Suitability of a Rare Earth Organic Light Conversion Agent of Eu(III) Complex to Improve Ultraviolet Protection Properties of Cotton Fabrics

Light conversion agents (LCAs) have the ability to absorb ultraviolet radiation (UV) and emit visible light. With their light conversion mechanism, LCAs can be used to engineer protective textiles. This study investigates the feasibility of using LCAs as UV blocking finishes. The activity of LCAs was firstly studied, then LCAs were used to produce the protective fabrics, and finally the level of UV protection of the treated fabrics was tested. Measuring results revealed that rare earth organic complex light conversion agents can absorb 300—360 nm ultraviolet radiation and emit red and yellow light. The treated fabrics demonstrated excellent ultraviolet protective properties with an LCA dosage of 10 g/L. At this dosage, the ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) value was enhanced 8 times and the decrease rate of the transmittance for UVA and UVB was over 86.2%, which suggests that LCAs are good potential candidates for the UV protection finishes of textiles.