Synthesis, metrological characterization, and dyeing properties of surface grafted viscose fabric using peroxydisulfate/ferrous II ions redox pair

Purpose The purpose of this study is to undertake surface graft copolymerization of viscose fabric via altering its fibrous properties by using acrylic acid (AA) as a carboxyl-containing monomer and peroxydisulfate (PDS) in presence of ferrous sulfate as a novel redox pair for initiating grafting. The latter process acted as an energy-saving process with respect to the reduction in polymerization temperature and maximizing the graft yield %, in addition to rendering the grafted viscose fabrics dye-able with cationic dye (crystal violet), which has frequently no direct affinity to fix on fabric. Design/methodology/approach To make graft copolymerization more efficient and economic, the optimum conditions for graft copolymerization were established. The graft yield % was determined as a function of initiator, catalyst and monomer concentrations and the material to liquor ratio, in addition to polymerization time and temperatures. Metrological characterizations via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy of topographic morphological surface change have also been established in comparison with the ungrafted samples. Findings The maximum graft yield of 70.6% is obtained at the following optimum conditions: monomer (150 % based on the weight of fabric), PDS (50 m mole), ferrous sulfate (80 m mole) and sulfuric acid (30 m mole) at 40° C for 1.5 h using a liquor ratio of 30. Remarkably, grafting with AA enabled a multifold upsurge in color strength, with improvements in the fastness properties of cationically dyed grafted viscose fabric measured on the blue scale in comparison with untreated viscose fabric. Originality/value The novelty addressed here is undertaken with studying the effect of altering the extent of grafting of poly (AA)-viscose graft copolymers expressed as graft yield % in addition to carboxyl contents on cationic dyeing of viscose fabric for the first time in the literature. Moreover, rendering the viscose fabrics after grafting is dye-able with cationic dye with high brilliance of shades, which has regularly no direct affinity to fix on this type of fabrics.