Crosslinking Cotton Fabric with DMDMDHEU Using Water /Methanol Mixtures as Solvents

Abstract

Cotton fabric is finished with dimethylodimethyldihydroxyethyleneurea using the pad-dry-cure process and different weight ratios of H2O/MeOH mixtures as solvents. Relationships between physical properties and weight ratios of H2O/MeOH show that WCRA and TSR values for the H2O/MeOH mixtures are higher than the theoretical values, but DCRA, nitrogen content, and formaldehyde content values for the H2O/ MeOH mixtures are lower than the theoretical values. WCRA values of the fabric samples treated using H20/MeOH = 40/60 mixtures are higher than those using the 100% water and methanol at the same DCRA and TSR values; in addition, WCRA values of the fabric samples treated using 100% methanol are higher than those using 100% water at the same DCRA and TSR values. The H2O/MeOH = 40/60 mixture gives higher WCRA values than the 100% methanol and water at the same CL/AGU, and the H 2O/MeOH = 0/100 gives higher WCRA values than the H2O/MeOH = 100/0 at the same CL/AGU. For a given CL/AGU, the TSR values of the treated fabric using the three different H2O/MeOH mixtures as solvents are ranked 0/100 > 40/60> 100 / 0, but DCRA values show an opposite trend. At the same CL /AGU, the CL lengths of the samples treated with mixtures of H2O/MeOH as solvents are ranked 0/100 > 40/60 > 100/0.