Effect of hyperbranched poly(citric polyethylene glycol) with different polyethylene glycol chain length on starch sizing and compatibility with blended yarns

Abstract

ABSTRACTBlend of starch and water‐soluble polyester has been widely used in warp sizing because of its good film‐forming, biodegradability, and adhesion to polyester/cotton blended yarns (T/C). In this study, a series of hyperbranched polyesters poly(citric polyethylene glycol) (PCPEG) with varied chain length of polyethylene glycol (PEG) were prepared with citric acid and PEG at molar ratio of 1:3 and 150 °C for 3 h in vacuum and characterized by Fourier transformed infrared, gel permeation chromatography, and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance. PCPEG blended maize starch (PCPEG/MS) as sizing agent of T/C 80/20 and effects of PEG chain length of PCPEG on the property of the blending sizing agent were studied. Results indicated PCPEG could improve the compatibility between starch and T/C 80/20 and the optimum content of PCPEG as blended sizing agent was 8%. PCPEG not only decreased apparent viscosity of MS paste but also increased viscosity stability of the paste. In addition, with increase of PEG chain length of PCPEG, viscosity stability of PCPEG/MS paste increased, but the value of all adhesion performances of T/C 80/20 after sizing decreased. Long chain of PEG is not good for compatibility between PCPEG and starch. The starch blending PCPEG has potential applications in sizing blended yarns in textile industry. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48928.