Recurable Durable-Press Fabrics

Abstract

Hydroxy acids were used as coreactant catalysts with N-methylol crosslinking reagents to produce recurable durable-press cotton fabrics. The resilience and strength retention properties of these fabrics were equivalent to or slightly better than those of durable-press fabrics cured with a conventional curing catalyst. All fabrics tested with gluconic acid had low carboxyl contents, whereas fabrics treated with glycolic, lactic, and tartaric acids had carboxyl contents that varied with the methylol reagent. The recurabilities of these fabrics were measured by a creasing and crease durability test. Fabrics cured with a conventional catalyst and the fabrics cured with gluconic acid had very little or no recurability. Fabrics treated with dimethyloldihyroxyethyleneurea and the other hydroxy acids had excellent recurabilities. Fabrics treated with a urea-formaldehyde regent had poor recurabilities, and those treated with a methylol melamine reagent had good to fair recurabilities.