Chemical and Physical Effects of Finishing Cotton With Methylol Derivatives of Ethyleneurea

Abstract

A study has been made of the mechanism by which cotton is made wrinkle resistant by dimethylol ethyleneurea. Estimates are made of the length of cross-links and the relative effect of several factors, including processing conditions, cross-linkage, and acid damage, on the loss in strength of the fabric on treatment. ' Various methylol derivatives of ethyleneurea were used in the study of the effect on chemical and physical properties. It has been demonstrated that the methylol deriva tives of ethyleneurea react chemically with cellulose under the influence of acidic catalysts. Metallic salts are most efficient in promoting this reaction. Both mono functional and difunctional compounds react with the cellulose. The latter, however, cause cross-linkage, which effects marked changes in the physical properties of the treated cotton fabric, particularly wrinkle resistance. Dimethylol ethyleneurea forms cross-links averaging 1.4-1.5 ethyleneurea residues in length. These residues are con nected by methylene groups. The effects of variations in catalyst, composition of the finishing agent, and curing conditions are shown. Relation of the findings to practical finishing is discussed.

Effects of Cross-Linkage in Wrinkle-Resistant Cotton Fabrics

“…This is based on the assumption that the cross links contain no more thpn a single methylene group and that there are no formaldehyde residues on the fabric that are not part of a cross link. These assumptions are supported hy the work of Wagner and Pacsu [f>~ and Cruntfest and Gagliardi [4~, although the latter workers report that longer formal~lehyde cross links are formed at levels of suhstitution higher than encountered in this work Less simple calculations must he made with the series of fabrics treated with dimethylol ethyleneurea and dimethylol urea, as both of these compounds have been reported to form multiple unit cross links [ 3,5]. For both treatments, it was aS~l1med that the.…”

“…Presumably the neutralizing effect on the acidic salt occurs throughout the series treated with dimethylol urea and dimethylol ethyleneurea although its extent may be modi6ed by the influence of the methylol substituent on the basicity of the amide. The effect of acidic degradation and neutralization of the acidity by the amido groups had been noted previously with respect to the tearing strength of cotton fabric treated with dimethylol ethyleneurea [3], but a greater effect was reported than is observed in the present treatments. Calclllation of the Degree of Cross-Linking To correlate fabric properties with degree of crosslinking, the latter quantity was calculated from the nitrogen and formaldehyde analyses.…”

Pore and crosslinking structures of cotton cellulose crosslinked with DMDHEU‐maleic acid

“…The number of crosslinks per anhydroglucose (CL/ AGU) and length of crosslinks (CL length) of the finished fabrics listed in Table II, obtained using the methods of Frick et al, 16,17 indicate that both increase as the concentration of the resin in the bath increases for all crosslinking agents. The curvilinear relationship between the length of crosslinks and CL/AGU of the treated fabric samples for all the crosslinking agents ( Fig.…”

Crosslinking structures and dyeing kinetics of cotton cellulose treated with a steeped process

“…The CL/AGU, CL length, and moles per anhydroglucose unit (AGU) of nitrogen and formaldehyde of the finished fabrics, listed in Table II and obtained with the methods of Frick et al, 11,12 indicate that all increase as the concentration of the resin in the bath increases. Figure 2(a,b) shows the increase in the CL length and CL/AGU with the increase in the resin concentration in the bath separately.…”