Effect of Solvent Pretreatment on Dyeability and Morphology of Poly(ethylene terephthalate)

Abstract

<span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:" calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:="" "times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;mso-hansi-theme-font:="" minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-ansi-language:en-us;="" mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="">The effect of pretreatment of polyesters with dimethylformamide (DMF), dichloromethane (DCM) and perchloroethylene (PCE) on dyeability of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) with a disperse dye was investigated. The dye uptake depended on the nature of solvent as well as duration and temperature of pretreatment. All pretreated samples showed a higher dye uptake than the untreated ones. However, DMF-treated samples acquired the highest dye uptake followed by DCM- and PCE-treated samples. A temperature close to the boiling point was the best for all the three solvent pretreatments from the point of view of dyeing. Dyeing studies showed quite promising results without the addition of carrier to the dyebath. Solvent pretreatment did not have any adverse effect on the other textile properties of polyester. The enhanced dyeability brought about by the pretreatment was associated with the plasticization and reduction in glass transition temperature of PET as evident from the study of per cent elongation at break and loss modulus.</span>