WRINKLE FREE FINISHING OF COTTON

FINISHING TREATMENT GIVEN PROPERTIES ACHIEVED

TO COTTON TO IMPROVE THE
WRINKLE RESISTANCE DESIRABLE
HIGH CREASE RECOVERY ANGLE (W+F)
SEVERAL NAMES UNTREATED 140-160
TREATED 240-280
RESIN FINISHING DIMENSIONAL STABILITY
WRINKLE FREE APPEARANCE ON
WASH AND WEAR FINISIHING WAHSING AND WEARING
SMOOTH FABRIC SURFACE
DURABLE PRESS FINISHING PERMANENT CREASES AT THE
DESIRABLE PLACES (IN CASE OF DP OR
PERMANENT PRESS FINISHING PP FINISH)

EASY CARE FINISHING UNDESIRABLE

LOSS IN TEAR STRENGTH AND
WRINKLE FREE FINISHING ABRASION RESISTANCE

STIFFNESS (CAN BE COMPENSATED BY

SUITABLE SOFTENER)
 COTTON FABRIC CHARACTERISTICS

DESIRABLE

IMPORTANT NATURAL FIBRE

50% OF WORLD CONSUMPTION OF FIBRES FOR CLOTHING IS COTTON
HYGROSCOPIC
GOOD MOISTURE ABSORPTION
COMFORTABLE TO WEAR PARTICULARLY IN TROPICAL CLIMATE (HOT HUMID)
GOOD PERSPIRATION ABSORPTION AND EVAPORATION
RESISTANT TO ALKALI
REISTANT TO DAY TO DAY WASHING CONDITIONS
DURABLE
ECONOMICAL COMPARED TO WOOL AND SILK.

UNDESIRABLE
POOR WRINKLE RESISTANCE
CREASED/CRUMPLED APPERANCE AFTER WASHING AND DURING WEAR
NEED IRONING AFTER EVERY WASH FOR SMOOTH SURFACE APPEANCE
INCREASES MAINTENANCE COST
 MECHANISM OF CREASING

CELLULOSE POLYMERIC CHAINS ARE HELD BY H-BONDS

UNDER STRESS THE H-BONDS BETWEEN ADJACENT POLYMERIC CHAINS CAN BREAK
CAUSING THE CHAINS TO SLIP PAST EACH OTHER.

NEW H-BONDS CAN FORM AS THE OH GROUPS RE-ASSOCIATE WITH OTHER OH

GROUPS

THERE ARE NO OTHER FORCES TO PULL THE NEIGHBOURING CHAINS BACK TO THEIR
ORIGINAL POSITION

THE STRESEED (NEW) SHAPE OF THE FIBRE IS JUST AS STABLE NOW AS WAS THE
ORIGINAL SHAPE.
WATER WILL FACILITATE THE DISRUPTION OF THESE BONDS BY FORMING H-BONDS
BETWEEN THE WATER MOLECULE AND THE CELLULOSE OH GROUPS.

NOW THE HYDRATED POLYMER CHAINS CAN SLIDE PAST EACH OTHER MORE EASILY

SO THE STRAIN LEVEL TO DEFORM THE FIBER IS EVEN LOWER THAN BEFORE.

WATER ACTS AS A LUBRICANT ALLOWING THE CHAINS TO SLIDE PAST ONE ANOTHER
EASILY.

ILLUSTRATIVE OF THIS POINT IS IRONING WRINKLES OUT OF A COTTON GARMENT.

IT IS DIFFICULT TO IRON OUT WRINKLES FROM A DRY GARMENT.

HOWEVER, WHEN THE GARMENT IS DAMPENED FIRST OR IF A STEAM-IRON IS USED,

THE WRINKLES WILL IRON OUT AND THE FABRIC BECOMES FLAT AND SMOOTH.
 FABRIC SHRINKAGE

CELLULOSE READILY ABSORB MOISTURE.

COTTON SWELLS WHEN PLACED IN WATER

DURING SWELLING THE POLYMERIC CHAINS ARE PUSHED APART

DUE TO SWELLING THE DIMENSIONS IN THE WIDTH DIRECTION OF FIBRE WILL

INCREASE

IF THERE IS INCREASE IN DIMENTSIONS IN WIDTH DIRECTION THEREWILL BE

CORRESPONSING DECREASE IN THE DIRECTION OF FIBRE LENGTH

BECAUSE OF THIS PHENOMENA THE COTTON FABRIC SHRINKS DURING FIRST WASHING.
BEFORE SWELLING

AFTER SWELLING
IN ADDITION TO THIS DURING CHEMICAL PROCESSING THE FABRIC IS
SUBJECTED TO MECHANICAL STRESSES. DUE TO WHICH STRETCHING IN BOTH
WIDTH AND LENGTH DIRECTION TAKES PLACE.

WHEN SUCH STRESSED FABRIC PLACED IN WATER THE RELAXATION OF FABRIC

TAKES PLACE RESULTING IN SHRINKAGE DURING FIRST WASH.
 THEORY OF CREASE RECOVERY

SINCE THE CHAIN SLIPPAGE UNDER MOIST CONDITIONS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR

WRINKLING,

IT IS LOGICAL THAT CROSS-LINKING OF ADJACENT CELLULOSE CHAINS SHOULD BE A

WAY OF IMPROVING CREASE RECOVERY.

SO THE MECHANISM FOR IMPROVING COTTON'S RESILIENCE IS TO CROSS-LINK

CELLULOSE CHAINS WITH APPROPRIATE REACTANTS.

Cellulose chains held by H-bonds Cellulose chains cross-linked by

reactant
 APPROACHES TO REDUCE CREASING OF CELLULOSE IN WASHING

TWO DIFFERENT CHEMICAL APPROACHES HAVE BEEN USED COMMERCIALLY TO

PRODUCE NON-SWELLING OR CREASE RESISTANT CELLULOSE FABRICS.

1. THE ORIGINAL APPROACH IS THE INCORPORATION OF A POLYMERISED FINISH IN

THE PORES OF THE FIBRES, SO THAT WATER MOLECULES CANNOT EASILY
PENETRATE THE FIBRE. FIBRE SWELLING DECREASED.

2. THE BETTER APPROACH IS TO FORM COVALENT BONDS BETWEEN OH GROUPS

OF CELLULOSE BY USING SUITABLE REACTANTS.
 HISTORY OF EASY CARE FINISHING

IN THE MID 1920'S, THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF TOOTAL, BROADHURST LEE CO.,
ENGLAND, CHALLENGED HIS RESEARCH CHEMISTS TO MAKE COTTON/RAYON FABRIC
WRINKLE RESISTANT.

THE ORIGINAL AIM OF THE RESEARCHERS WHO FIRST DEVELOPED THIS PROCESS
WAS TO CREATE A CREASE-PROOF RAYON FABRIC; HOWEVER, THE NEW TREATMENT
WAS SOON APPLIED TO COTTON FABRICS .

INITIALLY MAINLY UREA–FORMALDEHYDE PRODUCTS WERE USED, SOON FOLLOWED

BY MELAMINE–FORMALDEHYDE COMPOUNDS.

IN 1947 DIMETHYLOLETHYLENE UREA BASED PRODUCTS WERE DEVELOPED.

EASY-CARE FINISHING OF COTTON HAS BEEN A MAJOR MARKET SUCCESS SINCE THE
MIDDLE OF THE 1950S.

DURING THE 1960S AND 1970S, CONCERN ABOUT FORMALDEHYDE

ENCOURAGED DEVELOPMENT OF CELLULOSE CROSSLINKING FINISHES WITH LOW
FORMALDEHYDE LEVELS.
CONTINUED RESEARCH HAS PROVIDED PRODUCTS WITH VERY LOW FREE
FORMALDEHYDE CONTENT AS WELL AS PRODUCTS THAT ARE COMPLETELY
FORMALDEHYDE FREE.
 CELLULOSE CROSSLINKERS

CELLULOSE CROSSLINKERS CAN BE DIVIDED INTO TWO CATEGORIES,

THOSE THAT SELF-POLYMERIZE AS WELL AS CROSSLINK CELLULOSE

(AMINOPLASTS). ALSO KNOWN AS RESIN FORMERS

THOSE THAT PREDOMINATELY CROSSLINK CELLULOSE, ALSO KNOWN AS CELLULOSE

REACTANTS

BOTH TYPES ARE BASED ON REACTION WITH FORMALDEHYDE .

 RESIN FORMERS (AMINOPLASTS)
THERE ARE TWO MAJOR TYPES OF FORMALDEHYDE CONDENSATES THAT FALL INTO
THE RESIN FORMER CATEGORY,

UREA/FORMALDEHYDE

MELAMINE/FORMALDEHYDE.

THESE CONDENSATES
ARE CAPABLE OF SELF-CROSSLINKING TO FORM RESINOUS, THREE-DIMENSIONAL
POLYMERS AS WELL AS CROSSLINKING CELLULOSE.

THEY ALSO FIND NON-TEXTILE APPLICATIONS AS PLASTICS AND ADHESIVES.

BECAUSE OF THE TENDENCY OF SELF POLYMERIZATION THESE COMPOUNDS ARE

OFTEN CALLED AMINOPLASTS OR AMINOPLASTICS
 UREA-FORMALDEHYDE (U/F)

WHEN 2 MOLES OF HCHO IS REACTED WITH ONE MOLE OF UREA, DIMETHYLOL UREA
IS FORMED.

BEING BIFUNCTIONAL, IT IS CAPABLE OF SELF CONDENSATION AND ALSO

SERVING AS A CROSSLINKING AGENT.
 DIMETHYLOL UREA

Self condensation or polymerization

 IMPORTANT FEATURES OF UREA FORMALDEHYDE

1. THE CONDENSATE HAS AN EXTREMELY SHORT SHELF LIFE. IT MUST BE USED WITHIN
A FEW DAYS AFTER ITS SYNTHESIS. WHEN FORMULATED WITH CATALYST, THE FINISH
BATH MUST BE USED WITHIN FEW HOURS. THE SOLUTION HAS HIGH FREE
FORMALDEHYDE AND WILL READILY LIBERATE FORMALDEHYDE INTO THE WORK PLACE

2. IT IS EASY TO CURE ON FABRICS AND IMPARTS GOOD CREASE RECOVERY. FABRIC

BECOMES STIFF. WHICH IS UNDESIRABLE. MOST RAYON FABRICS ARE VERY LIMP
COMPARED TO COTTON THEREFORE THIS FINISH IS USED FOR FINISHING OF RAYON
FABRICS.

3. FINISHED FABRICS HAVE POOR DURABILITY TO REPEATED LAUNDRY. CREASE

RECOVERY IS LOST BECAUSE THE CROSSLINKS HAVE POOR STABILITY TO HYDROLYSIS.

4. THE FINISH ADVERSELY AFFECT THE LIGHT FASTNESS OF DIRECT AND FIBER
REACTIVE DYES.

5. FINISHED FABRIC IS PRONE TO LIBERATE FORMALDEHYDE ODOR BECAUSE OF HIGH

FORMALDEHYDE RELEASE.
 MELAMINE FORMALDEHYDE

MELAMINE CAN REACT WITH UP TO 6 MOLES OF FORMALDEHYDE TO FORM A

VARIETY OF PRODUCTS.

COMMERCIALLY, TRIMETHYLOL AND HEXAMETHYLOL MELAMINE FORMALDEHYDE

ARE IMPORTANT CONDENSATES.
STABILITY OF THESE PRODUCTS IS IMPROVED BY REACTION WITH
METHANOL CH3OH.
Melamine–formaldehyde reactions.
CONDENSATION OF MELAMINE FORMALDEYDE TO FORM
THREE DIMENSIONAL POLYMER
 IMPORTANT FEATURES

1. DURABILITY TO REPEATED LAUNDERING IS MUCH BETTER THAN U/F.

3. THEY ARE USED IN COMBINATION WITH PHOSPHORUS FLAME RETARDANTS AS A

SOURCE OF NITROGEN. NITROGEN SYNERGISM ENHANCES PHOSPHORUS FLAME
RETARDANTS AND MELAMINE IS AN EXCELLENT SOURCE OF NITROGEN.

4. THEY ARE USED AS FINISHES FOR PREVENTION WOOL SHRINKAGE.

 SELF CONDENSATION REACTIONS OF U/F AND M/F PRODUCTS.

DURING EARLY DEVELOPMENTS OF EASY CARE FINISHING UF AND MF WERE USED.

THESE ARE MAINLY DEPOSITED IN THE CELLULOSE IN THE FORM OF SELF

CONDENSED POLYMER WITH MIINIMUM CROSSLINKING WITH CELLULOSE.

THESE STRUCTURES IMPART A VERY STIFF, FIRM HANDLE TO FABRICS

UF AND MF ARE NO MORE USED BECAUSE OF AVAILABILITY OF BETTER CROSS

LINKING AGENTS.
 REACTIVE CROSS LINKING AGENTS

REACTANT N-METHYLOL COMPOUNDS DIFFER FROM AMINOPLASTS IN THAT

REACTANTS DO NOT FORM THREE-DIMENSIONAL POLYMERS BY SELF-CONDENSATION.
WHEN APPLIED TO CELLULOSE,

THEY MAINLY CROSSLINK BY REACTION WITH OH GROUPS IN CELLULOSE CHAINS

THE COMMERCIALLY IMPORTANT CROSS-LINKING AGENTS ARE

DIMETHYLOL ETHYLENE UREA,

4,5-DIHYDROXY- ETHYLENE UREA

 DIMETHYLOL ETHYLENE UREA

THE STARTING MATERIAL FOR MAKING DIMETHYLOLETHYLENE UREA (DMEU) IS

ETHYLENE UREA.

IT IS MADE BY REACTING ETHYLENE DIAMINE WITH UREA.

ETHYLENE UREA CONTAINS 2 N-H GROUPS CAPABLE OF REACTING WITH FORMALDEHYDE

AND FORMS A BIFUNCTIONAL PRODUCT.
 SYNTHESIS OF DMEU

Urea Ethylene diamine

Ethylene urea

Methylolation Reaction

Ethylene urea Formaldehyde

DMEU
IMPORTANT FEATURES
1. IT WAS WIDELY USED PRIOR TO 1961 AS A WASH AND WEAR FINISH.

2. THE PRODUCT HAS MODERATE SHELF LIFE, BUT BETTER THAN THE AMINOPLASTS.
EVEN WITH CATALYST MIXED IN, THE BATH LIFE IS MORE THAN ADEQUATE FOR MOST
COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS.

3. DMEU IS EASILY CURED. IT WILL BEGIN TO CURE AT 90 TO 100 deg C.

4. IT GIVES GOOD WRINKLE RECOVERY WITH NOMINAL LOSSES IN FABRIC STRENGTH.

5. THE PRODUCT DOES AFFECT LIGHTFASTNESS OF CERTAIN DIRECT AND REACTIVE

DYES.

7. HYDROLYSIS RESISTANCE IS POOR. CROSSLINKS ARE NOT DURABLE TO

LAUNDERING, ESPECIALLY INDUSTRIAL LAUNDERING CONDITIONS.
 N,N'-DIMETHYLOL-4,5-DIHYDROXYETHYLENE UREA (DMDHEU)

THE STARTING CHEMICAL IS MADE BY REACTING STOICHIOMETRIC AMOUNTS OF UREA

AND GLYOXAL FOLLOWED BY REACTION WITH FORMALDEHYDE

WHILE THE SYNTHESIS IS SHOWN IN TWO STEPS, COMMERCIALLY DMDHEU IS MADE

DIRECTLY IN ONE STEP. UREA, FORMALDEHYDE AND GLYOXAL ARE ALL COMBINED
TOGETHER AND HEATED.

THE PRODUCT IS SOLD AS A 46% SOLUTION.

 SYNTHESIS OF DMDHEU

METHYLOLATION
 IMPORTANT FEATURE
DMDHEU IS LESS REACTIVE THEREFORE FINISH BATHS CONTAINING DMDHEU ARE
MORE STABLE.

THE REACTIVITY OF DMDHEU CAN BE FURTHER REDUCED BY REACTION WITH

METHANOL OR DIETHYLENE GLYCOL, LEADING TO ETHER-MODIFIED DMDHEU
PRODUCTS.

THESE ALCOHOLS ARE ALSO FORMALDEHYDE SCAVENGERS (HCHO ABSORBER) AND

ARE OFTEN ADDED TO COMMERCIAL FINISH PRODUCTS TO PREVENT FORMALDEHYDE
RELEASE
 IMPORTANT FEATURES

THE COMMERCIAL PRODUCT HAS LOW FREE FORMALDEHYDE WHICH MAKES IT EASY TO
HANDLE IN A FINISHING PLANT.

IT DOES NOT LIBERATE FREE FORMALDEHYDE

THE PRODUCT HAS EXTREMELY GOOD SHELF LIFE AND EVEN FINISH BATHS WITH
CATALYST PRESENT ARE STABLE FOR PROLONG PERIODS OF TIME.

FABRIC TEMPERATURES EXCEEDING 130 deg C ARE NEEDED BEFORE THE CROSS-LINKING
REACTION TAKES PLACE.

THIS FEATURE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS POPULARITY FOR DP FINISH.

THE REACTANT DOES NOT CROSSLINK ON STORAGE BEFORE CURING. THEREFORE

TREATED AND DRIED FABRICS CAN BE LEFT IN A
SENSITIZED STATE (UNCURED) FOR OVER SIX MONTHS BEFORE POST CURING.
WASH FASTNESS OF THE PRODUCT IS VERY GOOD. THEREFORE, PERFORMANCE
OF THE FINISH GOOD EVERN AFTER REPEATED WASHING.
 CROSS LINKING REACTION WITH CELLULOSE

THE PRINCIPAL REACTION OF DMDHEU PRODUCTS IS THE CROSSLINKING OF ADJACENT

CELLULOSE MOLECULES

CROSS LINKING OF DMDHEU WITH CELLULOSE

THIS CROSSLINKING PREVENTS THE MOVEMENT OF THE FIBRE MOLECULES DURING
STRESS AND HINDERS SHRINKAGE AND WRINKLE FORMATION.

THE MAIN PROPERTIES OF DMDHEU-BASED PRODUCTS ARE:

• LOW TO VERY LOW REACTIVITY
• EXCELLENT DURABILITY TO LAUNDERING
• MEDIUM TO VERY LOW FORMALDEHYDE RELEASE
• THE MOST COMMONLY USED DURABLE PRESS PRODUCTS.
 CATALYST

THE REACTION OF N-CH2OH COMPOUNDS WITH CELLULOSE IS ACID

CATALYZED.

THE STRONGER THE ACID, THE FASTER THE REACTION.

SELECTING THE PROPER CATALYST BECOMES IMPORTANT BECAUSE

ACIDS ALSO DAMAGE CELLULOSE FIBERS. STRONGER THE ACID, GREATER
THE DAMAGE.
 SPECIFIC CATALYST AND THEIR USE

FREE ACIDS

MINERAL ACIDS, CITRIC, TARTARIC ARE USED WHEN FASTER CURES ARE REQUIRED.

THEY ARE ALSO USED FOR CURING AT LOWER TEMPERATURE.

DISADVANTAGES
REDUCED BATH STABILITY,

DAMAGE TO THE FIBER

INCREASED FORMALDEHYDE RELEASE.

 LATENT ACIDS/ ACID LIBERATING SALTS

METAL SALTS

MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE IS A MILD CATALYST THAT CAN BE USED AT HIGH

TEMPERATURES.
 MIX CATALYST

USUALLY A MIXTURE OF MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE MIXED WITH ANY ONE OF THE

FOLLOWING ARE USED WHEN STRONGER CATALYTIC ACTIVITY IS REQUIRED.

MgCl2 + CITRIC ACID,

MgCl2 + ALUMINUM CHLORIDE,

MgCl2 + ALUMINUM SULFATE OR

MgCl2 + AMMONIUM CHLORIDE.

 SOFTENER
FABRIC FEEL, TEAR STRENGTH AND ABRASION RESISTANCE OF COTTON IS SEVERLY
AFFECTED DUE TO CROSS LINKING.

THE DETERIORATION OF ABOVE PROPERTIES IS PREVENTED TO A CONSIDERABLE

EXTENT BY THE USE OF SUITABLE SOFTENER IN THE FINISH BATH

AMINO SILICONE SOFTENERS HAVE BEEN FOUND TO BE USEFUL TO IMPROVE THE

FABRIC FEEL AND MINIMIZE THE STRENGTH AND ABRASION RESISTANCE LOSSES

THE CONCENTRATION OF THE SOFTENER DEPENDS ON THE CONCENTRATION OF

THE CROSS LINKING AGENT.

AS A GUIDE LINE THE SOFTENER CONCENTRATION IS ABOUT 30% OF CROSS LINKING

AGENT CONCENTRATION.

WETTING AGENT

FOR RAPID AND UNIFORM WETTING DURING PADDING 2 g/l OF NON-IONIC

WETTING AGENT IS RECOMMENDED.
 CURING TEMPERATURE

THE REACTION OF N-METHYLOL REACTANTS WITH CELLULOSE TAKES PLACE UNDER

ACIDIC CONDITION AT HIGH TEMPERATURE.

THE CURING TIME DEPENDS ON THE TEMPERATURE

APPROXIAMATE GUIDELINE BETWEEN TEMPERATURE AND TIME OF CURING IS

CURING TEMPERATURE (°C) 140 150 160 170

CURING TIME MIN. 4-5 2-4 2-3 1-2
 APPLICATION TECHNIQUES
PAD-DRY-CURE (WASH AND WEAR FINISHING)
THIS IS THE MOST COMMONLY USED SEQUENCE.

THE FABRIC IS PADDED WITH A BATH CONTAINING CROSS LINKING AGENT, SOFTENER,
ACID LIBERATING CATALYST AND A WETTING AGENT.

THE TYPICAL RECIPES ARE

DMDHEU cross linking agent 40-100 g/l

Silicone softner 10-30 gl/
MgCl2 catalyst 6-15 g/l (15% of cross linking agent conc.)
Wetting agent 2 g/l

PADDING EXPRESSION 60-70%

DMDHEU CONC. CAN BE AS HIGH AS 200-250 g/l DEPENDING ON THE EXTENT OF

CRA IMPROVEMENT DESIRED.
THERE SHOULD BE CORRESPONDING INCREASE IN CATALYST AND SOFTENER
CONC.
THE FABRIC IS DRIED AT 100-1200 C AND CURED AT 1400C FOR 4-5 MINUTES
FOLLOWED BY WASHING TO REMOVE FREE FORMALDEHYDE AND RESIDUAL CATALYST.

THE FINISH IS REFERRED TO AS A ‘PRE-CURE’ FINISH, THE FINISH IS CURED PRIOR TO

GARMENT MANUFACTURE.

PRE-CURE FINISH IS MOST SUITED FOR FABRICS THAT REQUIRE

WRINKLE RESISTANCE, SUCH AS BED SHEETING, SHIRTING AND CASUAL TROUSERS.
 DURABLE PRESS, PERMANENT OR WRINKLE FREE FINISHING

IN THIS PROCESS THE FABRIC IS PADDED WITH THE CROSS LINKING AGENT
CONC.100-200 G/L) WITH CORRESPONDING INCREASE IN THE CONCENTRATION OF
SOFTENER AND CATALYST.

THE PADDED FABRIC IS DRIED AT 800C FOR 2-3 MIN. MAKING SURE NO CROSS LINK
FORMATION WITH CELLULOSE TAKES PLACE AT THE DRYING STAGE.

THE DRIED FABRIC IS THEN TRANSPORTED FOR GARMENT MANUFACTURING.

AFTER GARMENT MANUFACTURING THE GARMENT IS PRESSED INTRODUCING

CREASES AT THE DESIRABLE PLACES.

THE GARMENTS ARE THEN CURED AT 140-1600C FOR 4-5 MINUTES FOLLOWED BY

WASHING TO REMOVE FREE FORMALDEHYDE AND RESIDUAL CATALYST.

IN THIS WAY PERMANENT CREASES ARE INTRODUCED INTO GARMENTS AT

DESIRABLE PLACES.
FOR FABRICS THAT REQUIRE CREASE RETENTION, SUCH AS TROUSERS
AND PLEATED SKIRTS.

THIS FINISH IS REFERRED TO A ‘POSTCURE’ FINISH OR ‘DELAYED CURE’

FINISH,

THE FINISH IS CURED AFTER THE GARMENT HAS BEEN MANUFACTURED.

 APPLICATION OF FINISH IN GARMENT FORM

IN SPECIAL CASES WHERE ENTIRE GARMENTS ARE TO BE TREATED WITH A

DURABLE PRESS FINISH,

THE FINISHING CHEMICALS CAN BE SPRAYED IN EXACT DOSES ONTO THE

GARMENTS BEFORE THE FINAL SHAPE IS FORMED AND THEN CURED.

ALSO IMPREGNATION BY DIPPING (GARMENT DIPPING) IN A WASHING MACHINE,

FOLLOWED BY CENTRIFUGATION, DRYING AND PRESSING
OR IRONING IS COMMON.

THE MADE-UP GARMENTS ARE FINALLY SUSPENDED ON HANGERS IN A CURING

OVEN.
 FABRIC PROPERTIES

IMPROVEMENTS IN WRINKLE RECOVERY AND DP RATINGS,

LOSSES IN STRENGTH AND ABRASION RESISTANCE ARE RELATED TO THE NUMBER

OF CROSSLINKS.

THE NUMBER OF CROSS-LINKS IS INFLUENCED BY THE ADD-ON, (THE AMOUNT OF

CROSS LINKING AGENT DEPOSITED ON THE FABRIC) AND THE DEGREE OF CURING
(PERCENTAGE OF THE AMOUNT CROSS LINKING AGENT APPLIED THAT BECOME
ACTUAL CROSS-LINKS).

THE DEGREE OF CURING IS INFLUENCED BY THE CHEMICAL STRUCTURE OF THE CROSS

LINKING AGENT, THE TYPE AND CONCENTRATION OF CATALYST, THE , AND THE TIME
AND TEMPERATURE OF CURE.
 DURABLE PRESS PERFORMANCE VERSUS ADD-ON

THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN FABRIC PERFORMANCE AND ADD-ON OF DMDHEU

CAN BE SEEN IN FIGURE

FIGURE SHOWS THAT BOTH WET AND DRY WRINKLE RECOVERY IMPROVE
WITH INCREASING CONCENTRATION OF REAGENT IN THE BATH.

ALSO SHOWN IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DP RATING (FABRIC SMOOTHNESS)

AND ADD-ON.

DP Rating
Dry and Wet CRA

CONC. g/l CONC. g/l

 TENSILE, TEAR AND ABRASION RESISTANCE

LOSSES IN TENSILE, TEAR AND ABRASION RESISTANCE IN 100% COTTON ARE DIRECTLY
RELATED TO THE NUMBER OF CROSS-LINKS,

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ABRASION RESISTANCE, TENSILE AND TEAR STRENGTH

VERSUS RESIN ADD-ON IS SEEN IN FIGURE.

THE TRENDS ESTABLISHED IN THESE CURVES MIRROR THOSE SEEN IN CRA AND DP
RATING EXCEPT THESE ARE GOING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

THE STEEP PART OF EACH CURVE APPEARS TO LEVEL OFF AT 15 % COMMERCIAL

DMDHEU IN THE BATH.

IMPROVED DP PROPERTIES ALSO TEND TO LEVEL OFF AT THIS CONCENTRATION.

STRENGTH AND ABRASION RESISTANCE LOSSES ARE 30 TO 60 % OF THE UNTREATED

FABRIC .
 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES VERSUS ADD-ON

ABRASION RESISTANCE
 YELLOWING

YELLOWING OF DP FINISHED FABRICS CAUSED BY A NUMBER OF CONDITIONS.

EXCESSIVE CURING TEMPERATURES AND /OR EXCESSIVE CATALYST WILL SCORCH

CELLULOSIC FABRICS.

SOME REACTANTS HAVE COLOR BODIES (impurities) THAT CAUSE YELLOWING.

USUALLY NITROGENOUS COMPOUNDS DISCOLOR WITH HEAT.

BUFFERS ARE OFTEN ADDED TO COMMERCIAL FINISHES TO COMBAT YELLOWING

PROBLEMS.
 HEALTH HAZARDS WITH FORMALDEHYDE
MORE THAN 1 PPM OF FORMALDEHYDE IN THE AIR
CAUSES A PUNGENT ODOUR (THE THRESHOLD DETECTION LEVEL BY SMELL IS 0.5
PPM).

FORMALDEHYDE
CAUSES TEARY EYES,
INDUCES COUGH, AND CAN LEAD TO
DIFFICULTIES IN BREATHING AND HEADACHES.

SKIN CONTACT WITH AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS OF FORMALDEHYDE OR WITH TEXTILES

THAT CONTAIN A HIGH LEVEL OF FORMALDEHYDE
CAN GIVE RISE TO ECZEMA AND OCCASIONAL ALLERGIC REACTIONS.

IN ADDITION, FORMALDEHYDE IS A SUSPECTED HUMAN CARCINOGEN.

SOME EVIDENCE EXISTS TO DEMONSTRATE CARCINOGENICITY IN ANIMALS

THE SOURCES OF FORMALDEHYDE IN TREATED FABRICS ARE VARIOUS.

AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF A DMDHEU-TYPE RESIN WILL ALWAYS CONTAIN SOME

FREE FORMALDEHYDE.

IN ADDITION, THE CROSSLINKS FORMED BETWEEN RESIN AND CELLULOSE MAY BE

HYDROLYSED DURING SEVERE WASHING CONDITIONS TO RELEASE
FORMALDEHYDE.
AS A RESULT OF THIS RESTRICTIONS ARE
PLACED ON THE CONCENTRATION OF FORMALDEHYDE IN FABRICS FOR CERTAIN
END-USES,
PARTICULARLY THE OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100

THE CURRENT STANDARDS FOR MAXIMUM FABRIC CONCENTRATIONS OF

FORMALDEHYDE FOR OEKO-TEX STANDARD ARE

(1) FOR FURNISHING FABRICS – 300 PPM;

(2) FOR ADULT CLOTHING AND

OTHER SKIN CONTACT ITEMS – 75 PPM;

(3) FOR CHILDREN’S ITEMS – 20 PPM.

IT IS POSSIBLE TO MEET THE 75 PPM LIMIT WITH MODIFIED DMDHEU REACTANTS
(MODIFIED WITH METHANOL OR ETHYLENE GLYCOL)
TO PRODUCE LOW TO ULTRA LOW FORMALDEHYDE CROSS LINKING AGENT.

HOWEVER, 20 PPM LIMIT IS DIFFICULT TO MEET WITH PRESENTLY AVAILABLE

FORMALDEHYDE BASED CROSS LINKING AGENTS.

FOR THIS REASON, ZERO FORMALDEHYDE RESINS OR FOERMALDEHYDE FREE

RESINS ARE GAINING IMPORTANCE, IN SPITE OF THEIR GENERALLY LOWER
REACTIVITY AND HIGHER COST;