HEAT TRANSFER PRINTING OF POLYESTER/COTTON BLENDS BY GRAFT COPOLYMERIZATION OF VINYL MONOMER

Heat transfer printing was examined on polyester/cotton (E/C) blends modified by graft copolymerization of various vinyl monomers initiated with Ce>IV> ion. The graft copolymerization of vinyl monomers except for acrylamide (AAm) and acrylonitrile (AN) onto E/C blend was found to increase K/S value of the fabrics heat-transfer printed with Teraprint Blue R (C. I. Disperse Blue 14) in the following order: vinyl acetate (VAc)> n-butyl meth-acrylate (n-BuMA)≈methyl methacrylate (MMA)>2-ethylhexyl acrylate (2-EtHA)>n-butyl acrylate (n-BuA)>methyl acrylate (MeA)>ethyl acrylate (EtA)≈styrene, However, the graft copolymerization of AAm and AN did not increase the K/S value of the heat transfer printed fabrics. Tear strength of the 12.1%-MMA grafted E/C broad retained 72% in warp and 87% in weft of those of the untreated fabric. Tensile strength of the broad retained 92% in warp and 103% in weft. With increasing percent grafting, the moisture regain of the grafted E/C broad decreased for the all monomers except for AAm, while it increased for AAm, The graft copolymerization of vinyl monomers increased the flexual rigidity of the grafted E/C broad in the following order: n-BuMA>MeA>VAc>MMA>2-EtHA>EtA>n-BuA. The handle of the n-BuA-, EtA- and 2-EtHA-grafted E/C broad was soft and sticky, while the handle of the MMA-n-BuA (74.8 mole% in comonomer)-grafted E/C broad was soft and not sticky. The fabrics heat transfer printed onto the MMA-n-BuA-grafted E/C broad with 14 dyes showed a satisfied color fastness to dry heating, light, perspiration, rubbing and washing.