Effect of textile softeners on BTCA treated cotton fabric

Abstract

The effect of two softeners (Sapamine^® OC and Ultratex^® ASG) on physical properties of BTCA finished cotton fabric has been studied. Bleached cotton fabrics are treated with 1, 2, 3, 4-butane tetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) followed by finishing with a cationic and a silicone softener by conventional pad-dry-cure method. Properties, such as crease recovery angle, absorbency, whiteness index, tensile strength, moisture regain, surface morphology and crystallinity of the finished fabrics, have been evaluated. The crease recovery angle of the finished fabrics increases from 154° to 257° after treatment with BTCA and further increases to 266° after BTCA+silicone softener based finishing. The absorbency of cationic softener finished fabric is found to be higher than that of silicone softener finished fabrics. Tensile strength reduces after BTCA finishing by more than 50%, and about 17% softeners is recovered. Scanning electron microscope images show smooth ridges and surface characteristics of cotton fibres in BTCA treated samples as well as deposition of softener on the fibre surface in cationic and silicone softener finished fabrics.