2023 Volume 69 Issue 5 Pages 93-99
For environmental friendliness, new coloring methods are required to replace dyeing of textile products. Cellulose derivatives forming a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) structure under a room condition were synthesized by the esterification of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) with propionic anhydride. Structural colored fibers were prepared by wet spinning from the acetone solution of these cellulose derivatives to water as a coagulation bath and liquid-crystallizing by removing water in the fiber under controlled humidity. The pitch of CLC structure was decreased with increasing fiber width deformation by self-weight under controlled humidity. The reflection intensity of CLC structure was increased with increasing the high shear rate at the wet spinning, lowering the degree of esterification, and lowing the rate to form CLC structures by controlled humidity. The fiber improved its reflection strength when it was kept under higher humidity above 80 % RH after crystallization via removing the water in the fiber. The fiber improved its pitch of CLC, when it was kept under higher humidity above 95 % RH and higher temperature bellow 50 ºC after liquid crystallization via removing the water in the fiber.
