Improved dyeability of polypropylene fabrics finished with β-cyclodextrin-citric acid polymer

Polypropylene (PP)-knitted fabrics were finished with beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) and crosslinked with citric acid (CTR). The polyCTR-beta-CD polymer-coated fibers were wash resistant. We report that the rate of immobilized CD was controlled by temperature and curing time. The weight increase of the fabrics after modification with native beta-CD and CTR reached 30 %wt. The treated PP supports were dyed using disperse, acid and reactive dyes. Standard tests of wash fastness (shade change and staining) were conducted and showed that all dyes were fixed, because of inclusion complexation with immobilized cavities on the one hand and sorbed hydrogen and ionic bonds that occurred between the polyCTR-beta-CD coating and the tested dyestuffs on the other. Polymer Journal (2010) 42, 804-811; doi:10.1038/pj.2010.80