Justification of an approach to cellulase application in enzymatic softening of linen fabrics and clothing

Abstract

We propose the final softening finishing of textile products based on a complex of modifying effects on a highly ordered cellulose backbone of the secondary cell wall G-layer or on a mesh corset of microfibrillar cellulose in the primary cell wall. We suggest using polypeptide molecule sizes and the strength of polypeptide molecule adsorption binding on a model solid-phase substrate as parameters of the structurally regulated action of cellulase preparations. The article presents an analysis of 11 cellulase preparations as groups of weakly, tightly and medium adsorption enzymes, and also groups of volumetric, peripheral or combined activity manifested in the fiber structure. We show the regularities of enzyme property influence on the fiber pore structure development, changes in the parameters of the fabric bending stiffness and breaking load and technological shrinkage for two modification modes: liquid treatment with flax fiber swelling or low-modulus application solution. For the liquid method of treatment (with a bath module of at least 10) it is recommended to apply highly adsorbable cellulases ( A > 50%), in which the content of molecules with a globule size less than 30 nm does not exceed 15%. For the low-modulus method of treatment it is recommended to use enzymes with the adsorption capacity of at least 40% and a low content of small-sized fractions (no more than 25%). The recommended treatment variants ensure a three to four-fold bending stiffness decrease at the mechanical strength loss of not more than 15% and shrinkage of linen fabrics not more than 0.5%.