Aqueous Fabric Treatments

Finally, some post-fabrication treatments of the deposited meshes can be hardly compatible with living cells and biologically functional compounds, especially when these processes involve (chemical, thermal, UV, etc.) cross-linking to enhance the mechanical strength of the scaffold and its stability in aqueous environments. These procedures, besides complicating the overall fabrication process, may have in principle a detrimental effect on the level of biocompatibility and on the functionality of embedded molecular dopants. 

Fibers. Poly(vinyl alcohol) fibers possess excellent strength characteristics and provide a pleasant feel in fabrics. The fiber is usually spun by a wet process employing a concentrated aqueous solution of sodium sulfate as the coagulating bath. Water insolubiUty, even in boiling water, can be obtained by combining stretching, heat treatment, and acetalization with formaldehyde. Super hydrolyzed PVA is the preferred material for fiber production. 

The principal additive shrink-resist treatment uses the polymer Synthappret BAP (Bayer AG) which is a polypropylene oxide polyurethane containing reactive carbamoyl sulfonates (or isocyanate bisulfite adduct groups, —NHCOSO —Na" ). An aqueous solution of this polymer is padded onto woven fabrics, which are immediately dried. Other polymers may be appHed at the same time to modify the handle. 

Different polyamide fibers with varying affinities for anionic dyes are pretreated with aqueous acidic solution containing sulfated castor od to give uniform shade levels. Sulfated castor od is also used in compositions for treatment of fabrics, skins, and furs to clean and revive colors (115). 

The optical properties of electrodeposited, polycrystalline CdTe have been found to be similar to those of single-crystal CdTe [257]. In 1982, Fulop et al. [258] reported the development of metal junction solar cells of high efficiency using thin film (4 p,m) n-type CdTe as absorber, electrodeposited from a typical acidic aqueous solution on metallic substrate (Cu, steel, Ni) and annealed in air at 300 °C. The cells were constructed using a Schottky barrier rectifying junction at the front surface (vacuum-deposited Au, Ni) and a (electrodeposited) Cd ohmic contact at the back. Passivation of the top surface (treatment with KOH and hydrazine) was seen to improve the photovoltaic properties of the rectifying junction. The best fabricated cell comprised an efficiency of 8.6% (AMI), open-circuit voltage of 0.723 V, short-circuit current of 18.7 mA cm, and a fill factor of 0.64. 

For application of these fluorochemical finishes to textile fabrics, an extremely important factor is their formulation into suitable aqueous emulsions or dispersions. The quality of the formulation has a critical influence on stability during storage and application, as well as the efficacy of treatment and durability [501,502]. In particular, the choice of surfactant(s) for emulsifying or dispersing must ensure good stability with freedom from deposition on rollers, yet must not impair the water and oil repellency of the finished fabric. No individual product fulfils all requirements hence specifically formulated products are available for certain fibre types. 

In cases where metals or metal ions can contaminate the products, reaction vessels fabricated from inert polymeric materials restrict that possibility. A significant example involved the reaction of maltol with aqueous methylamine to give l,2-dimethyl-3-hydroxypyrid-4-one. The product is a metal chelator employed for the oral treatment of iron overload. Consequently, it is an excellent metal scavenger but must be produced under stringent conditions that preclude metal complexation. Literature conditions involved heating maltol in aqueous methylamine at reflux for 6 h, the product was obtained in 50% yield, but required decolourisation with charcoal135. With the CMR, the optimal reaction time was 1.3 min, and the effluent was immediately diluted with acetone and the near colourless product crystallised from this solvent in 65% yield (Scheme 9.18). A microwave-based batch-wise preparation of 3-hydroxy-2-methylpyrid-4-one from maltol and aqueous ammonia was also developed. 

Aqueous Extract pH. The purpose of a deacidification treatment is to neutralize internally-generated carboxyl groups as well as acids from dyeing, finishing or exposure to the environment. Ideally an alkaline reserve should be deposited in the fibers to combat future acidity. Fabrics... 

Table V. Aqueous Extract pH of Cellulosic Fabrics After Treatment and After Aging at 100°C and 100% RH for 15 Days 1,2...

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