Enzymatic treatment of cotton knits

Abstract

<span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:" calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:="" "times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;mso-hansi-theme-font:="" minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-ansi-language:en-us;="" mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="">Enzymatic treatment of the cotton knit fabric with cellulase enzyme has been carried out according to Box and Behnken response surface design with three independent variables, viz. enzyme concentration, duration of treatment and treatment temperature, at three levels of each variable and the treatment conditions optimized. It is observed that the treatment with cellulase enzyme concentration of 7 FPU/g for 45 min at 50°C gives the desired softness to the fabric. Scanning electron micrographs show that the surface fibres are removed on enzyme treatment. The effect of total cellulase activity, betaglucosidase activity and endoglucanase activity in cellulase enzyme complex on weight loss has also been studied. It is observed that the endoglucanase content plays the key role in the hydrolysis of cellulose.</span>