• Textile Coloration and Finishing
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.126-133
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• 2013

Although para-aramid fibers poss higher mechanical properties, they show very low resistance to sunlight exposure. This paper studied on the effect of nano-sol coated $TiO_2$ to improve the photo-stability of p-aramid fibers. Titanium dioxides were prepared by sol-gel method from titanium iso-propoxide at different R ratio ($H_2O$/titanium iso-propoxide). All samples were characterized by XRD, TEM and UV-vis spectrometer. The mechanical properties of p-aramid fabrics by $TiO_2$ nano-sol coating before and after sunlight irradiation were measured with tensile tester. XRD pattern of titanium dioxide particles was observed by mixing phase together with rutile and anatase type. The results showed, after sunlight irradiation, the decreased mechanical properties of the fiber. Furthermore, the sunlight irradiation obviously deteriorated the surface and defected areas of the fiber severely by photo-induced chain scission and end group oxidation in air.