Utilization of Poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) in Easy Care Finishing of Cotton Fabrics to Improve their Performance Properties and Antibacterial Activities

Poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP) can be oxidized under the influence of the ammonium persulphate (APS) to yield a mixture of different products causing PVP crosslinking as well as pyrrolidone ring opening. Major factors affecting fixation of PVP onto cotton fabrics were studied. These include APS as well as PVP concentrations, time, and temperature. Furthermore, PVP was incorporated in the easy care finishing of cotton fabrics with DMDHEU utilizing APS to serve as catalyst in both the fixation of PVP as well as finishing of cotton fabrics. Results indicated that cotton fabrics treated with 6% PVP and 1.5% APS followed by heating at 90°C for 30 minutes were partially crosslinked with better performance properties and dyeability. Additionally, the post-treating of PVP-finished fabrics with silver nitrate aqueous solution imparts antibacterial activity. Increasing the PVP and/or resin concentrations enhance the antibacterial properties of the treated fabrics. Furthermore, characterization of crosslinked PVP was performed by investigating the infrared, thermal gravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscope of treated cotton fabrics.