The effect of different treatments on cotton fabrics with various epoxides in the presence of alkali catalysts on the W & W properties and other properties was investigated. The treatments investigated for cotton fabrics impregnated with epoxides were the wet timing (T), steaming (S), and curing (C). The epoxides used were diglycidyl ether (I), ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (II), glycerin diglycidyl ether (III), and diethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (V). Sodium hydroxide was used in most of experiments, in which the catalyst was padded before (B) or after (A) epoxidepadding or the catalyst and the epoxide were padded at the same time from a solution of the mixture (W).
The effectiveness of epoxides to improve wet crease recovery in B-T process was in the order, I>III>II>V.
The effectiveness of the epoxide-treatment under wet conditions for improving wet crease recovery and W & W properties was in the order W-T>B-T>W-S>A-T>A-S. Tear strength decreased as the add-on of the epoxide and the wet crease recovery angle increased. Little increase in dry crease recovery was observed in these treatments.
The effectiveness of the epoxide-treatment under curing conditions on both dry and wet crease recovery angles (dry<wet) was in the order, W>A>B.
The most effective catalyst for T precess with I was sodium methoxide, and that for S was sodium peroxide. The effect of the solvent of I was investigated. The improvement of the wet crease recovery obtained by treatments under wet conditions was in the order, water>methanol>ethanol>iso-propanol>acetone>dioxane>tetrahydofuran>benzene.
The effect of combination of the epoxide-treatment and the conventional resin finishing with DMDHEU was also studied. When resin-finished fabric fabrics were followed by the epoxide-treatment under wet conditions, high dry and wet crease recovery angles resistant to washing and higher retention in tear strength was achieved.
The reactions involved in the treatments described above are discussed in connection with the change in the fabric properties as a result of the treatment.
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