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The presented study focuses on the modification of polypropylene (PP) film with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) under heterogeneous conditions via polydopamine/polyethylene imine (PDA/PEI) chemistry using a facile dip-coating procedure to attain hydrophilic mineral-rich surfaces. Thus, the resulting PP-based films were further immersed in ion-rich simulated body fluid (SBF) to deposit Ca-based minerals onto the film’s surfaces efficiently. In addition, the chemical reaction mechanism on PP film was proposed, and mineralisation potential inspected by determination of functional groups of deposits, zeta potential, hydrophilicity and surface morphology/topography using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, streaming potential, water contact angle (WCA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The obtained results show the improved wettability of samples on account of PDA inclusion (WCA was reduced from 103° for pure PP film to 28° for PDA-modified film), as well as the presence of functional groups, due to the PDA/PEI/TEOS surface functionalisation, increased the ability of minerals to nucleate on the PP film’s surface when it was exposed to an SBF medium. Moreover, the higher surface roughness due to the silica coatings influenced the enhanced anchoring and attachment of calcium phosphate (CaP), revealing the potential of such a facile approach to modify the chemically inert PP films, being of particular interest in different fields, including regenerative medicine.

Poseben problem odpadkov v tekstilni industriji predstavljajo odpadne tehnološke vode, predvsem tiste, ki nastajajo pri plemenitenju tekstilij. Te odpadne vode so močno obremenjene, vsebujejo različne kemikalije in tekstilna pomožna sredstva, imajo ekstremne pH-vrednosti in visoke KPK in BPK vrednosti, različne tipe organskih barvil, kar povzroča obarvanost, vsebujejo fosfate, sulfate in ostale soli, tenzide, maščobe in olja ter različne tipe težkih kovin. Tekstilne odpadne vode so zelo heterogene po sestavi, zato je čiščenje takšnih voda kompleksna naloga, za katero ni idealne in v naprej izdelane metode. Glede na proizvodni proces je potrebno izbrati fleksibilno in ekonomsko upravičeno tehnologijo čiščenja. Pri izbiri tehnologije čiščenja odpadnih voda moramo upoštevati njihovo količino in kakovost, ki jo ovrednotimo s specifičnimi in sumarnimi ekološkimi parametri.

People have been accompanied by colours throughout the history and through all periods of life. In different eras, colours were also associated with status symbols of different social classes or mythological beliefs. We are often addressed emotionally by colour combinations, since colour perception is always and exclusively a sensorial experience. Various colour combinations can have a pleasant effect on us or leave us cold as well as in a state of shock. All of the above, presented the starting point of this research. Detection and perception of sensations through colour was accomplished by preparing a questionnaire related to 12 selected colours. The research included 302 participants from Slovenia, of both sexes and different ages, born from 1940 to 2004. From the obtained results, it could be concluded how popular a certain colour is in a material, design and spiritual sense. Moreover, the results were validated and compared regarding the gender and age of participants, and further compared with the results of previous studies.

The proposed paper describes the influence of woven fabric constructional parameters (type of weave, relative fabric density) and colouration (obtained by eco-friendly dyeing) on the solar transmittance of cotton woven fabrics in the range of 210–1200 nm. The cotton woven fabrics in their raw state were prepared according to Kienbaum’s setting theory, at three levels of relative fabric density and three levels of the weave factor, and then exposed to the dyeing process with natural dyestuffs (beetroot, walnut leaves). After ultraviolet/visible/near-infrared (UV/VIS/IRA) solar transmittance and reflection in the range of 210–1200 nm were recorded, the influence of the fabric construction and colouration were analysed. The guidelines for fabric constructor were proposed. The results show that the walnut-coloured satin samples at the third level of relative fabric density provide the best solar protection in the whole solar spectrum. All the tested eco-friendly dyed fabrics offer good solar protection, while only raw satin fabric at the third level of relative fabric density can be classified as solar protective material with even better protection in IRA region than some coloured samples.

The presented study assesses the efficiency of selected adsorbents, zeolite 4A in two particle sizes and pelletized activated carbon (AC), for the potential removal of color, chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC) and metals from wastewaters after natural wool dyeing. Firstly, the natural coloring compounds were extracted from dried common walnut (Juglans regia) leaves and used further for exhaustion dyeing of wool fibers, together with three different metallic salts in two concentrations (meta-mordanting). Effluents with higher mordant concentration were additionally treated according to a shake-flask adsorption experiment. The obtained results revealed efficient removal of exceeded metallic ions by zeolite (up to 94.7%), on account of their superior ion exchange capability as compared to AC. The zeolites also reduced turbidity and electrical conductivity significantly. On the other hand, AC was more efficient for the reduction in organic pollution, COD up to 96% and TOC up to 95%, due to its higher specific surface area and total pore volume, and, thus, higher potential for adsorption of different compounds in comparison to 4A. All three proposed adsorbents lowered wastewaters’ coloration remarkably, up to 78% (AC) and up to 71% (4A), depending on the type of effluent/mordant and inspected wavelength; although, the spectral absorbance coefficient (SAC) values remained highly above the limit values for discharge of wastewaters into watercourses.

The presented research examined five adsorbents, i.e., zeolite 4A, a mixture of three zeolites (4A, 13X, and ZSM-5), natural zeolite (tuff), activated carbon, and peat, and their potential capability for removal of exceeded ions of lead (Pb), antimony (Sb), sulphates (SO42−), and fluorides (F−) from real wastewater generated in the crystal glass industry, which was previously treated in-situ by flocculation, with the aim to attain the statutory values for discharge into watercourses or possible recycling. The screening experiment evidenced that the tuff was the most suitable adsorbent for the reduction of Pb (93.8%) and F− (98.1%). It also lowered wastewater’s pH sufficiently from 9.6 to 7.8, although it was less appropriate for the reduction of Sb (66.7%) as compared to activated carbon (96.7%) or peat (99.9%). By adjusting the pH of the initial wastewater to pH 5, its adsorption capacity even enlarged. Results from the tuff-filled column experiment revealed reduction of Pb up to 97%, Sb up to 80%, and F− up to 96%, depending on the velocity flow, and thus it could be used for post-treatment (and recycling) of wastewaters from the crystal glass industry. Moreover, the system showed an explicit buffering capacity, but negligible reduction of the SO42−.

The main objective of the presented research was to study the possibility of using natural colourants obtained through the aqueous extraction of fresh leaves from the Junglans regia (J. regia), or common walnut tree, for the dyeing of wool yarn. A unique principle was explored by combining the phases of extraction and mordanting into one with the aim of shortening the dyeing procedure, while at the same time extracting more colouring components. Spectrophotometric studies revealed the signifi cant impact of both mordant addition and dye-bath pH on the absorbance curve and thus on the colour and K/S values of the dyed samples. A meta-ordanting technique using ferrous sulphate produced a greater depth of shade at a wavelength of 400 nm, with respect to the concentration of mordant and the liquid ratio of the extraction. Finally, wool yarn dyed with pure leaf extracts exhibited a potent inhibiting activity against Candida albicans (C. albicans) with a moderate reduction rate of 59%, and an inhibited response against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) with a low reduction rate of 38.6%.

The presented review summarizes recent studies in the field of electro conductive textiles as an essential part of lightweight and flexible textile-based electronics (so called e-textiles), with the main focus on a relatively simple and low-cost dip-coating technique that can easily be integrated into an existing textile finishing plant. Herein, numerous electro conductive compounds are discussed, including intrinsically conductive polymers, carbon-based materials, metal, and metal-based nanomaterials, as well as their combinations, with their advantages and drawbacks in contributing to the sectors of healthcare, military, security, fitness, entertainment, environmental, and fashion, for applications such as energy harvesting, energy storage, real-time health and human motion monitoring, personal thermal management, Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) shielding, wireless communication, light emitting, tracking, etc. The greatest challenge is related to the wash and wear durability of the conductive compounds and their unreduced performance during the textiles’ lifetimes, which includes the action of water, high temperature, detergents, mechanical forces, repeated bending, rubbing, sweat, etc. Besides electrical conductivity, the applied compounds also influence the physical-mechanical, optical, morphological, and comfort properties of textiles, depending on the type and concentration of the compound, the number of applied layers, the process parameters, as well as additional protective coatings. Finally, the sustainability and end-of-life of e-textiles are critically discussed in terms of the circular economy and eco-design, since these aspects are mainly neglected, although e-textile’ waste could become a huge problem in the future when their mass production starts.

Prisotnost barvil v odpadni vodi je nesprejemljiva tako iz estetskega kot tudi iz ekološkega stališča. Problematika prvega izhaja iz dejstva, da so odpadne vode, ki vsebujejo barvila, intenzivno obarvane že pri zelo nizkih koncentracijah barvil. Bolj pereča kot estetska je okoljska problematika barvil v odpadni vodi. Objektivno tveganje, ki ga predstavljajo za okolje, je odvisno od strukturnih in fizikalnih karakteristik barvil, njihove koncentracije ter časa izpostavitve v okolju. V okviru predmeta se prouči razpoložljive tehnologije čiščenja obarvanih vod, kar pa kaže na to, da ni enostavnih, učinkovitih in hkrati cenovno sprejemljivih načinov čiščenja tako kompleksnih odpadnih vod, kot so obarvane odpadne vode.

Vaje »Sodobni postopki barvanja in barva« obravnavajo sistematiko in nomenklaturo barvil, fizikalno kemijo barvalnih procesov ter uporabo naprednih materialov in tehnik pri procesu barvanja. Največji del je posvečen posebnim postopkom, ki omogočajo sodoben način barvanja ob istočasnem doseganju višjega nivoja kakovosti tako v smislu ekologije, kot v doseganju več funkcionalnih lastnosti materialov in barvanju z naravnimi barvili. Postopki, ki jih posebej proučujemo so barvanje pri pogojih super kritičnega CO2, barvanje ob souporabi ultrazvoka ali predhodne plazma obdelave in barvanje s funkcionalnimi barvil. Ta vrsta barvil nam omogoča posebnosti kot so: termokromija, fotokromija, elektrokromija, solvatokromija in ostale učinke povezane z uporabo teh barvil.

In the present study, cotton (Co) and polyester (PES) fabrics were screen-printed with a conductive poly3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene:polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) printing paste along with a commercially-available screen-printing binder (SFXC) or waterborne polyurethane resin (WPU), in order to enhance wash and wear durability, and to improve some functional properties, without essentially influencing the physical–mechanical properties of the base material, as well as the introduced fabrics’ conductivity. The application of a conductive polymer coating reduced transmittance in the whole UV region drastically, indicating good UV-shielding ability in the treated fabrics. Moreover, the employed binders improved the fabrics’ protection against harmful solar UV radiation significantly, depending on the type of fibre and binder. Furthermore, the SFXC binder intensified the hydrophobicity of Co as compared to the WPU binder, and, on the other hand, WPU reduced the hydrophobicity of PES. Finally, the screen-printed fabrics were washed up to 20 cycles and rubbed up to 20,000 cycles, and characterised by means of mass loss determination and electrical resistivity measurement. Both binders enlarged polymer stability against the effect of washing and rubbing, depending on the number of cycles, the type and amount of employed binder, the type of fibres, and the thickness and uniformity of coatings.

The selective metallisation of textiles is becoming a very important process in the development of electronic or e-textiles. This study investigated the efficacy of polymer coatings for the protection of copper (Cu) conductive tracks electroless plated on polyester (PES) fabric against laundering and rubbing, without essentially affecting the physical-mechanical and optical properties of the base material. After the electroless deposition of a consistent layer of Cu onto PES, four polymers were applied individually by screen-printing or padding. The physical-mechanical characterisation of coated textiles revealed that polyurethane resin (PUR) and modified acrylate resin (AR) had little effect on the air permeability, tensile strength and breaking tenacity of the PES, as compared to silicone elastomer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and epoxy resin (ER). On the other hand, PUR and PDMS had higher abrasion resistance and photo-stability under prolonged UV irradiation, as compared to AR and ER. In addition, freshly Cu plated samples were coated with polymers, washed up to 30 cycles and characterised by measuring their electrical resistivity, determination of colour changes and the examination of the surface morphology. Based on these results, PUR presented the most suitable protection of Cu tracks on PES, with the lowest impact on physical-mechanical properties. ER is not recommended to be used for protection of Cu tracks on fabrics, due to its rigidity, low photo-stability, washing and wear durability.

Novel multifunctional bio-based nanofibrous mats were prepared which contain the commonly used pain reducing local anesthetic benzocaine (BZC) and the in situ pH-detecting dye bromocresol green (BCG). These can serve as a dual nano-carrier system for wound healing applications, especially in the treatment of infected wounds. BZC and BCG were introduced into cellulose acetate (CA) based nanofibers using a single-step needleless electrospinning process. The resulting CA nanofibers show a homogenous fiber diameter distribution around 600 nm, hydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 134°, and simultaneous porosities on the nano-micro- scale. In spite of their hydrophobic character, the nanofibrous mats showed a huge water absorption capacity (1657%), as well as good stability at physiological pH (negligible degradation). All the mentioned properties remain unchanged upon the inclusion of either BZC or BCG. Results from the in vitro drug release studies showed a pH dependent (i.e. controllable) release of BZC, and confirmed the expected maximum drug release rate at pH 9.0, which would correspond clinically to the pH of an infected wound. The accompanying color change of the nanofibrous mats, provided through the encapsulated BCG (from yellow to blue), is noticeable within a few seconds after the pH changes from acidic to alkaline. This rapid response of NSAID, together with the visible absorption of included dye, show the capacity of the proposed nanofibrous mats as an in situ pH-detecting system. Finally, the biocompatibility of the proposed nanofibrous mats was proven using human skin fibroblast cells, confirming their potential to be used in wound treatment.

The aim of this research was to apply three different types of zeolites and the combination thereof in the form of a very fine powder, together with different chemicals and additives on polyamide knitted fabric according to an industrially acceptable exhaustion procedure in order to study changes in the morphology, optical properties and wettability of surfaces. Zeolites were analysed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and gas physiosorption. Additionally, the morphology of zeolite-coated surfaces was examined closely using SEM, while changes in molecular-chemical level were examined by means of IR spectroscopy. Optical properties were studied using CIE colour measurement and diff use reflectance profi le determination, while the hydrophilic/hydrophobic character was examined using goniometry. The obtained results show the suitability of the employed exhaustion procedure, depending on the type of zeolite and the composition of the treatment bath. The results also provided evidence of the enhanced wettability of PA fabrics using 4A and 13X zeolites in combination with selected additives.

The presented study focuses on photoluminescent pigments applied on cotton fabric by a screen-printed procedure using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as a binder. Microscopic data depicts irregular shapes and relatively wide size distribution (3&ndash, 80 &micro, m) of pigments. Regarding composition, the Energy-Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy data complement findings suggesting the presence of Eu-doped strontium aluminate in the yellow-green, calcium aluminate in the violet pigment, and metal oxides in the blue pigment. The optical properties of pigment-enriched PDMS-coated cotton fabric were assessed and reflectance intensity was found to be concentration-dependent only in the blue pigment. The luminescence decay data show that luminescence intensity decreased with the reduction of pigment concentration in the following order, yellow-green &gt, blue &gt, violet pigments. Relying on absorption and emission data of powdered pigments, the confocal microscopy enables visualization of the pigments&rsquo, distribution within a 3D image projection. This identifies the most homogeneous distribution in the case of the blue pigment, as well as the presence of a continuous fluorescing signal in the z projection when 5% pigment was used. This was, for the first time, presented as a powerful tool for non-destructive visualization of photoluminescent pigments&rsquo, spatial distribution when printed on textile (cotton) fabric. Finally, the photoluminescent PDMS coating demonstrates high washing and abrasion resistance, contributing to overall functionality of printed cotton fabrics when commercial types of pigments are applied.

The use of biomass to produce value-adding materials is a core objective of the circular economy, which has attracted great research interest in recent decades. In this context, we present here a simple dispersion-casting process for consolidation of cellulose nanofibrils (CNF), lignosulphonate (LS)-rich bio-waste and CaCl2 in composite membranes. The addition of CaCl2 to CNF and LS dispersions reduces the ζ potential, due to an electrostatic screening, which promotes the aggregation of CNF, increases its moisture content and promotes LS deposition on CNFs already in the dispersion phase. Addition of both the LS and CaCl2 to CNF dispersion has an adverse effect on the mechanical properties of the final membranes. The effectiveness of the new composite membranes has been described in terms of their passive (charring) flame retardancy and 100 % UVA/UVB shielding capacity, both identified for membranes with the highest LS content, as well as high electronic resistance.

The optimized preparation of novel electrospun nanofibrous composites from cellulose acetate (CA) and ultra-high silica zeolites (UHSZ) are reported as a promising material for the adsorption of Volatile Organic Compound (VOCs). Two types of UHSZs, i.e. silicalite and USY were prepared by hydrothermal crystallization while the fabrication of composites was performed using single needle and needle-less electrospinning systems, demonstrating the scalability of the composite fibres’ manufactured. Herein, factors such as properties of spinning solutions and electrospinning process parameters were studied, as well as interactions between the CA and UHSZs. In addition, Quartz Crystal Microbalance - Dissipation technique (QCM-D) was employed with an aim to study the adsorption behaviour of newly developed composites using ammonia as a model pollutant. The QCM-D data revealed that the presence of UHSZs in the CA materials increased adsorption capacity, designating CA/UHSZ composites as potential materials suitable for a large-scale removal of VOCs from polluted air.

The purpose of this research was to apply four stable colloidal dispersions, combining di erent TiO2 coreshell nanoparticles, onto polyester fabric, according to exhaustion procedure, in order to enhance fabrics' water and moisture absorption properties. Firstly, all colloidal dispersions were analysed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) and secondly, the morphologies of TiO2 modi ed PES surfaces were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition, the superhydrophilic character of brous surfaces was investigated by water contact angle measurement. For this purpose, dynamic tensiometry was employed by measuring the changes in the net force on a surface during the repeated immersion and emersion of a solid into a probe liquid. The obtained results show excellent wettability of TiO2 upgraded PES fabrics depending on the type of applied nano-sized TiO2-hybride.

The aim of the presented work was to study the effects of TiO2–SiO2 nanoparticles on the hydrophilicity as well as colouration ability of polyester fabric during high-temperature disperse dyeing. Various analytical techniques were employed to characterize three TiO2–SiO2 dispersions with different SiO2 weight percent. In addition, one-bath exhaustion procedure was accomplished by combining TiO2 dispersions and three disperse dyes in two concentrations, respectively. Finally, the dyed/nano-upgraded samples were subjected to artificial UV light with the intention of establishing any undesired photo-fading behaviour of applied dyes on account of TiO2 presence. The results provided evidence of enhanced wettability at low SiO2 content, and on the other hand, pale depth of shade when the nanoTiO2-hybrides were attended, regarding the type of dye and its concentration. Moreover, UV irradiation significantly influenced the hue, brightness, chroma, and colour strength, although the higher SiO2 amount suppressed the photocatalytic activity of nanoTiO2 and thus, diminished the oxidative dye-fading.

The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the durability of TiO2-SiO2 coatings applied in three concentrations onto two lightweight cellulose-based fabrics diverse in the composition against two external factors, repeated washings and prolonged intensive UV irradiation, by observing the changes in surface morphology, investigation of optical properties, and identification of specific molecular vibrations. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) profiles and fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectra implied equal distribution of TiO2-SiO2 nanoparticles over the surfaces of both fabrics after exhaustion procedures, regarding the concentration of colloidal paste and the type of material used, followed by a slight reduction of nanoparticles after twenty washing cycles. Moreover, the newly gained, good to very good UV protective functionality proved the suitability of the employed procedure and the sufficient durability of the selected coatings. Additionally, UV irradiation mainly caused damages to the cotton. Cotton/polyester became yellower under UV, although the application of TiO2-SiO2 protected the material against yellowness.

Three industrially-prepared (via the sulphate synthesis process) and commercially-available nanoTiO 2 colloidal suspensions were coated on polyester fabric using the conventional pad-dry-cure procedure, in order to enhance fabric functionalities by imparting self-cleaning and UV-protection ability. Various characterization techniques, i.e. transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and UV/Vis spectroscopy of the suspensions revealed the presence of anatase TiO 2 spherical-shaped nanoparticles of different crystallite sizes, as well as its prominent absorption capacity within the UV region. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was adopted to analyse the morphological structure of nanoTiO 2 -modified PES fabrics. Furthermore, the photocatalytic activity was investigated through the discolourations of red wine and red beet stains under two types of light sources, i.e. direct day light and artificial UV light, by means of a spectrophotometry. The UV-protective properties were also evaluated by calculating the ultraviolet protective factors of individual coated fabric. The obtained results show acceptable blocking properties against UV-rays, as well as the adequate self-cleaning abilities of TiO 2 -modified PES fabrics as governed by the types and concentrations of applied TiO 2 suspension.

The presented case study examined the possibility of using four commercially available compact textiles in small-scale column purifying system conducted in a continuous-flow operation as filters for colour, organic pollutants and salt reduction. Two wastewaters were prepared for the experimental purposes by combining chemically different dyestuffs, auxiliaries and chemicals in order to simulate dye-bath effluents from cotton (reactive) and wool (acid) dyeing, respectively. Treatment of the laboratory-prepared wastewaters was carried out in columns packed with alternating layers of sand and individual compact textile and, for comparison, in a column comprised merely of sand. It was found that both non-woven textiles, either made from polypropylene (PP) or bicomponent PP/polyethylene (PE) yarn with more complex structure and higher total void area, were more suitable for adsorption/filtration of colour and organic pollutants from dye-rich textile wastewaters in comparison to both woven fabrics. Mon...

The main contribution of the research work presented here was to select and investigate a few commercially available textiles to study their filtration/adsorption potential for salt and total organic carbon (TOC) reduction during wastewater treatment. First, several physical–mechanical properties, such as tensile strength, thickness, weight, density and structural aspect of two woven (polyamide and polyester) and two nonwoven (polypropylene [PP] and PP/polyethylene [PE]) textiles, were determined. Also, the void amount and total void area percentage of textiles were measured, which influence the wastewater flow (clog) and filtration efficiency. With the intention of examining the adsorption ability of the selected textiles, kinetic experiments were carried out in shake-flasks using three commonly-used salts. Afterwards, small-scale column experiments were conducted in a continuous-flow operation to assess the TOC and salt reduction. It was found that both nonwoven textiles (either made from PP or...

In the research work presented here, a Plackett–Burman two-level partial factorial design was adopted as a multivariate strategy to determine the optimum UV/H2O2 process conditions for maximizing the treatment efficiency of dye-rich textile effluents. The influence of wastewater parameters, i.e. type and concentration of dye (C Dye), 100–300 mg/L; concentration of NaCl (C NaCl), 2.5–3.5 g/L; and concentration of urea (C Urea), 5–15 g/L; and the amount of NaOH (C NaOH), 1–2.4 mL/L; as well as the operational parameters, i.e. intensity of UV irradiation (I UV), 1.2–1.4 kW; the amount of H2O2 , 0.7–8.3 mL/L; and treatment time (t), 6–30 min; on the colour and the removal of organic pollutants was investigated. After determining seven variables, laboratory-scale experiments were conducted using two synthetically-prepared wastewaters solutions that were polluted with two structurally different reactive dyes and selected chemicals. The assessment of the UV/H2O2 pilot plant’s performance was by monitori...

Newly synthesized SiO 2 surface treated TiO 2 nanoparticles (TiO 2 –SiO 2 ) were prepared, characterized and utilized in functional dyeing as combined reactive dyeing of cotton fabrics. Factors affecting the dyeing and functional properties of the treated fabric, concentration of TiO 2 –SiO 2 and of reactive dye as well as dyeing regime were studied. The chemical and morphological structures of nano-upgraded cotton fabrics were characterized by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. UV-blocking ability, coloration and comfortable behavior of cotton have been evaluated through ultraviolet protection factor, CIE L * a * b * color values and air permeability determinations, respectively. Incorporation of TiO 2 –SiO 2 into the dyeing with reactive dyes brought about an outstanding UV protection functionality of the dyed fabrics even after 15 laundering cycles with a negligible negative impact on color and comfortable properties. Improvement or decrement in the UV protection, comfort, and dyeing properties is governed by the reactant concentrations and the dyeing temperature.

The main contribution of the presented research is to examine the potential of natural zeolite for colour and TOC reduction when packed in a fixed-bed system, considering various parameters such as wastewater characteristics, properties of natural zeolite, loading rate and hydraulic retention time. Firstly, the diverse chemical aspects of tuff were determined using scanning electron microscopy and infrared spectroscopy with the intention of establishing the impact of tuff surface and chemical composition on its adsorption properties and decolouration possibilities. Secondly, a series of dynamic experiments were conducted on laboratory-prepared wastewaters combining chemically differ reactive dyestuffs, auxiliaries and chemicals in order to investigate biofilter’s treatment efficiency. Assessment of the biofilter’s performance was verified by monitoring absorbance and total organic carbon in initial and treated wastewaters. The results showed that when increasing the load from 22 to 37 mg/m3d (dyes) and fr...

The main contribution of the present work was to study the impact of Corona-treated wool fabrics’ induced surface properties on dye-bath exhaustion, in order to optimize different dyeing systems. Firstly, the differing chemical aspects of a woven wool fabric's surface were determined using two dissimilar analytical skills (XPS and polyelectrolyte titration). With the intention to establish the ability of low-temperature plasma treatment to change wool fibre morphology which could have an impact on sorption properties, fabrics were dyed with blue acid and blue metal-complex dyes, and dyeing behaviour were studied by means of on-line VIS spectrophotometry. Finally, dyed samples were colourimetricaly evaluated and colour differences calculated. The results provided evidence that the overall carbon C 1s content was decreased while oxygen and nitrogen atoms were increased when using ionized air for fabric modification. It has also been noted that the amount of positive-charged functional groups in various pH ranges are higher for Corona-treated wool fabric in comparison with the untreated that improves hydrophylicity and dyeing properties.

The main objective of this work was to compare the colour of different pretreated (alkaline, acidic and enzymatic) and dyed (conventional and ultrasonic-assisted) flax fibres, to establish the impact of various parameters on dyeing kinetics. Flax fibres were dyed using two direct dyes of different chemical structures and molecular mass. Diffusion profiles were established by the application of Fick’s Law and dyeing behaviour was studied by means of online spectrophotometry. Finally, the dyed samples were colorimetrically evaluated and colour differences and colour strengths were subsequently calculated. The results provided evidence that a dye molecule’s size has a greater influence on the exhaustion degree, migration and diffusion than individual pretreatment processes. The determined diffusion coefficients indicated superior dye mobility and faster diffusion into the fibres when ultrasonic power was used in comparison with conventional process. Nevertheless, the colour depth obtained was found to be low after ultrasonic dyeing using a larger dye molecule, implying part degradation of CI Direct Red 80 (and total degradation of small-size dyestuff, CI Direct Red 81).

The objective of the present paper was to examine the treatment efficiency of constructed wetlands (CW) for the dye-rich textile wastewater with special focus on colour reduction. Preliminary, a series of dynamic experiments was performed in the CW model packed with gravel, sand, and zeolitic tuff on three synthetically prepared wastewaters using chemically differ dyestuffs, auxiliaries and chemicals, in order to investigate the potential of low-cost materials as media for textile dye-bath wastewater treatment. The obtained results evidence that applied CW model reduces colour by up to 70%, and COD and TOC by up to 45%. Based on these results, the pilot CW with vertical (VF) and horizontal flow (HF) was constructed near textile factory mainly for cotton and cotton/PES processing with intention to treat real textile wastewater in situ. It was designed for 1m3/day, covering 80 m2, packed with sand and gravel, and planted with Phragmites australis. The average treatment efficiency of the CW for the selected pollution parameters were: COD 84%, BOD5 66%, TOC 89%, Ntotal 52%, Norganic 87%, NH4-N -331%, sulphate 88%, anion surfactant 80%, total suspended solids (TSS) 93%, and colour 90%, respectively. The results unequivocally proved that the CW could offer an optimal solution to meet the environmental legislation as well as requirements for effective and inexpensive textile wastewater treatment.

A constructed wetland model, comprising two different substrate mixtures, was used to purify textile dyebath wastewater. Three laboratory prepared wastewaters containing three commercial dyes of different classes and chemical constitution (one vat and two reactive dyes), different chemicals (NaOH, NaCl) and auxiliaries (migration inhibitor, sequestering, defoaming and wetting agents) were employed. Purifying efficiency was verified by measuring pollution parameters, such as absorbance, pH, total organic carbon (TOC), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and electrical conductivity (EC). It was found that the constructed wetland model reduced dye concentration by up to 70%, lowered the TOC and COD values up to 88%, electrical conductivity up to 60% and pH from 12 to 7.6.

The efficiency of three wastewater treatment techniques, coagulation/flocculation, adsorption and ultrafiltration, has been studied for the removal of vat and disperse dyes from residual pad liquors. Three inorganic coagulants Al2(SO4)3·18H2O, FeSO4·7H2O, FeCl3·6H2O and commercial cationic flocculant, as individuals and in combination, were tested for the coagulation/flocculation methods. Granular activated carbon was used as an adsorbent in the adsorption technique. Ultrafiltration was performed using a polyethersulfone membrane with a molecular weight cut-off of 10 kDa. Dye removal was evaluated as the difference between concentrations of dyes in pad liquors before and after a particular treatment using absorbance measurements. The obtained results indicated over 90% of dye removal using appropriate coagulants and only 40% using activated carbon. The best results, dye removal over 98%, were achieved using the ultrafiltration technique.

The presented study focuses on the development of a pad-dry-thermofix functional coating process using a mixture of microporous aluminosilicate particles in diverse bath formulations to impart UV-ray-blocking, thermal stability and easy-care properties to the cotton fabric. The results of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray powder Diffraction (XRD) revealed the presence of three different types of zeolites within the examined sample, i.e., the largest amount being zeolite A, followed by the zeolite X, and the zeolite ZSM-5. The surface characterization results of zeolite-coated/cross-linked textiles provided evidence of acceptable UV-ray-blocking properties and increased thermal stability, as well as enhanced tensile strength and breaking tenacity without considerably decreasing the whiteness degree. Moreover, the dry crease recovery angle increased for the cotton fabric cross-linked via an mDMDHEU, and decreased significantly using 30 g/L zeolites negatively influencing qualitative values. TG/DTA results have proven the enlarged thermal stability of aluminosilicate-coated cotton, although combustion was not prevented.

The objective of the presented research was to examine the potential of capillary electrophoresis (CE) for the analysis of structurally different reactive dyestuffs, their activation and posterior hydrolysis, with special focus on optimization of the working conditions. Preliminary, the effect of various additives to the background electrolyte on the resolution improvements versus migration time of Reactive Black 5 as a model dyestuff was investigated. Based on these results, the electropherograms of eight commercially interesting reactive dyestuffs of various chemical structures and their converted forms upon alkaline pH were carried-out. In order to examine the behavior of the reactive dyestuff during the dyeing process, the dye-bath absorbance was monitored throughout the Reactive Black 5 exhaustion, and the conversion of the dye's form was highlighted using the CE technique. The obtained results unequivocally prove that CE could offer a fast and efficient detection method of structurally different reactive dyestuffs, as well as their hydrolysis products in the dye-baths and effluents later on.