RECENT DEVELOPMENT IN COMBINING FLAME-RETARDANT AND EASY-CARE FINISHING FOR COTTON

摘要

Flame retardancy and easy-care properties are desired in several articles produced from cotton fiber. Therefore, chemical finishing of cotton fiber, using reduced consumption of water and energy, is obviously important. Apparently, developments in combining the flame-retardant finishing and easy-care finishing would be useful for the textile finishing sector. Any similarity in the type of reagents used in the finish bath and processing conditions, including padding, drying and curing, presents interest as to combining the two separate finishing processes. Flame-retardant and easy-care finishing of cotton fibers requires an appropriate cross-linking agent and catalyst. The finish composition may be applied through the pad-dry-cure processing sequence. Studies have shown the possibility of achieving flame retardancy and crease recovery properties in cotton fiber through combined flame-retardant, and easy-care finishing. Low-formaldehyde based cross-linking agent, or formaldehyde-free cross-linking agent including dimethyloldihydroxyethyleneurea and selected polycarboxylic acids are used. This paper describes some of the important recent development achieved in producing the flame-retardant and crease recovery properties in cotton fabric using combined finish liquor application.