In-situ Polymerization of Maleic Acid and Itaconic Acid and Crosslinking of Cotton Fabric

Abstract

Polycarboxylic acids have been used as crosslinking agents for cellulosic materials to replace traditional formaldehyde-based reagents. The literature reports that maleic acid (MA) and itaconic acid (ITA) can copolymerize on cotton fabric in the presence of potassium persulfate, and esterification of cotton by the copolymer imparts wrinkle resistance to the treated cotton fabric. Our previous research found that in-situ copoly merization occurs only when both potassium persulfate and sodium hypophosphite are present on the cotton fabric. In this work, we investigate in-situ homopolymerization of maleic acid and itaconic acid on cotton fabric. We use Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to study the anhydride carbonyls formed on the cotton treated with MA and ITA. We also use a redox titration technique to determine the quantity of the remaining monomers on the treated fabric. The data indicate that MA and ITA can polymerize on the fabric at elevated temperatures when potassium persulfate is present at concentration levels higher than reported previously. This conclusion is confirmed by the performance of the cotton treated with MA and ITA in the presence of potassium persulfate at different concentration levels.