Improved Durable-Press Cottons Produced by Conventional Pad-Dry-Cure Procedures Using Pairs of Monofunctional and Difunctional Swelling Reactants 1

Abstract

Results are reported of attempts to develop a single-bath treating mixture containing a pair of monofunctional and a difunctional cellulose swelling reactants. A variety of monofunctional cellulose swelling reactants were prepared and tested with several cellu lose cross-linking agents. Some of the monofunctional reagents showed only minor improvements in fabric strength properties. Others, with selected cross-linking agents, showed substantial improvement. With selected monoheterocyclic ureas, N-methylol acetamide produced durable-press 100% cotton with higher tensile, toughness, and abrasion resistance than the control treatments. These results have been confirmed by cuff laundering tests. An analysis is presented of the interactions of the different pairs of reactants and the mechanism of improved properties produced thereby. The degree of overall strength improvement found with selected pairs varies with the concentration of each reagent. , Highest improvements are produced at high total solids concentrations where cotton swelling by the reagents, is very high. These high concentrations, however, may be economically impractical. At total solids level of 15-25%, a major improvement in all cotton fabric properties, is produced. At the present time, it is not known whether each reagent reacts independently with cellulose or whether some interaction between the two swelling reactants takes place during curing. Current emphasis is directed to the synthesis of optimum pairs of reagents, although useful candidates have already been developed for practical use in precure or delayed-cure systems. The advantage of the present process is that it can be done under conventional finishing-plant treating conditions.