Comparative Study between Microwave Assisted and Thermally Synthesized TEA based Esterquat Softeners Used as Textile Softening Agents

Triethanol amine-based esterquats softener using stearin oil palm and soya beans oil were synthesized by two different methods namely، microwave irradiation and conventional thermal methods at different temperatures. FTIR spectra، critical micelle concentration (CMC) and melting point were employed to investigate the chemical and physical properties of the synthesized softeners. Synthesized softeners were applied on three different fabrics such as 100% cotton، cotton-polyester (35%-65%) and wool-polyester (30%-70%) by different methods namely «exhaustion»، «pad-bach» and «pad-drycure». The softening power، wettability، yellowness، and anti-wrinkling properties of the synthesized softeners were evaluated. It was found that microwave synthesized softener possesses better softening، wettability and anti-wrinkling properties whilst shorter reaction time with higher yield، lower cost of the synthesized product were the other advantages of this method over the conventional thermal method and the results show that the synthesized softeners display good softening، acceptable wettability and yellowness properties. By using the pad-dry-cure method the cellulose-based fabrics have suitable anti-wrinkle property.