A self-stiffness finishing for cotton fabric with N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide

• DOI: 10.1007/s10570-015-0686-z
• Publication Date: 2015-06-24T07:22:13Z
• Authors: Fang Xu; Yulian Yang; Guangxian Zhang; Fengxiu Zhang; Yuansong Zhang
• Keywords: Flexural rigidity; Breaking strength

In this study, the surface layer of cotton fabric was swelled with N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide with 18 % water content, washed and dried to improve its stiffness property. Finally, the finished fabric had no auxiliaries and self-stiffened. The results showed that the bending rigidity increased from 0.75 × 105 to 1.57 × 105 mN cm, the acute elastic crease recovery angle from 95.2° to 117.3°, the delayed elastic crease recovery angle from 117.6° to 146.6° and the moisture regain from 8.07 to 10.3 %. The stiffness was almost unaffected by 30 multiple washing times. The tear strength, breaking strength and whiteness properties remained excellent. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the edges of finished fibres obviously curled. According to infrared spectrum analysis, no new groups were found. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the crystal structure of the fibre changed, with cellulose II formed disorderly in the surface layer of the cotton fibres. This mechanism permits the cotton fabric to self-stiffen in the modifying process.