Recycling of warp size materials and comparison of yarn mechanical properties sized with recycled materials and virgin materials

Abstract

Warp sizing is an established method for improving the weaveability of textile yarns by coating or impregnating warp yarns with a polymer that improves the efficiency of the weaving operation. Despite its high cost, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) normally shows better adhesion to fibers than other sizing agents like starch which makes it an essential constituent of size liquor recipe. However PVA desized effluent is a major chemical oxygen demand contributor to a textile plant’s primary oxygenation treatment of water operation and being biologically inert and presents a major threat to the environment. Therefore, the recovery and recycling of PVA will not only be cost-effective but will also be eco-friendly. The aim of this research work is to recycle the warp size materials and to study the comparison of yarn mechanical properties sized with recycled materials to the properties of yarn sized with conventional sizing. Ultrafiltration reverse osmosis technology is used for the recovery and recycling of PVA size material. For this purpose, Ne 16/1 and Ne 21/1 carded 100% cotton yarns were used and sized with both conventional sizing recipe and by 50% recycled PVA together with 50% fresh sizing recipe. It was found that yarn sized through recycled PVA sizing recipe has almost the same (slightly lower) mechanical properties such as tensile strength, elongation and abrasion resistance as compared to yarn sized through conventional sizing recipe.