| This PhD project represents a new and innovative approach to the functional, protective and intelligent finishing of textile materials with the use of the latest developments in nanotechnology. The enhanced end-use performance and the more environmentally friendly nanotechnology treatments that has been attempted to develop would undoubtedly improve the competitive edge of the textile and clothing industry in Hong Kong and beyond. Mainly, two systems have been investigated, i.e. ZnO and Au/Chitosan, respectively. Firstly, an effective growth approach to grow oriented hexagonal ZnO nanorod arrays onto various flexible fiber substrates is reported. The synthesis art combined the dip-coating process and self-assembly art in aqueous solution. The typical one-dimensional (1-D) nanorods synthesized in this study were 10--50 nm in diameter and 300--500 nm in length. Secondly, further study has shown that structurally unique meso-scale dumbbells grown in aqueous solution were discovered for the first time with the length of 2.1 mum, diameters of 700 nm, 800 nm, 450 nm in a smaller and larger end face, and in the waist, respectively. The typical dumbbell-shaped ZnO was 500 nm to tens of micrometres in length and 200 nm up to 1 mum in diameters. The UV-Blocking property of the as-prepared ZnO dumbbells revealed a high UPF (UV protection factor) of 1000 and demonstrated a breakthrough of more complete blocking UV range than that of ZnO nanosols, nanorods, and anatase titania films. The 1-D ZnO used in textile field is novel and this pioneering work has implication to fields such as afferalis, vehicles, windscreens, glass windows, screens, curtains, outdoor products, and aircrafts. Thirdly, a bionic fabric surface: self-assembled monolayers film of functional alkyl silanes modified silica on oriented growth of ZnO crystals was fabricated. Finally, a chitosan fiber as core and gold as sheath structural organic - inorganic composite was presented via a facile and eco-friendly approach. The surface plasmonics (SPs) of Au nanoshells and relative impact factors on SPs have been investigated It has furnished the possibilities of multi-chromism in intelligent fabrics such as camouflage.; Keywords: Nano-Finishing, Multi-Function, Protection, Textile Materials, UV-Blocking, Surface Plasmon... |
