Evaluation of dye treated jute textile reinforced polypropylene composites

Abstract

Natural fiber reinforced composites have been an emerging area now-a-days in the field of polymer science. The adverse effects of hydrophilic nature of natural fibers on their adhesion to hydrophobic polymer matrices is one of the important issues to be resolved. To achieve this goal with a view to improving the compatibility between the hydrophilic and hydrophobic components, a new approach of chemical modification of jute fabrics has been proposed and adopted. First, chemical modifications of plain jute fabrics with some cationic agents, such as Albafix WFF (poly- diallyl- dimethylammonium chloride), Glytac (Glycidyl trimethyl ammonium chloride), and Indosol-E50 (polyethylene polyamine) in the presence and absence of reactive dye (Drimarene Red K-8b) with or without sodium chloride, sodium carbonate, and sodium hydroxide have been performed following 23 different procedures. Besides, two other conventional treatment procedures were employed to modify the same fabrics for comparing with new approaches. All the treated plain jute fabrics were characterized in terms of water absorbency, FTIR spectra, color measurement, wash fastness, and tensile strength. Mechanical behavior, thermal behavior, surface morphology, and water uptake properties of plain jute fabrics polypropylene composites were evaluated from which the most effective treatment procedure was selected. Then, twill, single jersey, and rib jute fabrics were treated with this treatment procedure. Both treated and untreated jute fabrics of different structures were characterized and analyzed. PP composites of both treated and untreated fabrics of different structures were fabricated and evaluated. Plain jute fabrics treated with the mixture of Albafix WFF and sodium hydroxide and dyed with reactive dye only had 125% higher exhaustion, 95% higher dye uptake and better wash fastness than that of normal dyed jute fabrics. Composites of plain jute fabrics treated with the mixture of Albafix WFF and sodium hydroxide and again dyed with Drimarene Red K8b in the presence of NaCl and Na2CO3 had 109% higher tensile strength than that of the composites of untreated fabrics and 88% higher than that of the composites of NaOH treated fabrics. Also, these composites exhibited 49% lower water uptake value than that of untreated jute fabrics PP composites and 28% lower uptake than that of NaOH treated fabrics PP composites. Composites of untreated twill fabrics had 40% higher tensile strength than the composites of untreated plain fabrics. Composites of untreated rib had 58% lower water uptake than that of untreated plain fabric composites.