Modifying Wear Life of All-Cotton Fabrics

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Abstract
The modifying effects of chemical pretreatments on durable press finished cotton broadcloth were investigated. Wear performance and appearance characteristics of caustic soda mercerized, liquid ammonia treated, and caustic soda in conjunction with liquid ammonia treated durable press fabrics were evaluated for abrasion resis tance, stress-strain behavior, wrinkle recovery, dimensional stability, and whiteness retention. Liquid ammonia pretreatment for durable press finish improved the flex abrasion resistance of cotton broadcloth in the dry condition as compared to caustic soda pretreatment and no pretreatment. In the wet condition, however, liquid am monia in conjunction with caustic soda pretreated fabric produced higher flex abra sion resistance, especially in the filling direction. In repeated laundering, all three pretreatments had similar effects on abrasion and stress-strain characteristics of cotton broadcloth in the warp direction, but in the filling direction, liquid ammonia in conjunction with caustic soda gave superior strength retention—a behavior similar to flex abrasion resistance in the wet condition. In addition, liquid ammonia in conjunction with caustic soda pretreatment significantly improved wrinkle recovery over 400 cycles of laundering as compared to no pretreatment, caustic soda pretreat ment, and liquid ammonia pretreatment.