New approach for easy-care finishing of woolen fabric

A new approach for improving the durable press properties of wool fabric was investigated. The new technique involves padding with finishing bath containing DMDHEU at pH 2 using different acids, batching for 2 h at room temperature, followed by passing through a neutralizing bath containing triethanolamine (3 g/L) as an acid scavenger, and drying at 120 degrees C/5 min. The results indicate that: i) wool fabric samples finished with the aforementioned technique acquire better durable press properties, higher whiteness index, and higher extent of post- dyeing, regardless of the acid used; ii) of the various acids used, HCl along with its amine salt, constitute a highly efficient catalytic system; iii) increasing DMDHEU concentration up to a certain limit has a positive impact on the dry and wet fabric resiliency, whiteness index, protection properties against moth attack, as well as on the extent of post- dyeing; and iv) the extent of improvement in the aforementioned properties is governed by the type of finishing agent and follows the descending order: Arkofix((R))NG > Fixapret((R))Eco, irrespective of the catalytic system used.