Wet Wrinkle Recovery Research Articles

Formaldehyde-free sugarcane-derived aldehydes to co-crosslink silk fabrics with diols for improving wet resilience and minimizing pollutions from wet processing of silk

We developed formaldehyde-free sugarcane-derived aldehydes for silk to minimize pollutions from wet processing of silk fibers via substantial improvement in wet resilience of silk fabrics. Developing effective and non-toxic crosslinkers from plant products promotes sustainability of silk textiles. The poor wet resiliency only allows silk materials for dry cleaning, which has considerable environmental and health concerns. Most silk treatments, based on non-biobased chemicals, resulted in lowered mechanical properties and unacceptable color changes to the materials. Here we applied a softener-free and plant-based co-crosslinking system using sugarcane-derived-aldehydes and diols, which ensured high degrees of crosslinkages durable to repeated home launderings for pollution alleviation. Diols increased degrees of crosslinkings and converted hemiacetal to acetal crosslinkages, indicated by 1H NMR, via reaction with aldehydes groups, thus substantially improving shape retention of silk, e.g., improvement of wet wrinkle recovery degree from 180˚ to 248˚, and smoothness after repeated launderings from Steps 1.9–3.3. The lowered crosslinking temperature provided by sugarcane-derived-aldehydes minimized the damage to silk protein fibers and enhanced the retention of dry tear strength, wet tear strength, dry breaking strength, wet breaking strength, and whiteness to 80 %, 95 %, 86 %, 120 %, and 91 %, respectively. The co-crosslinking in this work, 30–60 °C lower than common non-biobased crosslinking methods with dimethyloldihydroxyethyleneurea and butanetetracarboxylic acid, provides similar wet resilience but higher retention of mechanical properties, whiteness, and higher wet strength. The co-crosslinking system in this work provided silk fibers with high quality and free of concerns from health and the environment.

The prediction of optimal conditions for the surface grafting of β-cyclodextrin onto silk fabrics by an artificial neural network (ANN)

PurposeThe purpose of this study is the chemical grafting of β-Cyclodextrin (β-CD) onto silk fabrics by the use of butane tetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) as a crosslinking agent and nano-TiO2 (NTO) as a catalyst. The effects of different parameters involved in this particular process, e.g. β-CD, BTCA and NTO concentrations, are examined using the artificial neural network (ANN). The method is evaluated for its ability to predict certain properties of treated fabrics, including grafting yield, dry crease recovery angle (DCRA) and wet crease recovery angle (WCRA), tensile strength, elongation at break and methylene blue dye absorption.Design/methodology/approachThis study was conducted to describe the cross-linking of silk with 1,2,3,4-BTCA as a crosslinking agent in a wet state at low temperatures using NTO catalyst to improve the dry and wet wrinkle recovery (DCRA and WCRA) of silk fabrics. An ANN was also used to model and analyze the effects of BTCA, β-CD and NTO concentrations on the grafting percentage and some properties of the treated samples.FindingsAccording to the results, the wet and dry wrinkle recovery of the silk fabrics was improved for about 38% and 11%, respectively, as compared to the non-cross-linked fabrics, without significantly affecting the tensile strength retention of the fabrics.Originality/valueThis research model and analyze the effects of BTCA, β-CD and NTO concentrations on the grafting percentage and some properties of the treated samples for the first time.

Low-Temperature Wet-Cross-linking of Silk with Citric Acid

We report the development of a novel method of improving the wet wrinkle recovery of silk fabrics without affecting the whiteness or the tensile properties of the cross-linked fabrics. Previous attempts on cross-linking silk with poly(carboxylic acids) have been done in the dry state at high temperatures (150−175 °C) in the presence of the toxic catalyst, sodium hypophosphite, with decrease in the whiteness and tensile properties of the cross-linked fabrics. In this research, citric acid (CA) was used to cross-link silk in the wet state at low temperatures using weak acidic to neutral pH as catalyst. The effect of cross-linking conditions on the wrinkle recovery, whiteness index and yarn tensile and fabric tear strength were studied. The durability of the cross-linking to laundering was also examined. The new method of cross-linking improves the wet wrinkle recovery of the silk fabrics by about 32% compared to the noncross-linked fabric without affecting the whiteness or the tensile properties of the fabr...

An eco-friendly – novel approach for attaining wrinkle – free/soft-hand cotton fabric

A novel approach for upgrading both the wrinkle free and softness properties of cotton fabrics without adversely affecting their strength properties using an eco-friendly finishing regimes was investigated. Factors affecting the performance properties of the finished substrate such as pre-treatment, i.e., carboxymethylation (CMC) or ionic-crosslinking, post-treatment with amino functional silicone softener and its concentration, degree of carboxymethylation as well as thermofixation conditions were studied. The obtained results revealed that post-treatment with the amino based silicone micro emulsion (SiE) up to 30 g/L at pH 4 to a wet pickup of 100% followed by drying at 100 °C for 5 min and curing at 170 °C for 3 min results in a remarkable improvement in fabric resiliency (expressed as dry and wet wrinkle recovery angles), as well as in softness degree, without seriously affecting its retained strength. Improvement extent of the aforementioned properties is governed by the nature of the pre-treatment steps. Fixation of the amino-functional silicone softener onto/or within the modified cellulose structure is accompanied by a formation of semi-inter and/or intra-penetrated network (semi-IPN) thereby enhancing both the extent of crosslinking and networking as well as providing very high softness. FTIR analysis proved the formation of Si–O–Si–cellulose complex. Scanning electron micrograph shows that cotton, CMC and ionic crosslinked cotton fabrics treated with SiE shows higher surface smoothness and considerable reduction in protruding loose fibers, ditches and grooves compared with the untreated one.

Cationization of Linen Fabric: Studying the Process Parameters

Mill scoured and bleached linen fabrics were cationized using Quat-188. Cationization was carried out as per the exhaustion or the cold pad-batch technique under a variety of conditions. Factors affecting the cationization reaction of linen fabric were studied. These factors include Quat-188 concentration, NaOH concentration (or pH of the reaction medium in case of exhaustion method), reaction time and temperature as well as material to liquor ratio (in case of exhaustion method). The cationized samples were monitored for nitrogen content, and the reaction efficiency calculated thereof, as well as for K/S of the no-salt dyed samples. Results obtained indicate that the efficiency of cationization of linen fabric with Quat-188 depends on the type of application technique and the conditions used in each technique. Using the exhaustion technique, maximum reaction efficiency between Quat-188 and linen fabric was achieved at Quat-188, 80 g/1 and pH, 13 and 70°C for 60 minutes using material to liquor ratio, 1:20. Lower material to liquor ratio was not practically possible. The results also depict that any deviation from these conditions, for example, higher pH, temperature or material to liquor ratio, leads to an increase in the hydrolysis of Quat-188 molecules and hence, lower reaction efficiency. With the cold pad-batch technique, maximum reaction efficiency was achieved when the linen fabric was padded in a solution containing NaOH, 50 g/1 and Quat-188, 125 g/1, then squeezed to a wet pickup of 100% and batched for 15 hours. Results obtained also signify that both dry and wet wrinkle recovery angles increase as the degree of cationization (expressed as N % of cationized linen fabric) increases. Moreover, the tensile strength of cationized linen fabric is higher than that of uncationized linen and such an increase depends on the degree of cationization.

The Durable Press Finishing of Silk Fabrics by Using 1,2,3,4-Butanetetracarboxylic Acid

In this paper, the nonformaldehyde agent 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid was used for durable press finishing of silk fabric. To optimize the finishing, the effects of the amount of sodium hypophosphite, 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid and citric acid, curing temperature and curing time were examined. It was found that the wet wrinkle recovery angle had an obvious improvement from 179° to 273°, and that the finishing had a very small effect to the breaking strength.

Inducing Durable Press in Ionically Crosslinked Cotton Fabric

Significant enhancement in the performance of durable press cotton fabric could be achieved through the utilization of non- formaldehyde crosslinking agents along with ionic crosslinking. Ionic crosslinking was first effected by subjecting cotton fabric succesively to partial carboxymethylation using monochloroacetic acid and sodium hydroxide, then by cationization using 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride known commercially as Quat-188. While the partial carboxymethylation reaction introduces the negatively charged group in the cellulose chains of cotton, the cationization reaction introduces the positively charged groups, thereby causing ionic crosslinking. The ionically crosslinked cotton was then crosslinked using either glyoxal, epichlorohydrin, or gluteral-dehyde. Most of the results obtained indicated that a balance between wet and dry wrinkle recovery angles that acquired a value as high as 300° could be obtained without loss in tensile strength and elongation at break. The results also revealed that the degree of ionic crosslinking relies on the nitrogen and carboxyl contents of the finished fabric as well as on the nature of the non-formaldehyde finishing agent used. Indeed the results of this work present a new approach to the durable press finishing of cotton, and mill trials should be conducted.

Crosslinking of Wool with Epoxide

Wool fabric is treated with a simple pad-dry-cure process using glycerol polyglycidyl ether, a multifunctional epoxide, to improve wrinkle recovery. Crosslinked samples with different add-ons are obtained by varying the epoxide concentration in the reaction system. Crosslinking of wool with epoxide is indirectly demonstrated by a solubility test, SEM, and FT-IR spectrometry. The crystalline structure of the crosslinked wool fabric remains unchanged, despite epoxide treatment. Moisture regain is reduced as epoxide concentration increases. Chemically modified wool fabrics show improved wet and dry wrinkle recovery behavior due to crosslinking. The effect of crosslinking on the glass transition temperature ( Tg) of wool is investigated using differential scanning calorimetry. The Tg of dry wool is predicted by plotting the reciprocal of Tg as a function of the water weight fraction using the Fox equation. The Tg of the samples increases with crosslinking. A thermomechanical analysis confirms that although the temperature of the final contraction peak of the crosslinked wool samples is similar to that of the untreated sample, it drops substantially above 20% epoxide concentration, suggesting less thermal stability.

A Treatment Providing Enhanced Wet Wrinkle Recovery for Wool

A Treatment Providing Enhanced Wet Wrinkle Recovery for Wool

Improving the Wrinkle Recovery of Wool/Cotton Blends by Simultaneous Treatment with Synthappret BAP and DMDHEU

A simple pad-dry-cure procedure is described that significantly improves the dry (conditioned) wrinkle recovery of fabrics made from a range of intimate blends of wool and cotton. The method involves simultaneous application of a mixture of a cellulose crosslinking agent dimethyloldihydroxyethylene urea (DMDHEU) and the carbamoyl sulphonate-terminated poly (ether) urethane Synthappret BAP from pad liquors containing a nonionic surfactant. The latter is necessary to prevent precipitation of the magnesium salt formed from Synthappret BAP by the magnesium chloride catalyst used to crosslink cellulose with DMDHEU. The two reagents act, by different mechanisms, by improving the dry wrinkle recovery of only the cellulosic component of the fabric. DMDHEU acts by increasing the resilience of the cotton fibers and Synthappret BAP by reducing the frictional component of wrinkling that is due largely to the cotton in the blend. When applied simultaneously, the effects of the two reagents are additive. This permits higher levels of wrinkle recovery than are possible by treat ment with either compound alone, with only small accompanying adverse effects on abrasion resistance. A simultaneous treatment with low levels of the reagents also controls shrinkage in laundering and improves the wet wrinkle recovery properties of the wool/cotton fabrics.

Finishing Cotton-Wool Blends

This paper covers the application of crosslinking agents and polymers to cotton wool blends. In particular, the influence of a catalyst on performance levels attained was investigated. Likewise, the role of polymers in improving dimensional stability and wet wrinkle recovery was elucidated.

Effect of Synthappret BAP on the Wrinkle Recovery of Uncrosslinked and Crosslinked Cotton

The dry and wet wrinkle recovery angles of a cotton fabric are increased by treatment with the carbamoyl sulphonate-terminated poly(ether) urethane, Synthap pret BAP. This product cures best under alkaline conditions, but in the presence of an organometallic catalyst, it can also be cured under the acid conditions used to crosslink cotton with dimethyloldihydroxyethylene urea (DMDHEU). Synthappret BAP improves wrinkle recovery by decreasing the frictional component of wrinkling, probably through the formation of interfiber and interyam bonds. This contrasts with DMDHEU, which acts largely by changing the viscoelastic properties of the fibers. When the treatments are done separately, the improvements obtained with the elastomer and fiber crosslinker are additive for both dry and wet wrinkle recovery. Even better results are obtained however, when the treatment with Synthappret BAP, DMDHEU, and magnesium chloride catalyst is done from a single bath, provided a nonionic surfactant is present. The surfactant is necessary to prevent precipitation of the magnesium salt of Synthappret BAP. The practical significance of these results is that fabrics with dry and wet wrinkle recovery angles similar to those produced by treatment with a high level of DMDHEU alone can be produced by a pad-dry-cure method, using low concentra tions of Synthappret BAP (<1.0% solids omf) plus DMDHEU (1-2% solids omf). These fabrics have better abrasion resistance and tear and tensile strengths than fabrics treated solely with a high level of the crosslinker.

The Effect of Tetrakis(hydrogymethyl)phosphonium Chloride (THPC) on Selected Properties of Fibers

The effect of tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium chloride (THPC) on the physical and chemical properties of wool. cotton, rayon, nylon, and polyester was examined. THPC had the greatest effect on wool, reducing its flammability and decomposition temperature and increasing the extensibility and dyeability of the fiber. The effect of THPC on cotton and rayon differed, primarily due to the greater extent of reaction of THPC with rayon than with cotton. Both cellulosics became slightly more flame retardant, their decomposition temperatures decreased, and both became more weak and brittle. In addition, THPC-treated rayon showed improved wet wrinkle recovery and dyeabitrty with d rect dyes. THPC reacted with nylon to give a more flame retardant fiber of lower decomposition temperature and greater dyeability, but the treated nylon also exhibited inferior tensile properties. Polyester did not react significantly with THPC and showed only slight changes in properties. THPC treatment had a marked effect on the fibers, and this effect should be considered when preparing finishes containing this reagent.

Use of Sulphamic Acid or its Ammonium Salt as Catalyst in Wrinkle-Resistant Finishing of Cotton Textiles

Crosslinking of cotton cellulose with DMEU and DMDHEU were studied using amido sulphuric acid (sulphamic acid) either alone or in combination with MgCl2-6H2O or citric acid. Ammonium sulphamate was also examined as a catalyst, and different techniques of application studied include pad-dry-cure, steam-cure, and rapid-cure treatments. Sulphamic acid was found to be an effective catalyst for crosslinking of cellulose and enables satisfactory levels of wrinkle-recovery improvement and wash-n-wear ratings, irrespective of the method of application used. Among the three methods of application studied, improvement in dry wrinkle recovery obtained with both single-stage rapid-cure and steam-cure methods is less as compared with that obtained by the pad-dry-cure technique, while improvement in wet wrinkle recovery is always higher with steam-cure and rapid-cure as compared with pad-dry-cure method. Unlike MgCl2-6H2O + citric acid mixed-catalyst systems, where synergistic behavior is noticed in catalytic activity of the crosslinking reaction, no additional improvement in wrinkle-recovery angle is observed when sulphamic acid is used in conjunction either with citric acid or MgCl2-6H2O, irrespective of the relative proportions of the two components in the mixture. In the case of ammonium sulpharnate as catalyst, rapid-cure technique fails to impart satisfactory levels of wrinkle-recovery improvement, but with pad-dry-cure technique it enables slightly better strength retention for a given level of wrinkle-recovery improvement as compared with sulpharnic acid or MgCl2-6H2O.

Grafting of cyclic carbonates onto cotton and modified cottons

AbstractCyclic carbonates react with amines to form carbamates, with alcohols to form hydroxyalkylated products, and with dibasic acids or dibasic acids plus a glycol to form polyesters. These types of reactions between ethylene, propylene, or glycerine carbonate and cotton, either unmodified or modified to contain amine or carboxyl groups, were investigated. Effects of method of application, temperature, time of reaction, and pressure were studied. Temperature in excess of 100°C and reduced pressures were satisfactory for removing the water formed. Reaction between cyclic carbonates, dibasic acids, a glycol, and nonaqueously prepared carboxymethylated cotton in a vacuum oven yielded a fabric with conditioned and wet wrinkle recovery of approximately 300(W + F)°. Infrared spectra, wrinkle recovery, and weight gain indicated that crosslinks formed in reactions between unmodified or carboxymethylated cotton and the cyclic carbonate. Reactions with aminized or diethylaminoethylated cotton formed terminal grafts.

Wrinkle Recovery via Cellulose-Glycidol Vapor-Phase Reactions

Glycidol vapor was reacted with unmodified cotton, carboxymethylated (CM) cotton, diethylaminoethylated (DEAE) cotton, and aminized cotton in a heated vacuum oven. The glycidol was either reagent grade or was generated during the reaction by heating glycerine carbonate or a mixture of propylene carbonate and glycerine. Both wet and conditioned (dry) wrinkle recoveries of CM or DEAE cottons were substantially improved.

Mono‐ and diquaternary ammonium cellulose cottons prepared in nonaqueous media

AbstractMono‐ and diquaternary ammonium cellulose anion exchangers in fabric form were prepared in nonaqueous media by reacting diethylaminoethyl (DEAE)‐cotton with an alkyl halide, RX, or a dihaloalkane, X(CH2)nX, respectively. The alkyl group was varied from CH3 to C18H35, and n varied from 5 to 10 in the dihaloalkanes. Electron emission spectroscopy for chemical analyses (ESCA) showed that approximately 70% of the amino groups in the original DEAE‐cotton were free amines. ESCA data showed that highest degree of quaternization of the free amine groups was obtained with CH3I but that diiodo and dibromo pentanes and decanes were also effective. Diquaternary ammonium cellulose exchangers of high nitrogen content had high wet and conditioned wrinkle recoveries, whereas the monoquaternary ammonium cellulose exchangers showed no improvement in wet or conditioned wrinkle recoveries. The monoquaternaries, like unmodified cottons and DEAE‐cottons, were soluble in cupriethylenediamine hydroxide (cuene), and cross sections of their fibers expanded when subjected to layer expansion techniques. All diquaternaries were insoluble in cuene, and their cross sections did not layer.

43—THE WRINKLING BEHAVIOUR OF WOOL FABRICS: THE EFFECT OF METAL SALTS ON DRY AND WET WRINKLE-RECOVERY

The dry and wet wrinkle-recovery of wool fabrics can be improved by reaction with metal salts in the anionic or cationic form. Small amounts of substantive metals are shown to have produced significant improvements in wet wrinkle-recovery, but, with the exception of chromium, only relatively large amounts of metals such as mercury, uranium, tungsten, and molybdenum improved dry wrinkle-recovery. The mechanism by which mercuric acetate improves dry wrinkling does not appear to involve sulphur, despite extensive reaction between mercury salts and sulphur-containing residues, such as cysteine, cystine, and cysteic acid.

A Preliminary Report on the Hydrophilic Characteristics of Poly (Calcium Acrylate)-Cotton

The product of polymerization of calcium acrylate in cotton print cloth was found to exhibit increases in hydrophilic characteristics over the original fabric in water of imbibition, moisture regain; drop absorbency, sinking time, wicking time, water vapor permeability, and wet wrinkle recovery angle.

Modification of Cotton and Cotton-Polyester Blends with Epoxides

Cotton polyester blend fabrics were treated with a variety of mono-and díepoxides with Zn(BF 4)2 as catalyst. Effect s of pad bath composition with respect to epoxide and catalyst concentrations, solvent, and curing conditions on fahric properties of various cotton polyester blends were evaluated. A 50 '50 blend fabric treated with either Araldite RD-2 or Eponite 100 attained wet and dry wrinkle recoveries of approximately 300 (W + F)° white retaining 80% of the original breaking strength and possessing better resistance to flex abrasion than a 100% cotton fabric of similar construction. Either watrr or methanol was an acceptable solvent for the padding solution.