Effect of Radial Location of Cross Links in Cellulose Fibers on Fabric Properties

Mercerized cotton fabrics cross-linked preferentially in the core of the individual fibers were prepared by rinsing off part of the DMEU before curing from the peripheral areas with ethanol. Native cotton, due to its pore structure, does not lend itself readily to this technique. This pore structure is also reflected in the dyeability of native cotton from alcoholic dye solution in contrast to the behavior of the mercerized fiber. The core-crosslinked fibers give much higher substitution in carbanilation and benzoylation than uniformly cross-linked fibers of the same content of fixed cross-linking reactant. The fabrics of core-crosslinked cotton exhibit a favorable balance of mechanical properties. Such fabrics were shown, e.g., to possess a dry crease recovery angle of 280° (W + F) and, at the same time, the abrasion resistance equal to that of uncrosslinked fabrics.