Effect of Boric Acid and BTCA on Tensile Strength Loss of Finished Cotton Fabrics

Abstract

Several polycarboxylic acids have been studied as durable press finishing agents for cotton fabrics. The most effective is 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA). One of the drawbacks of this crosslinking is the severe loss of mechanical strength of the treated fabrics, which is responsible for the reduced durability of finished cotton garments. In this research, boric acid mixed with BTCA is considered as a remedy for this problem. Fourier transform infrared spectra, tensile tests, and crease recovery angle (CRA) measurements are used to investigate the effects of the treatment. The results reveal that if cotton fabrics are treated with the combination of BTCA and boric acid, they show high CRA values at a low curing temperature. In the presence of sodium hypophosphite as a catalyst, higher CRA values may be obtained, although at higher curing temperatures. Interestingly, adding boric acid to BTCA in the right proportions leads to almost complete retention of the mechanical strength originally present in the untreated cotton.Since the 1980s, the casual wear market has shown a steady increase in the demand for easy-care, creaseresistant cotton apparel. Formaldehyde-based N-methylol compounds, including dimethyloldihydroxylethyleneurea (DMDHEU) are the most widely used durable press finishing agents in the textile industry. However, extensive research has attempted to develop nonformaldehyde crosslinking agents to replace N-methylol compounds that release formaldehyde during production and storage, which is suspected of being carcinogenic. Several polycarboxylic acids have been considered as durable press finishing agents for cotton fabrics [ 1-2, 5]. The most effective is 1,2,3,4-butanetettacarboxylic acid (BTCA). It satisfies many desirable requirements such as durability to laundering and durable press performance [6]. Cellulose esterification by a polycarboxylic acid proceeds in two steps: first a cyclic anhydride intermediate is formed, and this intermediate then reacts with cellulose to form an ester [7]. Infrared spectroscopic (IR) data also demonstrate that cyclic anhydrides are very reactive and able to esterify cellulose without a catalyst present [8].One of the drawbacks of crosslinked durable-press cotton fabrics is the loss of mechanical strength. Severe tensile strength loss diminishes the durability of finished cotton garments. The factors involved in strength loss of cottons treated with BTCA include acid catalyzed degradation of cellulose molecules and their crosslinking [3]. However, fabric strength loss due to crosslinking is reversible, as shown by removing the crosslinking by hydrolysis under alkaline conditions. The common catalysts for polycarboxylic acids are phosphorous-containing compounds, although their use has disadvantages such as high cost and raises some environmental concerns. Other catalysts have been proposed ; among these is boric acid, which was added to maintain whiteness in the treated fabrics [4]. With this treatment, durable press properties were similar to those obtaine...

Effect of plasma pretreatment on the wrinkle‐resistance properties of cotton fibers treated with a 1,2,3,4‐butanetetracarboxylic acid–sodium hypophosulfite system with titanium dioxide as a cocatalyst

“…[1][2][3][4][5] The crosslinking reaction is enhanced by catalysts, such as sodium hypophosulfite (SHP) and titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ). [6][7][8][9][10][11] To enhance the BTCA treatment with TiO 2 , the surface modification of the cotton fiber is required.…”

Photocatalytic functional cotton fabrics containing benzophenone chromophoric groups

“…In general, BTCA-treated cellulosic fabrics suffer a major loss of such mechanical properties as tensile strength, tear strength, and abrasion resistance because of two key contributing factors; the acidity of the polycarboxylic acid at high temperature and the restriction of stress distribution within the fibers because of the crosslinking between cellulosic polymers. 14,16 However, there was no significant difference in the tensile strengths between the BTCA-treated cotton fabrics and the 0.1M 4-hydroxybenzophenone/BTCA-treated cotton fabrics. Also it was observed that the average tensile strength of the 0.1M 4-hydroxybenzophenone/BTCA-treated cotton fabrics hardly changed after 10 h UV illumination [ Fig.…”

“…13,14 The reaction of polycarboxylic acid with cellulosic polymers occurs through esterification of hydroxyl groups, although not all the carboxylic acids will be able to react with the cellulosic substrate. The effective polycarboxylic acids contain three or more carboxylic groups and those groups are capable of forming five-or six-member cyclic anhydride rings.…”

A comparison between acrilic resin and butanetetracarboxylic acid used to bind TiO2 nanoparticles to cotton fabrics

“…This is due to the fact that crosslinkers react with the hydroxyl groups in cellulose molecules with primary chemical bonds (Lam et al 2010;Trask-Morrell et al 1994;Sricharussin et al 2004;Dehadabi 2012;Peng 2012). Previous studies have shown that the crosslinking agents can interact with nanoparticles of titanium dioxide to improve the adhesion between cellulose molecules, but these carboxylic acids need to have at least two free carboxylic groups to be able to bind to both cotton and TiO 2 (Montazer et al 2012;Karimi et al 2010).…”