Application of cerium phosphate in preparing anti-ultraviolet PET fibers with masterbatch method

In this work, a novel cerium-based anti-ultraviolet fiber (CAUF) was prepared by masterbatch method for the first time. A pigment material, nano-cerium phosphate (nano-CePO 4 ) was modified by aluminate coupling agent and then applied as the cerium-based anti-ultraviolet agent (CAUA) in the preparation of masterbatch. The characteristics of anti-ultraviolet agent, masterbatch and fibers were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimeter, X-ray diffractometer, contact angle meter and ultraviolet spectrophotometer. The results indicated that masterbatch with the CAUA content of 10 wt.% could achieve the excellent dispersion of nanoparticles in PET matrix and improve the compatibility between nanoparticles and PET matrix, which was chosen for spinning. As the content of masterbatch (CAUA) in fibers reached to 15 wt.% (1.5 wt.%), not only the good physical–mechanical properties of fibers were achieved, but also the ultraviolet transmittance of fibers in UVA and UVB bands decreased to 2.27% and 0.57%, which presented the better anti-ultraviolet property than nano-titanium dioxide. Therefore, surface modified nano-CePO 4 is a promising inorganic anti-ultraviolet agent with great chemical inertia, low photocatalytic activity and high absorption in the UV region, which could endow fibers with excellent protection properties in both UVA and UVB bands.