Abstract
Photochromism is an interesting method to enhance the anticounterfeiting activity of commercial products. Polyester fibers have been significant polymers for a variety of applications; however, they have been known to resist staining due to the absence of reactive dyeing site on their fibrous surface. Herein, we present recycled nonwoven polyester immobilized with rare-earth activated aluminate nanoparticles for anticounterfeiting applications. Using the heterogeneous precipitation method, the lanthanide-doped aluminate pigment was firstly coated with silica to give phosphor-encapsulated within silica nanoparticles (Silica@Phosphor). The produced Silica@Phosphor particles were mixed with an adhesive binder in an aqueous medium, which was then spray-coated directly onto plasma-pretreated nonwoven polyester fabric. The fibrous composite demonstrated ultraviolet-induced photochromism. Both phosphor and Silica@Phosphor morphologies demonstrated particle diameter of 4-12 and 90-105 nm, respectively. Various techniques were utilized to examine both morphologies and compositions of the photochromic nonwoven fabrics. The antibacterial activity, cytotoxicity, comfortability, colorfastness, and ultraviolet shielding of the prepared polyesters immobilized with Silica@Phosphor were also reported. The luminescent fabrics demonstrated two emission wavelengths at 435 and 514 nm (green) upon excitation at 369 nm (colorless). The nonwoven fabrics showed an enhanced superhydrophobicity as an improved contact angle up to 129.9 degrees was detected upon increasing the Silica@Phosphor ratio.