The Sorption of Synthetic Surface-Active Compounds by Textile Fibers

Data are given relating to the sorption of a variety of surface-active compounds from aqueous solution by cotton, viscose rayon, acetate rayon, nylon, and wool fibers. In general, cationic compounds were found to be sorbed to the greatest extent and nonionic compounds the least, the anionic compounds occupying an intermediate position. The addition of sodium sulfate to solutions of sodium alkyl sulfates resulted in an increase in the sorption of the latter compounds in every case. The sorption of nonionic di-isobutyl cresol-ethylene oxide compounds was found to decrease slightly with increasing length of the polyethylene oxide chain over the range studied. Sorption is attributed primarily to the hydrophilic-hydrophobic nature of the surface- active molecules or ions, micelles taking little part in the sorption process, although there is some evidence that positively charged micelles of cationic compounds are sorbed to a slight extent. The degree of sorption may also be influenced by superimposed effects of electrostatic interaction, electrophoretic charges, and the presence of chemcially reactive groups in the fibers. Wide variations were found in the sorption capacities of the different fibers, and the arrangement of the fibers in order of increasing sorption varied with each type of surface-active compound studied.