Change of Surface Characteristic of Cotton and Polyester Fabrics Treated with Silicone Resin by Washing and Subsequent Heat Treatment

Abstract

It is commonly known that water repellency of the fabric treated with fluorocarbon resin brings about a decrease by the washing and recovers by the subsequent heat treatment. In this article, effect of the water repellency was investigated on the cotton and polyester fabrics treated with silicone resin. Silicone resin has been widely used in the textile finishing as the softening and water proofing agents. The fabrics were treated with a silicone resin, Poron MR (Shinetsu Chemical Co.) and then washed and subsequently heat treated. Although the water repellency increased by the resin treatment, it decreased by the washing apparently and recovered a little by the heat treatment. The effect of the heat treatment was small comparing with that of the fluorocarbon resin. Furthermore, in order to investigate the change of the surface chemical composition of the fabric, ESCA analysis was carried out. The O_1s and Si_2p intensities were almost unchanged by the washing and following heat treatment. The Si2p showed also the same tendency. As a mechanical property of the treated fabric, KES shearing and bending hysteresis parameters, modulus and hysteresis width of the silicone resin treated cotton and polyester fabrics decreased by the heat treatment after washing. Therefore, the treatment is effective at improving the softening of the fabric in water repellent finish.