Optimization of thermophile <i style="">Bacillus</i> <i style="">licheniformis</i> <img src='/image/spc_char/alpha.gif' border=0>-amylase desizing of cotton fabrics

Abstract

Desizing of cotton fabrics using thermophile <img src='/image/spc_char/alpha.gif' border=0>-amylases has been studied using Taguchi methods in terms of release of reducing sugars from starch, absorbency, flexural rigidity and weight loss of the desized fabrics. The effect of treatment time, <i style="">p</i>H, enzyme concentration and temperature on desizing efficiency has been investigated to optimize the process parameters. Residual matters after desizing are found to be at lower levels compared to that observed in acid desized samples and this results in significant improvement in the absorbency of the samples. The <i style="">p</i>H and amylase concentration exhibit the dominant effects followed by the treatment time on the desizing efficiency. 3.0 g/L acidic <img src='/image/spc_char/alpha.gif' border=0>-amylase, 6.0 <i style="">p</i>H, 40 min treatment time and 85^o C temperature are found to result in the higher weight loss of the desized fabrics.