Degree of crosslinked cotton cellulose with prereacted DMDHEU-AA

Abstract

Dimethyloldihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU) and acrylic acid (AA) were used to synthesize the dimethyloldihydroxyethyleneurea–acrylic acid product (DMDHEU–AA, mole ratios of DMDHEU/AA = 1/0, 1/1, and 1/2, respectively). Cotton fabrics were treated with the various prereacted DMDHEU–AA products by changing resin concentrations in the bath. We found that the dry crease recovery angle (DCRA) and wet crease recovery angle (WCRA) of the treated fabrics increased with the increase of acrylic acid in the prereacted DMDHEU–AA at the same value of resin concentration in the bath, whereas the tensile strength retention (TSR) showed the inverse tendency. For a given value of number of crosslinks per anhydroglucose unit (CL/AGU), the DCRA and WCRA values of the DMDHEU–AA-treated fabrics were higher than those for DMDHEU-treated fabrics. Additionally, agent distribution and the reaction between –COOH of the crosslinking agent and cellulose molecule were also investigated in this study. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 82: 1580–1586, 2001