in aqueous environment and solar irradiation. Although for indoor conditions both TiO2 and ZnO showed similar level of activity, reducing the half-time for sodium salicylate break-down by 23% and 24% respectively, this reaction may be considered slow for practical application. In contrast, almost 80% of Orange II was broken down in 24 hours on TiO2 doped textile in experiment with simulated solar irradiation.