Swelling of silk fabric by organic solvents.

Abstract

Swelling of silk and rayon fabrics by organic solvents depended on the kind and the temperature of the solvents and the period of immersion. The degree of swelling after the shrink proofing using phosphoryl amide was comparable to that before the proofing. Dimethyl sulfoxide was one of the best solvents for the shrink proofing by phosphoric amides. Some of the fundamentals govering the shrinkage of silk goods were explained on the basis of the release of the strains imposed during manufacturing processes, and the swelling produced on wetting. The mechanism of the swelling by organic solvents was explained in terms of the solubility parameter of the solvents and hydrogen bonding and dipolar interactions between silk and the solvents. The most important factor for the shrink-proofing would be cross-linking between the fibers in the very vicinity under the swelling, up to 100%, of the fabric by covalent bonding and/or adhesives.