A Delayed-Curing Cotton Fabric Based on an Internally Catalyzed Cotton Cellulose and Divinyl Sulfone

Abstract

2-(Diethylamino)ethyl cotton celluloses in the form of print cloth and at three levels of nitrogen have been quaternized and converted to the strong bases. Studies were made of internally catalyzed reactions of these cotton cellulose quaternary ammonium hydroxides with divinyl sulfone at room temperature in a “wet-cure” and with bis-(2-hydroxyethyl) sulfone in a “bake-cure.” Moderate levels of conditioned wrinkle-recovery angles and high levels of wet wrinkle-recovery angles result from the “wet-cure” reaction. The wrinkle-recovery angles of these modified cotton celluloses are compared to those of the corresponding cotton celluloses cross-linked by conventional external catalysis. The internally catalyzed fabrics from the “wet-cure” are particularly interesting among these compositions with regard to (a) the developed levels of wrinkle-recovery angle, (b) the capability of these compositions to develop high conditioned wrinkle-recovery angles as a result of recure in a “bake-cure” in the absence of external catalysis, and (c) the evidence of mobility of the cross links (i.e., reversibility of the cross-linking reaction followed by reformation of new or old cross linkages) at elevated temperature.