Dyeing of Polyester with Reactive Dyestuffs Using Nano-Chitosan

The main objective of this work is to investigate the effect of nano-chitosan on the dyeing of polyester fabric with reactive dyes. Polyester fabric was treated with alkali and coated with nano-chitosan. Afterwards all samples were dyed with reactive dyes. The water absorption and bending resistance of pristine polyester, alkaline and chitosan-treated polyester were measured. In order to investigate surface chemical bonding, FTIR/ATR was employed. Surface morphology of fabrics was observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Wettability and bending behavior of the treated polyester increased compared to the untreated one. The color difference between the dyed blank and chitosan-treated samples was estimated using a spectrophotometer. The data obtained shows it is possible to use reactive dyes to dye polyester fabrics finished with nano-chitosan and the resulting fabrics will exhibit acceptable washing and rubbing fastness.