A New and Effective Method for Removing DMDHEU Crosslinks from Cotton 1

Abstract

A new and relatively simple method for removing zinc nitrate-cured DMDHEU crosslinks from cotton cellulose is reported. The method entails boiling the finished fabric in 23% NaOH for 10 minutes. Removal of the finish was verified by nitrogen and formaldehyde analyses and by wrinkle recovery measurements. Little change

Investigation into the removal of an easy-care crosslinking agent from cotton and the subsequent regeneration of lyocell-type fibres

“…Indeed, the inability of the NaOH solutions to remove all the bound nitrogen and hence produce incomplete dissolution of the alkali-treated fabrics in CED solution has been previously reported (Abhyankar et al 1985(Abhyankar et al , 1986a(Abhyankar et al , 1987. The inability to remove all of the nitrogen assigned to DMDHEU is due to the nature of the interaction between the easy-care finish and the cotton cellulose.…”

“…Both control and easy-care finished cottons were stripped in sodium hydroxide solution following the methods described in the literature (Abhyankar et al 1985(Abhyankar et al , 1986a(Abhyankar et al , 1987 with minor modifications. A solution of 23 % w/w sodium hydroxide was cooled to 23 ºC and then divided into two portions each in a 250-ml beaker.…”

“…Several investigations have previously been undertaken to determine the stability of the easy-care finishes and identify methods of removal from the fabrics (Abhyankar et al 1985(Abhyankar et al , 1986a(Abhyankar et al , 1987. Abhyankar et al (1985) reported the immersion of DMDHEU-treated cotton fabric in a solution of 23 % NaOH at the boil for 10 min and found that although the crease recovery angle (CRA) performance of the stripped fabric was reduced to that of the untreated fabric, there were still some traces of nitrogen assigned to DMDHEU remaining in the fabric.…”

“…Abhyankar et al (1985) reported the immersion of DMDHEU-treated cotton fabric in a solution of 23 % NaOH at the boil for 10 min and found that although the crease recovery angle (CRA) performance of the stripped fabric was reduced to that of the untreated fabric, there were still some traces of nitrogen assigned to DMDHEU remaining in the fabric. In addition, it was noted the stripped fabric did not dissolve in ethyl acetate solution.…”

Investigation into the removal of a formaldehyde-free easy care cross-linking agent from cotton and the potential for subsequent regeneration of lyocell-type fibres

“…Both control and easy care finished cotton were 'stripped' in sodium hydroxide solution based on the following methods described in the literature (Abhyankar, Beck, Ladisch, & Bertoniere, 1987;Abhyankar, Beck, Ladisch, & Frick, 1986;Abhyankar, Beck, Ladisch, & Rowland, 1985) with some minor modifications (Haule et al, 2014). A solution of 23% w/w sodium hydroxide was prepared, cooled to 23 °C modifications (Haule et al, 2014).…”