<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:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">Bleaching of linen (<i>Linum usitatissimum</i>)</span>

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:calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;="" mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:ar-sa"="">The effect of scouring by deviating from the optimized scouring conditions (95͘͘ C; Na₂CO₃, 10 g/I; 30 min) has been compared with respect to existing bleaching conditions in combination sequences. Various combinations of bleaching sequence are also assessed against all the required parameters such as weight loss, reflectance, fluidity and light fastness. Linen fabrics of widely varied reflectance in terms of yellowness index, whiteness index and redness index have been assessed through comparative index to adjudge whether the existing bleaching recipes can produce levelled reflectance or not. It is observed that the linen fabric scoured under the optimized conditions incur lesser weight loss and perform better towards the bleaching sequence NaOCI- H₂O₂ -NaCIO₂. Modified bleach combination sequence NaCIO₂ - NaOCI - no rinse - H₂O₂ results better and uniform whiteness in addition to saving in costs.</span>