Crosslinking of cotton cellulose in the presence of serine and glycine. I. Physical properties and reaction kinetics

Serine and glycine were used to combine with dimethyloldihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU) as crosslinking agents to study the physical properties of the crosslinked fabrics and the reaction kinetics, and find that the bound nitrogen is in the series of DMDHEU ≫ DMDHEU‐serine > DMDHEU‐glycine at the same resin concentration. The results also show that the wet crease recovery angle (WCRA) value of the treated fabrics for the three crosslinking agent systems is in the series of DMDHEU‐serine > DMDHEU‐glycine > DMDHEU alone at a given dry crease recovery angle (DCRA). The DCRA values of the treated fabrics for DMDHEU alone are higher than those for DMDHEU‐α‐amino acids for a given value of tensile strength retention (TSR). WCRA values for the various treated fabrics is in the rank of DMDHEU‐serine > DMDHEU alone > DMDHEU‐glycine at the same TSR. Rate constants for the various crosslinking agents are in the series of DMDHEU‐glycine > DMDHEU‐serine > DMDHEU alone at the given heated temperatures. Energies needed to crosslink and the values of enthalpies and entropies of activation are all DMDHEU‐glycine > DMDHEU‐serine > DMDHEU alone. Infrared ray (IR) spectra strongly suggest the reaction between DMDHEU and serine and the reaction between the hydroxyl group (cellulose) and serine can occur in the pad‐dry‐cure process, but only a little for the latter. The reaction between the functional groups of serine and the aluminum ion to form a complex also confirm with IR spectrum. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 97: 595–603, 2005