Preparation and characterisation of luminous polypropylene/phosphor strontium aluminate nanocomposite fibres with enhanced dyeability

Abstract

Phosphor strontium aluminate (SrAl₂O₄: Eu²⁺, Dy³⁺) nanoparticles, SAOED, were melt compounded with polypropylene on an internal mixer to prepare a uniform mixture with polymer and the resulting materials were granulated. PP/SAOED nanocomposite fibres were then produced by melt spinning method at the take-up speed of 1000 m min⁻¹. Morphological, thermal, structural and luminescent properties of the luminous fibres were studied by SEM, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and fluorescence spectrophotometer. The luminous fibres were then knitted and dyed to investigate the effects of SAOED nanoparticles on the dyeability of fibres. SEM results showed that with increasing SAOED nanoparticle amounts, the agglomerates of SAOED nanoparticles were appeared on the fibre surface. DSC results indicated that the SAOED nanoparticles did not affect melting and crystallisation behaviours significantly. WAXD patterns revealed that the crystal type of luminous nanocomposite fibres did not change and was still the α-monoclinic crystal form. The luminous nanocomposite fibres were found to have inferior tensile properties as compared to the neat PP fibre. From fluorescence spectrophotometer results, it can be seen that fibres excited at the wavelength of 400 nm, showed an emission peak at 550 nm and had green light. With increasing the amount of SAOED nanoparticles in the fibres, emission peak intensity of luminous fibres increased and also the fabric dyeability was improved.