DESIZING

The major portion of the size consists of starch, wax and tallow. All these remain on the
warp yarn even after weaving the cloth. It is necessary to remove the size from the cloth,
otherwise the hydrophobic of the wax and tallow constraint the subsequent dyeing and
printing process.

Thus desizing is the term usually restricted to the process of removal of starch
size can be performed efficiently and completely if are taken to degrade the starch in some
way and to convert it to the product with a higher degree of water solubility.

There are three types of technique in desizing and four method of desizing that has been
used in wet processing.

TECHNIQUE OF DESIZING

There are three type of technique of desizing. Desizing technique are different depends on
the kind of sizing agent to be removed. If water soluble sizes are used, they are removed
easily. If water insoluble sizes are used, chemicals are used for desizing.

METHODS OF DESIZING

1. OXIDATIVE DESIZING:

Some oxidizing agents, particularly hydrogen peroxide and some per-sulphate will degrade.
Starch will out serious attack of the cellulose as long as reasonable care is taken with the
process. The fabric is impregnated with hot solution of oxidizer and batched up for several

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hours or steamed for 20 min at 100-105 oC. Since hydrogen peroxide is used as bleach for
cellulosic substrate as a bleaching process would normally follow desizing but H 2O2 is used
for desizing with size of PVA at 9 pH. It is reasonable to suppose that the two processes
might be combined into one. This is sometime done, particularly where the amount of size
to be removed is hot large. However, a more common practice is to economic on enzyme
desizing process by using condition which are milder the removal of size is then completed
action of the hydrogen per oxide bleach.

2. HYDROLYTIC DESIZING:

Starch is the mixture of two carbohydrates.

a. Amylase ⇒ a long straight chain
b. Amylopectin ⇒ a complex branch
The thickening powder of starch is largely due to the amylopectin. These compound are in
soluble in water but can be solubilized by hydrolysis of these polymers.
Hydrolysis is generally brought about by using one of the following processes.
a) Rot or Bacteria Desizing.
b) Acid Desizing.
c) Enzymatic Desizing.

a) ROT DESIZING:
In this process, the grey cloth is dipped in a tank full of water for 24 hours and a give
temperature range of 25-40 oC. The bacteria present in water produce enzyme,
which react with starch and converted them into glucose unit, which are soluble in
water and on washing the fabric can easily be removed. This is slow but economic
process.

b) ACID DESIZING:
The process of acid steeping is also called as grey scouring. In this process grey cloth
is placed in a weak solution (0.5-1%) of H2SO4 for 4-6 hours at a maximum
temperature of 40oC starch become soluble in water.

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 c) ENZYMATIC DESIZING:
Enzymes are biochemicals which a specific action on only one type of compound and
which bring about a chemical change in it. They are contained within all living system
and carry out many functions. For example: their role in digestion, the modern
agencies used for desizing into three groups.

Enzymes Origin

Melt Preparation Vegetable or cellulose enzyme

Pancreatic Amylose Waste of slaughter house
Bacterial Amylase Obtain from micro-organism

The only amylose family of enzyme has an action on starch

(Amylose and Amylopectin) and nothing else these amylose
converted the starch mixture very rapidly to soluble dextrin
and then more slowly convert this to reducing substances and
sugar such as maltose. These water soluble products could be
easily washed out in actual practice the grey cloth may first be
passed through hot water and then through desizing solution,
whose concentration, pH, temperature may be vary according
to the type of enzyme.
Enzymes Concentration Temperature pH
Melt extract 3-20 gm/litre 50-60 oC 6-7.5
Pancreatic 1-3 gm/litre 50-60 oC 6.5-7.5
Bacterial 0.5-1 gm/litre 60-70 oC 5.5-7.5

Enzymes suffer from one disadvantage, that if the condition of temperature and pH
not favorable their desizing activity is destroyed. After passing fabric from desizing
solution fabric is batched for 8-12 hours. During this time starch is converted from
insoluble starch soluble α-glucose and then simple washing is done.