Effects of Polycarboxylic acids on Untreated Cotton and Solubilised Sulphur Dyed Cotton

Anumber of polycarboxylic acids (butane tetracarboxylic acid (BTCA), polyacrylic-co-maleic acid (PAMA), citric acid, maleic-itaconic (MAIA)) were examined in combination with sodium hypophosphite(SHP)in order to give a similar high fabric crease recovery performance and whiteness index to traditional formaldehyde based crease agents. BTCA showed to be the best crease resist agent for crosslinking cotton fabric with SHP. In addition, BTCA treatment offers higher tear/ tensile strength compared to fabrics treated with dimethylol dihydroxyethylene urea (DMDHEU). FTIR/FT-RAMAN spectroscopies showed the presence of intermolecular ester crosslinks in cotton fabrics treated with BTCA. Treatment of Jarosol solubilised sulfur dyed cotton fabrics with PAMA/BTCA and SHP resulted in a color change of dyed fabrics because of the reductive nature of SHP. Jarosol solubilised sulfur dyed cotton fabric treated with BTCA/PAMA improved wash fastness due to dye locking inside the fibres, but light fastness didnot change.