Browsing by Author "Refai, R."

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    Novel pre-treatment processes to promote linen-containing fabrics properties
    (ELSEVIER SCI LTD, 2008) Ibrahim, N. A.; El-Hossamy, M.; Hashem, M. M.; Refai, R.; Eid, B. M.
    This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of plasma pre-treatment, followed by enzymatic treatment in the absence and presence of bleaching agent on the properties of linen and linen-containing fabrics. Different plasma gases (air, oxygen and nitrogen), enzymes (acid-cellulases, neutral-cellulase and alkaline-pectinase) as well as bleaching agents (peracetic acid and H2O2) were used. The changes in physico-mechanical properties, surface morphology and dyeing properties of the treated substrates have been investigated, The obtained results indicated that plasma pre-treatment followed by subsequent acid-cellulases/peracetic acid or alkaline-pectinase/H2O2 treatment result in: a dramatic improvement in hydrophilicity and wettability as well as in the degree of whiteness of the treated substrates, an improvement in reduction of surface roughness and extent of post-reactive dyeing, along with a weight loss and a drop in the tensile strength. The extent of surface modification as well as the changes in the above-mentioned properties are governed by the characteristics of the substrate, the plasma gas, the nature and dose of the used enzyme, as well as the type of bleaching agent and additive. The optimal treatment sequence for attaining better performance properties was O-2-plasma followed by alkaline-pectinase/H2O2 treatment in presence of PEG 400. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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    Smart Options for Functional Finishing of Linen-containing Fabrics
    (SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC, 2010) Ibrahim, N. A.; Eid, B. M.; Hashem, M. M.; Refai, R.; El-Hossamy, M.
    This study examined an innovative approach to functional finishes of linen-containing fabrics. Modification of surface properties along with creation on new interactive site onto the fabrics surfaces, i.e., -COOH or -NH(2) groups, using oxygen-or nitrogen plasma followed by subsequent treatments with selected ionic dyes, certain metal salts, nano-scale metal or metal oxides, quaternary ammonium salt or nominated antibiotics were carried out to obtain linen-based textiles with upgrade UV-protection and/or antibacterial functions. The results detailed in this paper demonstrate that: (i) post-basic dyeing of oxygen plasma-treated substrates with C. I. Basic Red 24 brings about a significant improvement in the UV-protection and antibacterial activity against the G +ve (Staphylococcus aureus) and G -ve (Escherichia coli) bacteria, (ii) post-reactive dyeing of nitrogen plasma-treated substrates with C. I. Reactive violet 5, results in a remarkable improvement in both UV-blocking and antibacterial properties. (iii) the extent of improvement in the above-mentioned properties of the obtained dyeings is determined by the type of substrate, kind and concentration of the ionic dye, (iv) loading of the metal ions onto the preactivated fabric surfaces upgraded their UV-protection valued as well as their antibacterial efficiency, and the extent of enhancement is governed by the kind and concentration of metal salt as well as type of bacteria, (v) loading of nano-scale Ag, TiO(2), or ZrO onto the plasma-treated substrates brings about a remarkable improvement in their functional properties, (vi) loading of the used antibiotics or choline chloride onto the plasma-treated substrates gives rise to better antibacterial ability, (vii) both the UV-protection ability and the antibacterial activity of selected samples were retained even after 10 laundering cycles, and (viii) the options described here for attaining linen-containing fabrics with high functional properties are effective, simple and applicable.