Preparation of zwitterionic cotton fabrics and their wrinkle-resistant performance

Conventional treatment of cotton fabrics by formalclehyde-based crosslinkers provides improved wrinkle recovery angles (WRA) and durable press performance. However, these treatments suffer from later release of formaldehyde. In the current novel method of ionic crosslinking for wrinkle resistant fabrics, the cotton fabric was treated with a monochloroacetic acid (CAA) salt and 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (CHTAC) sequentially to form ionic crosslinks. There was no later release of hazardous chemicals involved with this treatment and improved wrinkle recovery angles are obtained. Different routes for CAA treatment were investigated. Pad-dry-pad-cure was the most efficient route for this treatment. The treatment produced different levels of carboxymethylation and different WRA performance.