Polyester fabrics were dyed with prepared disperse dyes using the high temperature dyeing method. The dye exhaustion of the dye baths were compared to the low-temperature dyeing method in an attempt to study the proportion of the dye effluent solution that affects the environment. The dye uptake of the high temperature dyeing method (HT) of polyester fabric was compared with low temperature dyeing, hence (HT) increased the color strength of the investigated dyes by 309 and 265%. This means that the amount of dye present in the dye effluents by using the high-temperature dyeing method is almost non-existent, and this is reflected positively on the environment as these wastes pollute the environment. Post-treated polyester fabric was prepared through a two-step hot process after being immersed in a solution of Titanium (IV) oxide nanoparticle sizeTiO2 NPs (21 nm primary particle size) at 80 °C followed by curing at 140 °C. The treated fabric realized an optimum UV protection factor of 34.9 and 283.6 degrees. These fabrics also demonstrated a strong ability to improve the light fastness properties. Finally, the potential applications of such value-added fabrics as self-cleaning and antifungal activities were investigated. The results indicated that the treated dyed fabrics with TiO2 NPs endowed fabrics with the excellent self-cleaning of methylene blue dye. From the above, the treated fabrics with nano-titanium dioxide can be used in some promising fields, for example, medical ones.
Keywords: TiO2 NPs; high temperature dyeing; self-cleaning; ultraviolet protection factor.