Applying a Nonformaldehyde Crosslinking Agent to Improve the Washing Durability of Fabric Water Repellency

1,2,3,4-Butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) is confirmed to be an effective crosslinking agent with sodium hypophosphate (SHP) catalyst for washing durability improvement of cotton fabrics treated with fluorocarbon resin. By FTIR analysis, hydroxyl groups (—OH) are confirmed as a water repellency agent, so the resin can be theoretically crosslinked with the surface of the cotton fibers. The water repellency of the sample treated with fluorocarbon resin and 8% BTCA is much higher than the sample treated only with fluorocarbon resin. This kind of difference can be seen especially after fifty washing cycles and subsequent heat treatments, ESCA analysis confirms that the F/O ratio on the fabric surface changes dramatically after fifty washing cycles and subsequent heat treatment. The F/O of the sample treated with fluorocarbon resin and 8% BTCA is almost twice that of the fabric treated with fluorocarbon resin only. Crosslinks can restrict F loss and transfer into the inner part of the fibers. At the same time, this kind of treatment can effectively improve the crease resistance of cotton fabrics.