COTTON FABRIC PROPERTIES WITH WATER-REPELLENT FINISHING VIA SOL-GEL PROCESS

The properties of the cotton fabric with water-repellence finishing by sol method with the hexadecyltrimethoxysilane as additive were observed. The cotton fabrics were immersed in the prepared sols with double dip and double nip dried at 90 degrees C, annealed at 160 degrees C for 3min. The water repellence and the physical properties such as gas permeability, bending properties, beetling properties, tensile strength, elongation at break, abrasion resistance, and anti-crease properties of the cotton fabrics were investigated. The results showed that anti-crease and tensile strength were improved. However, the abrasion resistance of the cotton fabrics decreased in some way. Both the bending and beetling properties measurement proved that the handle of the treated cotton fabrics changed stiffness. For the dyed fabrics by the water-repellent finishing, the hue was slightly changed, the deeper color was achieved. There is no adverse effect for treated fabric by water-repellent finishing on the fastness.