ABSTRACT

The effect of alkaline pretreatments on the durability of crosslinked polyol coatings on cotton/polyester blend fabrics was investigated. Cotton/polyester blend (65/35 and 35/65) fabrics were first treated with 10 or 30% aqueous NaOH at 20-80EC for 1 hr. After washing and drying, polyethylene glycol (PEG)/dimethyloldihydroxy-ethyleneurea (DMDHEU) formulations were then applied and cured onto the fabrics. Durability of bound polymer was assessed by laundering and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The best improvement in durability of the bound polymer was observed for 35/65 cotton/polyester fabric due to the increased adhesion of the polymer coating to the alkaline-modified polyester surface. Morphology of treated surface was also investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Selected mechanical and moisture-related properties of fabrics at all processing stages were determined.