CROSS-LINKING OF COTTON FABRICS PREMERCERIZED WITH DIFFERENT ALKALIS .3. CROSS-LINKING AND PHYSICAL-PROPERTIES OF DMDHEU-TREATED FABRICS

We studied the properties of cotton fabric samples premercerized with three kinds of alkalis and crosslinked with varying DMDHEU concentrati ons in the finishing bath. At a given nitrogen content and number of c rosslinks, the change in wet crease recovery angle of finished fabrics from various premercerizing solutions ranked in the order of LiOH mer cerized fabric > NaOH mercerized fabric > KOH mercerized fabric > unme rcerized fabric. However, changes in tensile strength and elongation o f the finished fabrics for the various premercerized samples are ranke d as KOH mercerized fabric > NaOH mercerized fabric > LiOH mercerized fabric > unmercerized fabric for a given nitrogen content and number o f crosslinks. The value of crosslink length for the various finished f abrics has the same order at a given number of crosslinks. Degrees of surface migration of the agent on the finished fabric surface with NaO H and KOH premercerizing are significant.