Preparation and properties of polyester fabrics grafted with O-carboxymethyl chitosan

Carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) was prepared with a view to develop a multifunctional finish on saponified polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabric. CMCS was synthesized by chemical reaction with chloroacetic acid, and its chemical structure was characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrum (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). CMCS was grafted on saponified PET fabric using 3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-1-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC)/N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) and polyethylenimine (PEI)/glutaraldehyde (GA) as cross-linking agent. FTIR, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analyses confirmed CMCS grafting on saponified PET fabric surface. TGA indicated saponification and CMCS grafting did not affect thermal property of PET fabric. The CMCS grafting greatly improved wettability, antistatic property of saponified PET fabric without harmful effect on their physico-mechanical properties.