THE EFFECT OF CURING CONDITIONS ON THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES AND CROSSLINKING STRUCTURE OF COTTON FABRICS TREATED WITH DIMETHYLOL ETHYLENEUREA

Abstract

The effect of the curing conditions on the physical properties and the crosslinking structure of cotton fabrics treated with dimethylol ethylene urea was studied.The dry crease recovery angle (DCRA) was related to not only the product of the root of the crosslinking length and the number of crosslinks, but also the degree of the completion of crosslinkage. It was also substantially affected by the hydrogen bond effect. Wet crease recovery angle (WCRA) was related to the product of the crosslinking length, the number of crosslinks, and the degree of the completion of crosslinkage. WCRA was also affected by the fiber's swelling property. In addition, the strength loss was found to be caused by the degradation of cellulose molecules, and the stiffness formed by crosslinkage. This strength loss caused by the stiffness was related almost linearly to the product of the number of crosslinks and the degree of the completion of crosslinkage in all curing conditions.