Enzymatic coloration and finishing of wool with laccase and polyethylenimine

Abstract

Enzymes have been widely used in textile wet processing. The precise reaction specificity of an enzyme has been utilized for specific or targeted textile finishing without causing undesirable fiber damage. Laccases are important enzymes for application in textile processing due to their great versatility and capability of catalyzing the oxidation of a broad range of substrates. The investigation of laccase-catalyzed coloration towards either wool or polyethylenimine was carried out. It is understood that amino groups from wool and polyethylenimine are involved in the formation of polymeric color during laccase catalyzation of catechin and gallic acid. The color depth and shrink-resistance of wool can be improved significantly by incorporating a multi-primary amine compound, such as polyethylenimine, and a crosslinking agent, such as glycerol diglycidyl ether, in the enzymatic coloration process of wool. This demonstrated the potential to achieve combined coloration and shrink-resistant finishing for wool fabrics.