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ABSTRACT
Modified alkyd resins with different amounts of vegetable oil contents (sunflower oil) and different catalysts are synthesized with the incorporation of post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as a partial substitute for phthalic anhydride. It is found that the properties of the products obtained are directly related to the oil content. The polymerization reactions are followed by the acid value. The modified binder contains 50% oil and 10% PET in the presence of Li OH as the catalyst by using microwave irradiation. The AV value is attained in a short amount of time; it is found that the glass Transition Temperature (Tg) of the modified binder is -1.7 °C. The stiffness and roughness of the printed fabrics by using the modified binder are better than those of the commercial binder for both cotton and cotton/polyester fabrics. Moreover, it is clear that the overall fastness properties of the fabrics printed by using the modified binder in the formulation of printing pastes are higher or comparable to those that use commercial binders.
Keywords: Microwave, binder, textile printing, alkyd resins, PET
1. Introduction
Polymers are substances which have molecules with very high molecular masses derived out of a large number of repeating units. There are both naturally occurring and synthetic polymers. Among the natural polymers are proteins, starches, cellulose, latex, etc. A wide variety of synthetic polymers is commercially produced on a very large scale; the synthetic polymers have a wide range of properties and uses. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET sometimes written polyethylene terephthalate) is one such synthetic polymer which has multiple utilities by virtue of its excellent properties (Athaniel, 1973).
PET is a thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family and used in synthetic fibers, beverage, food and other liquid containers, thermoforming applications, and engineering resins often in combination with glass fiber. It is one of the most important raw materials used in man-made fibers. Depending on its processing and thermal history, it may exist both as an amorphous (transparent) and semi-crystalline (opaque and white) material. Its monomer can be synthesized by the esterification reaction between terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol with water as a byproduct, or the transesterification reaction between ethylene glycol and dimethyl terephthalate with methanol as a byproduct. Polymerization is carried out through a...