POLYMERIZATION AND CONDENSATIONS OF N-METHYLOL ACRYLAMIDE WITHIN COTTON FABRICS

Abstract

Problems of polymerization and condensation reactions of N-methylolacrylamide within cotton fabrics using polymerization catalysts such as KPS, APS and H2O2 and acid condensation catalysts such as NH4Cl, and (NH4)2HPO4 were investigated mainly from the standpoint of crease recoveries of treated fabrics. Following results were obtained;(1) Predrying process may be neglected as almost the same result could be obtained even in case of direct curing processes, in which case care should be taken not to lead to over curing.(2) Crease recoveries and abrasion resistances (flat) of treated fabrics increase with resin contents; tear strengths, on the contrary, decrease presumably by some intrinsic cause.(3) Except for lower concentrations of APS, resin contents in fabrics and crease recoveries increase in parallel to the amount of the catalyst, having double effects of both initiating polymerization and inducing acidic methylol condensation reactions.(4) The effect of the addition of acidic catalysts such as NH4Cl for crease recoveries is large, although some remarkable improvements are obtainable in neutral catalyst such as KPS only.(5) Durabilities of treated fabries for boiling alkali washes are high.