Commercial and Laboratory Application of Enzymatic Lipase Preparation in the Polyester Fabric Processing to Improve the Sorption and Dyeability Properties

Abstract

The possibilities of the application of commercial enzyme - lipase as well as laboratory produced enzyme from the microorganism Penicillium sp. OIL1 were investigated and its application in the modification of polyester fabric. In addition, commercially obtained lipase was used for comparison to evaluate the processing effects. The isolation of active lipase producing microorganisms from the natural habitat was carried out on corresponding nutritive medium. The activity of the enzyme was determined and it was found to be lipase. A 100 % polyester fabric was used for processing. The results showed surface changes on the polyester fiber - sorption and dyeing properties were improved. Moisture absorption by penetration and absorption was increased, vapor permeability was good, and wetting angle was smaller than with the unprocessed sample. Dyeing with dispersion and alkali dyestuffs showed better dyestuff binding to the fiber, i.e. better exhaustion of dyestuff from the dyebath. Since these are natural agents acting under mild conditions, changing the surface structure of the highly hydrophobic polyester fibers, similar processing offers a potential possibility for the application of such enzymatic systems in the biodegradation of other polyester products.