THE EFFECT OF FUNCTIONAL FINISHES AND LAUNDERING ON TEXTILE MATERIALS.1. SURFACE CHARACTERISTICS

The effects of finishes and laundering on the surface characteristics of cotton and polyester fibers are evaluated in this investigation. Ch anges in the surface properties of the fibers are monitored through co ntact-angle determinations (the Wilhelmy technique) before and after t reatment of the fabrics with durable-press, fluorocarbon stain-repelle nt, and antistatic finishes. The durable-press and stain-repellent fin ishes did not produce a noticeable change in the wettability of the co tton fibers. However, the wettability of the polyester fibers was incr eased, and the polar contribution to the surface free energy increased after treatment with stain-repellent finishes. Treatment of cotton wi th cationic surfactants as antistatic finishes converted the surface t o a hydrophobic character. A reverse phenomenon was observed on the su rface of polyester fibers after treatment with antistatic finishes. Th e different effects of the surfactant treatments were attributed to di fferent deposition patterns of the surfactant molecules at the fiber s urfaces. Laundering was found to increase the wettability of unfinishe d cotton and polyester fibers, presumably owing to surface roughening from mechanical agitation and the removal of oil-borne contaminants. T he effect of laundering on the finished fibers was dependent on the re tention of the finishes on the fabrics in the laundering process.