Nanorevestimento de tecido de algodão através de impregnação de TiO2 e filme DLC depositado por plasma

Abstract

Nanomaterials have received increasing interest in the textile industry, e.g. in engineering surface and textile finishing of woven fabrics, knits, yarns and fibers. Textile materials treated with these nanomaterials acquire new properties like self-cleaning. Self-cleaning is the ability to decompose organic materials adsorbed on surface, which occurs through photodegradation reaction. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is one of the nanomaterials most used as photocat alysts in textile industry. Several methods have been employed for TiO2 deposition on textile fabrics surfaces. A common example is immerse a fabric to a sol-gel solution with pre-activation of substrate surface by plasma. In this context, we present an alternative technique for textile finishing: TiO2 nanoparticles suspended in distilled water and spr aying on cotton woven fabric sample by using pneumatic air blast nebulizer. Afterwards, the samples were dried in oven at 100°C for 5 minutes. Then, fabric were introduced in the plasma reactor of d.c. pulsed source for DLC film deposition. The plasma atmosphere was composed of CH4 (methane gas) and three different deposition times were employed: 10, 20 and 30 minutes. The samples were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), Raman Spectroscopy, wettability analysis by wicking method of spreading and absorption of liquid, count of particles distribution, and photodegradation by UV light radiation. The results of surface morphology analysis showed good distribution of particles on the substrate surface. The samples modified by TiO2 and plasma deposition of DLC film at 10 minutes, had the best results of methylene blue dye degradation in UV light, as well as spreading and absorption of liquids. These results showed that the use of nebulizer to deposit TiO2 on textile material is feasible and the DLC film in addition to anchor TiO2 NPs, decreases the cotton fabric hydrophilicity without interrupting the action of photodegradation of TiO2. Furthermore, the proposed technique reduces the amount of water as a vehicle for depositing the nanoparticles, the time and costs in the têxtil e finishing process. All these aspects are relevant for industrial production at the moment when it seeks to reduce costs coupled with lower environmental impact.