(210e) Crease Resistance Property of Textile Fabric / Nano Chemical Composite Structure

Textile fabrics are subjected to various treatments for required finishing effects by specific chemicals. Water / oil repellency and crease recovery are through the most applied treatments which are also used for products defined under “easy-care”. Regarding to improve crease recovery, mostly applied approach has been to introduce crosslinks between individual fibre chains. Crosslinking agents are usually small molecules containing several functional groups capable of reacting with some active groups in the polymer, such as hydroxyl groups in cellulose. N-methylol reagents such as dimethyloldihydroxylethyleneurea (DMDHEU) have long been used as durable press finishes producing crease-resistant fabrics. The drawbacks of DMDHEU application are the well-known formaldehyde problems and the drop in some mechanical problems; thus there have been efforts to achieve nonformaldehyde alternative agents or reduce the amount of DMDHEU within treating recipes.  Additionally, nano-sized cross-linking chemicals are claimed to emit less formaldehyde by higher level of fixation.  This study evaluates the crease recovery properties of 100% cotton woven fabric composites produced by embedment of commercially available nano cross-linking chemicals via novel foam application system CFS by Gaston Systems to utilize from both reduced particle size and less chemical consuming effects. The production recipes had same curing conditions but varied at different pH levels. Crease recovery angle, abrasion resistance, tear and tensile strength, whiteness and yellowness index values of the samples were instrumentally evaluated.