Evaluation of Fabrics Woven with Durable Polymeric Sizing Agents

Abstract

From a laboratory evaluation of yarns treated with various polymers, two polyacrylates and a polyurethane offered the potential for further evaluation in full scale slashing and weaving trials. These aqueous polymeric emulsions were applied at room temperature in various combinations to cotton warp yarns (19.7 mg/m). The warps were woven into a 163 g/m 2 poplin fabric. Weaving evaluation demonstrated that some formulations presented problems with yarn clinging and polymer deposits, but one formulation produced a weaving performance equivalent to that of a warp slashed with a conventional starch formulation. The polymers were still present on warp yarns after pilot plant scouring and bleaching of fabrics. Durability was determined by fabric properties and confirmed by infrared spectroscopy. Data are presented on the physical properties of bleached fabrics and the effect of laboratory dyeing, mercerization, and durable-press treatment of experimental fabrics compared to a control fabric. Polymers, used as permanent sizing agents, offer opportunities for energy savings, less water pollution, and improved fabric properties after finishing.Polymeric sizing agents have been investigated in the past at SRRC; the primary object was durable-press (DP) fabrics with improved properties [3,6,8,9]. A crosslinking resin was used in the sizing bath with the polymer. When the polymer was used alone, the resin was subsequently applied to the fabric as a DP finish. These treatments, applied to course and medium yarns (65.6 mg/m, 49.2 mg/m, 32.8 mg/m), had an additional benefit in that they functioned as permanent sizing treatments, but conventional sizing agents such as carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) or polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were added to the formulation for good weavability.The problem remains to investigate finer yarn counts and the best polymers capable of satisfying all the demands of functionality, i. e., efficiency in slashing and weaving, durability, acceptable hand, dye uniformity, and improved fabric strength and abrasion resistance. The availability and variability of new polymers have created a renewed interest in the subject of durable sizing. More recent studies included an evaluation of various classes of polymers as potential sizing agents [ 12,14]. Research narrowed the investigation to a group of polyurethanes and polyacrylates, which differed in polymer backbone, ionic characteristic, and glass transition temperature [ 11 ]. Objectives centered on energy conservation that could be achieved by elimination of elevated temperatures in size preparation, application at room temperature during slashing, and omission of an enzyme desizing step in fabric preparation. An additional benefit of a durable size is reduced water pollution. Approximately 60 to 80% [5,17] of the total pollutant load in textile effluent is attributed to sizing agents. The effect of warp size formulations, including polymeric sizing agents, on the total oxygen demand (TOD) of waste water has been reported [3]. If the size load could be reduced by ...

Size formulations for cotton yarn weaving at lower relative humidity

“…PAA has been used in warp sizing because it is noted for strong adhesiveness, tough films and good solubility, and may be readily removed by light scouring. 20,21 It is a valuable material for sizing. It was attempted to size 9.7 tex cotton yarns with PAA as well as PVA and starch.…”

Erucoyl Glycolates as Lubricants for Cotton Yarns

“…Recent research at the Southern Regional Research Center has been directed to the development of permanent sizing agents which are durable to washing and also enhance fabric properties [10,11,12,13]. However, some polymer treatments impart tackiness which reduces weaving efficiency.…”

Abrasion Studies of Sized Cotton Yarns Before and After Weaving

“…Materials, methods of preparation, results of weaving tests, and fabric properties of samples [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] are described in reference 6. Sampie 13 was prepared in the same way as sample 12, and samples 14-16 were sized with polyvinyl alcohol ( PVA ) in a Callaway slasher ( 7 ] .…”