Fabrication of montmorillonite and titanate nanotube based coatings via layer-by-layer self-assembly method to enhance the thermal stability, flame retardancy and ultraviolet protection of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabric

Montmorillonite (MMT) and titanate nanotube (TNT) based coatings have been prepared through a layerby-layer self-assembly method, in order to enhance the thermal and thermal-oxidative stability, flame retardancy and ultraviolet protection of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabric. To fabricate these coatings, positively charged chitosan was chosen to cooperate with negatively charged MMT and TNTs. X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that these coatings can be successfully constructed on the substrates. The synergistic effects of MMT and TNT based hybrid coatings were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), cone calorimetry and ultraviolet transmission spectroscopy. TGA results showed that the char residue was improved obviously after the sample was covered with the hybrid coating. Furthermore, 4 quadlayers chitosan/MMT/chitosan/TNTs coating significantly improved the fire resistance of PET fabric, as evidenced by the obvious reduction (48% and 36%) of peak heat release rate and total heat release compared with those of the pure PET fabric, respectively. Meanwhile, the hybrid coating modified PET fabrics possessed an improved ultraviolet protection.