Abstract
•Hydrazonotriazole probe was synthesized by simple condensation reaction.•Hydrazonotriazole was immobilized into plasma-pretreated recycled polyester fibers.•Vapochromic fibrous matrix was employed as an onsite sensor for toxic ammonia.•Fibers showed instant color change from yellow (435 nm) to blue (584 nm).•The detection process acts on both qualitative and quantitative levels.
Polyester fibers were applied in different fields, including automotives, plastic furniture, packaging, and medical devices. This can be attributed to its low-cost, good resistant to moisture and chemicals, good resistance to electricity and fatigue, easily repaired from damages, fade-resistant, high flexural and impact strength, and easy manufacturability. However, polyester fibers are inherently stain resistant as they have no active dye sites. Thus, it is impossible to dye polyester after extrusion. Herein, we report the development of novel strategy to produce multichromic polyester textiles by plasma-assisted dyeing with novel chalcone chemosensor disperse dyestuff. Thin layer of chalcone probe was incorporated onto the polyester fiber surface after plasma activation, which creates active dye sites on the fiber surface. Novel hydrazonotriazole chemosensor was synthesized by reflux a mixture of 1, 2, 3-triazole and hydrazine derivatives. Hydrochloric acid was employed as a catalytic agent, whereas absolute ethanol was used as a solvent. Various methods were utilized to prove the structure of the synthesized chemosensor, including Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and elemental analysis. The findings indicated that the hydrazonotriazole-dyed polyester (HPET) fibers exhibited satisfactory colorfastness properties, UV protection and antimicrobial properties. Additionally, the dyed polyester fibers demonstrated high importance to build up portable device for onsite colorimetric determination of gaseous and aqueous ammonia, which has been able to cause damages to man organs and even death. The hydrazone group can selectively detect ammonia over other alkaline substances. The limit of detection of the dyed polyester fibers ranged between 5 and 150 ppb of aqueous ammonia, displaying a color switch from yellow (435 nm) to blue (584 nm) as proved by CIE Lab parameters, absorption spectra and color strength (K/S). The dye particle exhibited diameters in the range of 33–86 nm, whereas polyester fibers exhibited a fiber diameter of 75–125 μm, indicating high porosity and large surface area.