Hyperbranched Polyester-Stabilized Nanotitania-Coated Vectran Fibers with Improved UV-Blocking Performance.

An OH terminated hyperbranched polyester is used to stabilize TiO₂ nanomaterials (10 nm) in situ synthesized via a sol-gel method with butyltitanate as precursor. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses and thermogravimetric (TGA) analyses illustrate the interactions of the hyperbranched polyester with the TiO₂ nanoparticles. The stabilized TiO₂ nanocomposites are used in the finishing process of Vectran and a continuous uniform TiO₂ coating on the Vectran fiber surface is achieved. The TiO₂-treated Vectran filaments exhibit an increased tensile strength compared to the untreated Vectran systems upon exposure to Xenon lamp UV radiation. The coating leads to improved UV-blocking performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]