Abstract:

A novel method for color stripping of cotton fabric dyed with reactive dye was developed by employing photocatalysis technology and a dipping manner in water system, namely as the UV/H2O system, in order to resolve the problems about the high consumptions of chemicals and energy, as well as serious environmental pollution during conventional color stripping in textile industry. The color stripping parameters such as solution pH value, temperature, stripping duration, and their influences on the color stripping efficiency, tensile strength of cotton fabric were investigated. Moreover, the influences of stripping processes on the structure and morphology of cotton fibers were also investigated by infrared spectroscope and scanning electron microscope analysis. The results demonstrate that an excellent color stripping efficiency is achieved by utilizing photocatalitic color stripping method with a dipping manner in UV/H2O system. Moreover, a color stripping efficiency as high as 88% for cotton fabric dyed with reactive dye M-3BE (1%(o.m.f)) along with a remained tensile strength about 93% is achieved under optimized conditions of solution with pH of 6 at 20℃ and a duration of 40 min. In comparison with colored sample, less influence on the chemical and morphology structures is observed by employing a relative short photocatalitic color stripping duration with the dipping manner in the UV/H2O system.

Key words: photocatalytic color stripping, reactive dye, cotton fabric, color stripping efficiency, UV/H2O system