I ndian Journal of Fibre & Textile Research
Vol. 3 1 , September 2006, pp. 470-473
Effect of polyethylene glycol on physi cal
properties of durable press fi ni shed cotton
fabric
Mehdi Afshari", M i tra Tavakol i , Maryalll Norollzi far
&
Zohreh Masollilli
Department of Textile Engi neeri ng, Yazd University,
P O Box 89 1 95-74 1 , Yazd, I ran
Revised received alld accepled 24 Jlllle 2005
Effect of molecular weight (400, 1000, 1 500) and
concentration (5-30%) of polyethylene glycol (PEG) on physical
properties of durable press finished cotton fubl'ics usina
di methylol di hydroxyl ethylcne urea (DMDHEU) by pad-dry�
curing has been studied. The results show that the addition of PEG
influences crease resistance, abrasion resistance, water absorbency
and tensile strength of treated fabric. By increasing molecular
weight and concentration of PEG, crease resistancc of the
processed cotton fabric increases. In the presence of PEG with
increasing time and temperature of curing, the crease resistance
and water absorbency increase. The best results have been
obtained using 400 molecular weight of PEG. 5% concentration of
PEG, 2 min curing ti me, and 200GC curing temperature.
Keywords: Cotton,
Durable press fi nish i ng, Di methylol
clihydroxyl ethylene urca, Polyethylene glycol
IPC Code: I nt. CI. 8 D06B3/00, D06C I 5/00
After absorbing moisture, the binding strength
between the cellulose molecules reduces. Therefore,
the cotton fibres swell through absorbing moisture
duri ng washing and rubbing. H ence, cellulose
molecules move and this results in changes in their
relative plasti c setting. Thi s makes the fabric to shrink
unevenly and appear wrinkled. To avoid the creasing
of cotton fabrics one has to make bridge linkages
between the cel lulose molecules in the fibre, resulting
in more flexible and crease resistant fibres. Durable
press finish is widely used in the textile i ndustry to
i mpart wrinkle resistance to cotton fabrics and
garments. Significant loss in mechanical strength,
abrasion resistance, stain resistance and water
absorbency of the durable press finished fabrics has
been a major concern for the i ndustry. I .7 Nearly all
To whom all the correspondence should be addressed.
E-mail: mafshari @ yazduni.ac.ir / mehdi_afshari @ yahoo.com
a
durable press finishing systems used today are
d imethylol dihydroxyl ethylene urea (DMDHEU) and
modified DMDHEU with magnesium chloride as a
catalyst. 8
There are some studies on the use of hydrophilic
addi ti ves with the resi n process. I). I I However, the
balance between moisture absorbency and crease
res istance is very hard to come by. Polyethylene
glycol (PEG) i s also a good solvent and swelling
2
agent. 1 The cotton fibres swell by absorbing water
and this allows the glycol to diffuse i nto the swollen
structure, which is then held open after water is
removed. The use of PEG can i ncrease the swellina<::> of
the fibre during the process and thus makes i t easier
for resi n to penetrate i nto the fibre. At the same time,
it reacts with both the resin and the fibre to form a
net-l ike structure of polymer to settle on the fibre. 1J
I n the present work, the effect of molecular weight
and concentration of PEG on physical properties of
DMDHEU resin finished cotton fabric has been
studied. The effect of curing time and temperature on
treated fabric properties has also been studied.
A woven colton fabric (30sx20s, 1 00 ends/cm, and
2
19 picks/cm, and weight 1 30 g/m ) was desized,
scoured and bleached. Magnesium chloride, PEG
(Mw = 400, 1 000, 1 500), nonionic surfactant,
DMDHEU (BAS F) were used.
Cotton fabric was first i mmersed in a solution
containing 8% DMDHEU, magnesium chloride ( 1 0%
of the weight of DMDH EU), PEG (5-30%) and 1 %
non ionic surfactant as penetrating agent for 1 0 min at
room temperature, then padding was carried out by a
laboratory padder, givi ng approximately 80% wet
pick-up. Finally, the fabric was cured at different
durations of time (30- 1 80 s).
Dry crease recovery angle was determined
according to AA TCC 66- 1 984. The absorbency of the
processed fabric was determi ned by an i mmersing
method. '4 The height of water in raw (control) fabric
was 2 cm. The abrasion res istance of the fabrics was
measured by using M artindale instrument, the
decreased weight of fabric was measured after 25
times of abrasion. The tensile strength of the fabrics
was measured by using an I nstron Tester according to
ASTM 05035-90.
SHORT COMM UNICATION
-- ----�-----�
�O �==���------ --
47 1
9
__ No PEG
.
- . · MW�
- ·.. · · MW-l ooo
· · x· ·
MW=15oo
x' "
•
•
..
...
...
'
.. X
. .. .
.. ..
x
··
...
...
.
. ..
.
...
.
.....
. . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .•
.
•
__ No PEG
..
- x-· MwEl 500
0 +------�---!
215
200
205
210
195
190
185
175
180
loo �------�--�
175
180
185
190
195
200
205
210
215
Temperature <oCl
Fig. I-Effect of curing temperature on crease recovery angle of
the treated fabric at different molecular weights of PEG (curing
ti me-30 s, and concentration of PEG-20%)
Figure I shows that with the i ncrease i n Mw of
PEG, crease recovery angle i ncreases. The effect of
PEG with high molecular weight is found to be
higher. This is presumably because PEG can form
crosslinkages between cellulose chains and i t can also
form crosslinkages w ith DMDHEU and the product of
this reaction precipitates and deposits i nside the fibre.
The result is a soli d net structure of fibre-polymer,
which has fibres i n the thread bound up in a more
fixed manner. On the other hand, the participation of
PEG facilitates reaction between the fibre and the
DMDHEU and thi s accelerating effect of PEG
appears to be more profound with higher Mw of the
polymer.
Figure 2 shows that the addi tion of PEG helps to
maintain the water absorbency of the processed
fabric. In comparison to processed fabric w ithout
PEG, the i ncrease in absorbency of PEG treated fabric
is 20% higher. Moreover, the absorbency is enhanced
with the i ncrease in Mw of PEG in the lower range
(400 Mw). This might be because the hydrophilic
PEG molecules can penetrate i nto the fibre, thus
loosening it to expose more hydroxyl groupS. 1 2
However, when the M w of PEG i s i ncl eased t o 1 500,
the absorbency goes a little lower than the trend
would i ndicate. It is probably, due to the fact that the
bulkier size of the larger molecule may hinder its own
penetration i nto the fibre.
Figure 3 shows that the abrasion resistance of
processed fabric without PEG is higher. It is probably
due to the fact that PEG i ncreases swelling of the
fibre and the crossl inkages between cellulose chains
are higher. With i ncreasing M w of PEG,
polymerization on the surface of fibre is higher and
.. . �
- .- . MwEl 000
Temperatur.
<oCl
Fig. 2-Effect of curing temperature on absorbency length of the
treated fabric at di fferent molecular weights of PEG (curing time30 s, and concentration of PEG-5%)
�
0. 04 ,.------------ - ------ ...-----------,
30.035
§
.� 0.03
__ No PEG
. . •. . M_oo
- ·.. ·
Mw:l ooo
- �- ' Mw= l 500
.0
t; 0.025
'"
<t::
'" 0.02
"
�
Oh
';.j
::: 0.015
--
-
--
-
- - - -� - -
- - - - - - - -� - - - ,
� 0.01
.-
�
�� 0.005
"
o
175
1 80
185
190
195
Temperature
200
("c)
205
210
215
Fig. 3--Effcct of curing temperature on decrease ill weight after
abrasion of the treated fabric at di fferent molecular weights of
PEG (curing ti me-30 S, and concentration of PEG-20%)
hence the abrasion resistance will be lower. Because
the bigger the PEG molecule, the more surface
crosslinkages would form to make the fibre very rigid,
and another possible reason for the greater weight loss
at 1 500 Mw might be due to the separation of resin on
the surface of fibres.
Figure 4 shows that the processed fabric without
PEG posses better tensile strength. With the increase
in Mw of PEG, the tensile strength decreases. It is
probably due to the fact that with i ncreasing Mw of
PEG it can form more crosslinkages between
cellulose chains of the fibre. 1 5
Table I shows that with t h e i ncrease in
concentration of PEG lower than 20%, the crease
recovery angle i ncreases. Effect of molecular weight
of PEG at i ts h i gh concentration is higher. The water
absorbency increases with the i ncrease i n PEG
concentration lower than 1 0% . At 30% concentration
I NDIAN J. FIBRE TEXT. RES., SEPTEMBER 2006
472
� 20
�
-. ·
· Vi
__ No PEG
. . •. . �
10
O �--�--�--
....1 000
,)(- · ....1500
�--�--�==�==�
__
175
180
185
1 90
195
2 00
:lOll
210
21&
Temperature of curing (OC)
Fig. 4--Effect of curing temperature on tensile strength retention
(%) of the treated fabric at di fferent molecular weights of PEG
(curing time-30 s, and concentration PEG-5%)
Table I-Effect of concentration of PEG (Mw, 400) on physical
properties of processed cotton fabric at di fferent curing
temperatures
I Curing ti me- 30 s]
Conc. of
PEG, %
o
5
10
20
30
Temp. of
curing, OC
1 80
1 90
200
210
1 80
1 90
200
210
1 80
1 90
200
210
1 80
1 90
200
210
1 80
1 90
200
210
Crcase Absorbency Decrease in
recovery length, Clll weight after
angle, deg
abrasion, g
1 53
1 56
1 62
168
1 60
1 65
1 72
1 68
1 90
1 8 1 .75
1 96
207.5
1 73.8
171
202
1 80.5
1 45
1 7 1 .5
1 84.5
1 82
6.2
6.5
5.7
6.3
6.8
7.7
8. 1
8.2
6.5
7.5
7.3
8
7.1
7.2
7.5
7.4
2.5
1 .9
2.8
1 .2
0.0032
0.002 1
0.0022
0.004
0.0024
0.003
0.0047
0.0079
0.002
0.0025
0.003
0.0035
0.0062
0.0068
0.0065
0.0063
0.005
0.00 1 2
0.00 1 8
0.00 1 6
of PEG, water absorbency i s lower than for the
processed fabric wi thout PEG. I t i s probably because
too much reaction between PEG and DMDHEU and
the product coats the fibre surface, thereby decreasi ng
water absorbency. Probably, the other reason, it can
li mits the chances for bridgi ng reaction to take place
between the resi n and the fibre duri ng the process and
results in declined crease resistance on the other hand.
Table 1 shows that at curing temperature 1 800e
and 1 900e with increasing concentration of PEG up
to 1 0%, the abrasion resistance increases. It i s
probably because there i s a net-like structure formed
among PEG and DMDHEU and the resin that would
tightly bind the fibre and restrict the latter to loosen
up during abrasion . The decrease in weight after
abrasion at 20% increases. Probably, it i s because of
the formation of more crossli nkages between fibres
and making the fibre very rigid.
Futhermore, the presence of more PEG molecules
facilitates the formation of longer crossli nkages (i .e.
the chances of PEG reacting with DMDHEU before
forming bridges with fibres become more). Thi s
higher proportion o f longer bridges between fibre
molecules allows less stress-focusing incidents to
happen and thi s results in better toughness or
durability of the processed fabric.
Figure I and Table I show that with the i ncrease in
temperature of curing up to 200oe, crease recovery
angle i ncreases and the temperature higher than
2000e i ncreases the chance of oxidation. The
oxidation of fabric (color of fabric changed to yellow)
i s observed with increasi ng time higher than 2 min for
PEG Mw, 1 000 & 1 500; temperature, 1 90oe; and
concentration, 20% & 30%. On the other hand, with
the increase in temperature of curing, the abrasion
resistance decreases due to i ncreasing oxidation
fabric. Table I shows that the water absorbency
increases with the i ncrease in temperature of curing. I t
is presumed that at higher temperature, the more
active and flexible PEG molecules would help the
fibre to reach a higher degree of swel ling before the
resi n fi nail y sets the structure.
Table 2 shows that with the i ncrease in time of
curi ng, the time for penetration of resin and the
reaction between resin and fibre is higher, thereby
increasing crease recovery angle and water
absorbency. But the increase in time of curing will
i ncrease the chances of oxidation of cellulose at high
temperatures.
I n the presence of PEG, due to increased swel ling
of fibre and more penetration of DMDHEU, the
crease recovery, abrasion resistance and water
absorbency improve. Effect of molecular weight of
PEG is greater at higher concentration. With the
i ncrease in concentration of PEG up to 20%, the
crease recovery, abrasion resistance and water
absorbency increase. The i ncrease in curing ti me
lower than 2 min and curing temperature lower than
SHORT COMMU NICATION
473
Table 2-Effect of concentration of PEG (Mw, 400) on physical
properties of processed cotton fabric at different curing time
[Curing temperature - 1 80°C]
PEG Mw, 400; PEG concentration, 5 % ; curing time, 2
min; and curing temperature, around 200°C.
Crease Absorbency Decrease i n
recovery length, c m weight after
abrasion, g
angle, deg
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Conc. of
PEG, %
Time of
curing, s
0
30
1 20
1 80
30
1 20
1 80
30
1 20
1 80
30
1 20
1 80
30
1 20
1 80
5
10
20
30
1 53
1 75
1 67
1 60
200
190
190
197
1 59
173.8
1 84.5
1 90.5
1 45
246.5
283
6.2
6.9
7.7
6.8
8.5
8.2
6.5
7. 1
7.5
7. 1
8. 1
7.8
2.5
2. 1
3.3
0.0032
0.0096
0.0 1
0.0024
0.0 1 04
0.006 1
0.002
0.008 1
0.009
0.0062
0.0075
0.0082
0.005
0.0049
0.0062
200°C increases the crease recovery angle and water
absorbency. Hence, for each M w of PEG, the
optimum concentration of PEG, and temperature and
time of curing had to be chosen. The best selected
conditions based on these experimental results are