Simultaneous Dye and Finish Fixation on a Radiation-Induced N-Methylolacrylamide-Treated Wool/Viscose Blend

The present work deals with the radiation-chemical modification of a wool/viscose (W/V) blend (50/50), aiming at studying the feasibility of a simultaneous dyeing and finishing of the modified substrate in a single-step process. Gamma rays (0.54-1.35 Mrad)-induced grafting of N-methylolacrylamide (NMA) onto W/V was studied. Results indicate that a dose of 1.08 Mrad is appropriate under the given conditions. The role of NMA concentration (1-6%) was also investi gated, and the add-on was found to increase with initial monomer concentration. An appropriate thermocatalytic setting process is reported in addition to a suggested reaction mechanism for the simultaneous dyeing and finishing. Excellent dyeability is obtained towards S-triazinyl reactive dyes with improvements in dry-crease resistance and dimensional stability of the treated blend, with the tensile strength remaining intact. The textile evaluations are reported.