Easy-Care Finishing of Cotton Fiber with DMDHEU - Crosslinking Agent for High Crease Recovery Angle and Low Washing Shrinkage Properties

Abstract

Easy care finishing of textile materials is one of textile chemical finishing processes to make cellulosic textile materials crease free and dimensionally stable in its service life or during wear. Woven and knitted cellulosic textile fabrics are totally submerged in DMDHEU crosslinking agent with the concentration of 35 – 60 g/l and 30 – 50 g/l for woven and knitted fabrics respectively. In this treatment magnesium chloride is used as catalyst. Then, drying at 110 °C and curing at 150 °C for 3 min. This study shows the relationship between different level of concentrations of DMDHEU and catalysts on different textile properties such as CRA, strength and abrasion loss, washing shrinkage and stiffness. IR analysis also used in the research work. In this finding, in general, crease recovery angle - CRA, abrasion loss, stiffness increases as the concentration of DMDHEU and the catalyst increases whereas air permeability and water capillary rise, washing shrinkage decreases in woven cotton fabric. On the other hand, CRA, abrasion loss and air permeability as the concentration of DMDHEU and the catalyst increases whereas the wales and course washing resistance and water capillary rise diminished in knitted fabric.