ABSTRACT
Surface Modification ................................................................... 152 7.3.1 Adhesion Strength Improvement ..................................... 152 7.3.2 Wettability Improvement ................................................. 154 7.3.3 Desizing Improvement ..................................................... 159 7.3.4 Hydrophobic Textile Preparation ..................................... 159 7.3.5 Dyeing Improvement ....................................................... 160 7.3.6 Printability Improvement ................................................. 166 7.3.7 Anti-Static Property Improvement ................................... 167 7.3.8 Antimicrobial Finishing ................................................... 169 7.3.8 Flame Retardancy ............................................................ 174 7.3.9 UV Protection .................................................................. 175 7.4 Conclusion ................................................................................... 175 Keywords .............................................................................................. 176 References ............................................................................................. 176
7.1 INTRODUCTION
Global production of textiles products has increased more than 72.5 million metric tonnes of which synthetic fibers form an important part [1]. In fact, the production of natural fibers surpasses by synthetic fibers with more than 55% of products in the textile industry [2]. Polyester is the most used synthetic fiber first commercially produced by the du Pont Company. Polyesters are made from chemical substances found mainly in petroleum and are manufactured in three basic forms-fibers, films and plastics of which polyester fibers used to make fabrics is the largest segment. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) (Fig. 1) is the most common polyester used for textile manufacturing. PET is synthesized from ethylene glycol with either terephthalic acid (Fig. 2) or its methyl ester in the presence of an antimony catalyst under high temperature and vacuum to achieve high molecular weights needed to form useful fibers. Production of polyester accounted of 30.3 million metric tonnes in 2008 representing about 72% of the entire man-made fiber [1]. The 2009 global aggregate polyethylene terephthalate output summed up 49.2 m tonnes, of which PET fiber accounted for about two-thirds, whereas PET for packages and films 34% [1]. In 2010, the world textile industry has experienced the most potent growth in 25 years. Manufacturing volumes of natural and manmade fibers rocketed upwards by 8.6%, or 6.4 million tonnes, at 80.8 million tonnes of polyester industrial filament yarn jumped up by spectacular 37%. Viscose fibers produced a record-breaking growth of 17% [2]. PET fibers are expected to account for 50% of the world fibers production in 2012 [1].
