Preparation and characterisation of novel phospholipid cationic liposomes to improve the alkaline hydrolysis and dyeability of polyester fabric

Three novel cationic liposomes were prepared from commercial soybean lecithin (neutral liposome) and stearylamine (cationic liposome) as a catalyst or accelerating agent for the alkaline hydrolysis of polyester fabric. The formation of 1:1, 1:6 and 1:12 cationic liposomes was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy, nitrogen content and Fourier Transform-infrared spectroscopy. Factors affecting the alkaline hydrolysis performance of polyester fabric in the presence and absence of cationic liposomes were investigated. Size measurements of the three cationic liposomes showed that the vesicle size was 27.88 nm for the 1:1 cationic liposome, 15.57 nm for 1:6 and 10 nm for 1:12, in comparison with 50 nm for neutral liposome. The results showed that alkaline hydrolysis in the presence of cationic liposomes improves the hydrophilicity and dyeability of polyester fabric and creates more carboxylic groups on the fabric. The silky polyester fabric was characterised by scanning electron microscopy, tensile strength, elongation at break, crease recovery angle and surface roughness to prove the success of the cationic liposomes as accelerating agents in the alkaline hydrolysis process. The results also indicate that the colour strength of hydrolysed polyester fabric in the presence of cationic liposomes dyed with disperse dye was slightly higher than that obtained in the absence of cationic liposomes and with unhydrolysed fabric. Furthermore, the fastness properties of hydrolysed polyester in the absence and presence of cationic liposomes do not vary.