Mechanical strength of durable press finished cotton fabric Part IV: Abrasion resistance

Durable press (Dp) finishing, a process widely used by the textile industry to produce wrinkle-resistant cotton fabrics, causes considerable loss of f abric abrasion resistance. N-methylol compounds such as dimethyloldihydroxy lethyleneurea (DMDHEU) are traditional durable press finishing agents. In r ecent years, multifunctional carboxylic acids such as 1,2,3,4-butanetetraca rboxylic acid (BTCA) have been used as nonformaldehyde alternatives. In thi s research, we investigate the loss in fabric abrasion resistance caused by degradation and crosslinking of cellulose. Treatment of cotton by a polyca rboxylic acid or a catalyst for DMDHEU results in a significant loss of its abrasion resistance. The lost abrasion resistance of cotton treated with B TCA is attributed to irreversible acid-catalyzed depolymerization and rever sible crosslinking of cellulose molecules. We have removed the crosslinking of BTCA-treated cotton fabric with alkaline hydrolysis, thus determining s eparately the magnitude of lost fabric abrasion resistance due to the two d ifferent factors. For a warp-faced twill weave cotton, the reduced abrasion resistance in the warp direction is more severe than in the filling direct ion.