Surface Modification of Cellulose Acetate with Cutinase and ...
Surface Modification of Cellulose Acetate with Cutinase and ...
Surface Modification of Cellulose Acetate with Cutinase and ...
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
General Discussion <strong>and</strong> Future perspectives<br />
General Discussion <strong>and</strong> Future Perspectives<br />
The introduction <strong>of</strong> synthetic fibers in textile industry, like polyethylene<br />
terephthalate, nylons or acrylics, had a significant impact on the quality <strong>of</strong> life.<br />
However, nowadays, there is an increased dem<strong>and</strong> for natural fibers, especially for<br />
their properties including aesthetics, comfort, <strong>and</strong> biodegradability. Besides the<br />
traditional natural materials like cotton, wool <strong>and</strong> silk, many researches are also<br />
focused on exploring fibers from alternative sources like agricultural by-products,<br />
which are <strong>of</strong>ten underutilized (Collier et al., 1992).<br />
Independently on the use <strong>of</strong> natural or synthetic fibers, <strong>with</strong> old or new agricultural<br />
materials, the textile industry must search for sustainable technologies <strong>and</strong> develop<br />
methods <strong>of</strong> processing <strong>and</strong> finishing fabrics that meet customer expectations <strong>with</strong> the<br />
finished products performance, human health <strong>and</strong> environmental safety. Fiber surface<br />
modification has been one <strong>of</strong> the main areas <strong>of</strong> research in the development <strong>of</strong><br />
functional fibers. In addition to research in developing/synthesizing new fiber<br />
forming polymers <strong>with</strong> specialized properties, surface modification <strong>of</strong>fers many new<br />
opportunities.<br />
Properties <strong>of</strong> fibers such as anti-shrinkage, anti-microbial, anti-odor, anti-fungal,<br />
anti-static, higher hidrophylicity, dyeing, soil resistance, adhesion, biocompatibility,<br />
are all function <strong>of</strong> fiber surface properties.<br />
For the last years chemical modification has been employed <strong>with</strong> variable level <strong>of</strong><br />
success. Chemical modification relates to an alteration <strong>of</strong> chemical structure. It can<br />
be conducted in the stage <strong>of</strong> synthesis <strong>of</strong> fibre-forming polymers by 3 methods: (1)<br />
copolymerization <strong>of</strong> the initial fibre-forming monomer <strong>with</strong> second comonomers<br />
containing the functional groups that carry new properties; (2) by addition <strong>of</strong> new<br />
side functional groups <strong>and</strong> (3) inclusion <strong>of</strong> new substances that react <strong>with</strong> the fibres<br />
during processing (Kozlowski, 1998; Rouette, 2001). Chemical modification is also<br />
possible in the stage <strong>of</strong> finishing materials being effective giving new properties to<br />
the fibres (Carr, 1992; Lee et al., 2005; Freddy et al., 2002; Freddy et al., 1999).<br />
However, these treatments are not environmentally benign <strong>and</strong> frequently reduce the<br />
219