EFFECT OF SIZING WAX ON TENSILE PROPERTIES, ABRASION RESISTANCE, AND WEAVING PERFORMANCE OF POLYESTER COTTON YARN SIZED WITH POLYVINYL-ALCOHOL

A comparison is made of tensile and abrasive properties and weaving performance of polyester/cotton yarns sized with polyvinyl alcohol with and without wax in the size formulation. Waxy lubricants are usually present in size formulations for spun yarns. Wax enhances size application by reducing the tendency of the size to stick to drying cylinders, lowering the force necessary to split the yarns at the lease rods, and defoaming the formulation. Wax is often difficult and costly to remove from fabrics in finishing, however, which raises manufacturing costs and lowers fabrics and, consequently, the resistance to abrasion of the yarn. Since sized yarn must have at least a minimum level of abrasion resistance in order to be woven successfully, a higher size add-on level is necessary when wax is present in the size formulation.