Free carrier dyeing of polyester fabric using nano TiO2

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of nano TiO2 on the dyeing behavior of polyester fabric. The polyester fabric was first thermally treated with nano TiO2 and then dyed with two different disperse dyes at the boil without a carrier. The dyeing efficiency was compared to the common carrier dyeing of the polyester. The dyeing adsorption of polyester fabrics was positively affected by nano TiO2 pre-treatment and an increase in nano TiO2 content led to higher color strength. The proposed method proved to have no adverse effects on fastness properties and could be introduced as a novel route, imparting various desirable multi-functional features to polyester fabric. This method is also free from some of the disadvantages involved in carrier dyeing such as toxicity.

► Introducing nano TiO2 pre-treatment as a novel method for polyester dyeing.
► Successful dyeing of polyester with two diverse disperse dyes without carrier.
► Obtaining comparable properties on the nano TiO2 pre-treated dyed fabrics with carrier dyeing.
► Producing nano TiO2 dyed polyester fabrics with multi-functional properties.