A STUDY ON SURFACE CHARACTERIZATION OF ENZYME TREATED POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE FIBERS BY XPS AND AFM

Polyesters are widely used in various industrial applications and preferred for their outstanding properties such as high strength, resistance to abrasion, shrinking, wrinkling, most of the chemicals and environmental conditions. however the hydrophobic surface structure due to the lack of polar groups on the surface brings difficulties in processing and utilization of polyesters. enzymatic reactions have been pointed out as an alternative eco-friendly method to overcome the hydrophobic surface structure of pet. the effect of enzymatic treatments on pet surface has been examined and explained by many papers in terms of improved hydrophilic characteristics. the goal of this study is to be able to enlighten the chemical background of improved hydrophilicity rather than to confirm the improvements by indirect methods. xps (x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) was utilized to monitor surface chemistry of cutinase and lipase treated pet fabrics in terms of elemental composition and chemical states of c atoms on the surface. in addition, surface morphology of enzyme treated pet fabrics was examined by afm (atomic force microscopy).