Enzymatic Hydrolysis to Improve Wetting and Absorbency of Polyester Fabrics

The ability of six hydrolyzing enzymes to improve the hydrophilicity of several polyester fabrics is studied. Five of the six lipases improve the water wetting and absorbent properties of regular polyester fabrics more than alkaline hydrolysis under optimal conditions (3 N NaOH at 55°C for 2 hours). Compared to aqueous hydrolysis, the enzyme reactions are highly effective under more moderate conditions, including a relatively low concentration (0.01 g/l), a shorter reaction time (10 minutes), an ambient temperature (25°C), and no buffer. Improved water wettability is accompanied by full strength retention compared to the significantly reduced strength and mass from alkaline hydrolysis. The wetting and absorbent properties of sulfonated polyester and microdenier polyester fabrics are also improved by lipase.