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 concentrations in the finishing bath. At a given nitrogen content and number of crosslinks, the change in wet crease recovery angle of finished fabrics from various premercerizing solutions ranked in the order of LiOH mercerized fabric > NaOH mercerized fabric > KOH mercerized fabric > unmercerized fabric. However, changes in tensile strength and elongation of the finished fabrics for the various premercerized samples are ranked as KOH mercerized fabric > NaOH mercerized fabric > LiOH mercerized fabric > unmercerized fabric for a given nitrogen content and number of crosslinks. The value of crosslink length for the various finished fabrics has the same order at a given number of crosslinks. Degrees of surface migration of the agent on the finished fabric surface with NaOH and KOH premercerizing are significant.