Pore Structure and Dyeability of Cotton Crosslinked with DMDHEU and with DHDMI

Abstract

The pore structures of cotton fabrics crosslinked to impart durable press performance with dimethyloldihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU) and dihydroxydimethylimidaz olidinone ( DHDMI ) were compared using a reverse gel permeation chromatographic technique. Water soluble series of ethylene glycols and sugars were used to study the elution characteristics of columns prepared from these fabrics. From these data, dif ferences in pore size distribution in the control and modified cottons were elucidated. The results were compared to the receptivity of these cotton samples to the dye Direct red 81. Although crosslinking of cotton with either DMDHEU or DHDMI reduced accessible internal volume, samples reacted with DHDMI retained substantially more accessible internal volume across the entire range of pore sizes. Increasing add-on of DMDHEU further reduced the accessible internal volume. In contrast, the accessible internal volume in DHDMI-treated cotton was increased by additional add-on of this reagent. The trends with respect to relative receptivity to Direct red 81 generally related better to the quantity of residual large pores ( 17 Å) than to remaining intermediate pores ( 10 Å).