Improved Durable-Press Cotton by a Two-Step Poly-Set Process

Abstract

A crossrinking treatment on scoured, bleached, mercerized, and desized cotton fabric with dimethyloldihydroxyethylene urea (DMDHEU) by a two-step poly-set process is reported. The fabric was also treated with DMDHEU by the conventional pad-dry-cure tecnhique. The resin-finished fabric, along with a control, were studied for various physiochemical properties by standard methods. The number of crosslinks (expressed as CL/GPU) and length of crosslinks were calculated from formaldehyde yields and nitrogen values. The data on resin add-on, CL/GPU, and length of crosslinks of cotton crosslinked with varying concentrations of the resin in the presence of polymerization catalysts is discussed. The add-on values in the case of the sample treated by zinc acetate was much higher compared to the similar sample treated in the presence of magnesium acetate. The number of CL/GPU and length of crosslink increased with the increase of resin concentration. Homopolymerization of resin was evident in step 1. The fabric processed in step 2 showed marked improvement in wrinkle-recovery angle and other properties such as strength, elongation, abrasion, and toughness, compared to the samples treated by the conventional process. The relationship between various properties of the fabric is also dealt with.