Dimensional Characteristics Ofjute and Jute-Rayon Blended Fabrics

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Indian Journal of Textile Research Vol. 14. December 1989, Pp, 164-168

Dimensional characteristics of jute and jute-rayon blended fabrics crosslinked with DMDHEU

r-N'C~~m &tA KtMukherjee Applied Chemistry Division, Indian Jute Industries' Research Association,Calcutta 700 OXS;~" ~ , Received 24 July 1989; accepted 4 September 1989

Jute and jute-rayon blended fabrics were crosslinked with 1,3-dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethylene urea (DMDHEU) using metal salt catalysts [MgClz, ZnClz and Zn(NOJ}21, acid catalysts (HCl and CH3COOH) and mixed catalysts (MgCl/HCl and MgCl/CHJCOOH) by the usual pad-dry-cure method and their dimensional characteristics assessed. The crosslinking treatment reduced the % area shrinkage, i.e. improved the dimensional stability of jute and jute-rayon blended fabrics signifi- cantly. The improved dimensional behaviour of treated fabrics has been attributed to the reduction in the elastic property of amorphous regions of cellulose structure. Crosslinking makes such regions behave like orderly oriented regions. t t ~ ; '.j Keywords: Crosslinking, Dif!1_ensional characteristics, Jute, Jute-rayon blended fabric, Dimethyloldi- hydroxyethylene ure'a" ' . .

I Introduction properties of jute fabrics modified by crosslinking The dimensional stability, i.e. resistance to with few resins in presence of catalyst, it was con- shrinkage or extension on washing, has always sidered worthwhile to study the dimensional behav- been considered important for textile fabrics. It iour of jute and jute-rayon blended fabrics after cross- has become much critical in recent years with the linking them with DMDHEU in presence of different increasing demand for dimensionally stable fa- types of catalyst. Hence, the present study. brics for dress materials, furnishings, upholsteries, etc. Cellulose fabrics such as cotton and rayon 2 Materials and Methods undergo considerable shrinkage after washing. 2.1 Materials Shrinkage or extension depends upon many fac- 2.1.1 Fabrics tors such as the structure of fibre, construction of Grey jute fabric (plain weave, 228 g/rrr', fabric, distortions and tension imposed on the fa- 48 x 48 ends and picks/dm), bleached jute fabric bric during manufacture and wet processing. The (plain weave, 325 g/m-, 60 x 48 ends and picks/ changes in dimensional stability can be reduced drn), and bleached jute-rayon (60:40) blended fa- by fixing the dimension of the fabric in a compre- bric (plain weave, 325 g/rn", 68 x 72 ends and hensive shrinkage machine where the fabric is picks/dm) were used. compacted in a mechanical device, a popular pro- Bleached fabrics were prepared as follows. The cess known as "Sanforizing". In chemical fixation, fabric was cleaned by scouring with 2% sodium the cellulose chains of the fabric are crosslinked carbonate (owf) at 80°C for 30 min. It was then with suitable reagents to improve the dimensional bleached in a laboratory jigger with alkaline hy- stability 1.2. It has been observed that jute fabrics drogen peroxide. This was followed by washing shrink approximately 5-12% in width and 4-15% with water and neutralization with acetic acid to in length. The differential shrinkage in warp and give fabric pH of 6-6.5. weft directions of jute fabric is perhaps caused due to the rather high warp-wise tensions to 2.1.2 Chemicals which the fabrics are subjected during wet pro- Ahuramine YX, an aqueous product containing cessing, whereas the dimensional behaviour of 51 '1<) solid 1,3-dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethylene grey fabric shows uniform shrinkage in L,:t1-j warp urea (DMDHEU) was used as the erosslinking and weft directions (Table 1). In view of our earli- agent. er srudies':" showing improved wrinkle recovery Magnesium chloride. zinc chloride. zinc nitrate. r

164 I SOM & MUKHERJEE: CHARACTERISTICS OF JUTE AND JUTE-RAYON FABRICS

Table I - Shrinkage behaviour of grey and bleached jute fabrics SI Fabric specifications % Shrinkage after N". 1st wash 2nd wash 3rd wash 4th wash 5th wash

Warp Weft Warp Weft Warp Weft Warp Weft Warp Weft way way way way way way way way way way Grey Ends x picks/drn. 4R x 48 7.4 R.) R.2 R.5 8.5 8.8 9.0 R.8 9.0 R.8 Plain weave 228 g/rrr' 2 Bleached Ends x picks/drn, 60 x 48 6.0 7.0 6.5 7.5 7.2 8.0 7.3 8.5 7.3 8.5 Plain weave 325 g/m- acetic acid and hydrochloric acid (analytical sium chloride and acetic acid (pH of the grade) were used as catalysts. bath adjusted to 2.5), cured at 150°C for 5 min, washed and dried. 2.2 Methods (f) Jute fabric crosslinked with 6% DMDHEU 2.2.1 Measurement of Length-wise and Width-wise and mixed catalyst containing 1% magne- Shrinkage sium chloride and hydrochloric acid (pH of The dimensional changes, i.e. shrinkage or ex- the bath adjusted to 2.5), cured at 150°C tension on washing, of the following samples were for 5 min, washed and dried. studied. 4 Jute-rayon (60:40) fabric samples cross- 1 (a) Jute fabric crosslinked with 2% DMDHEU linked as per samples 3(a)-(f). and 0.5% MgCI2, cured at 150°C for 5 min, washed and dried. The fabric samples l(a)-(f) and 2(a)-(f) were (b) Same as l(a) but crosslinked with 4% tested for the % area shrinkage. DMDHEU and 1% MgCI2• (c) Same as l(a) but crosslinked with 6% The fabric samples of 60 em x 60 em we.re stitched in all four edges to avoid slippage or dIS- DMDHEU and 1.5% MgCI • 2 tortion of the fabric during tests. Samples were (d) Same as l(a) but crosslinked with 8% marked 45 em distance apart in both warp and DMDHEU and 2% MgCI . 2 weft directions. Five markings were made in both (e) Same as l(a) but crosslinked with 10% the directions so that almost entire area of the fa- DMDHEU and 2.5% MgCI • 2 bric samples was covered. All markings were (f) Same as l(a) but crosslinked with 12% made at least 2.5 cm away from the edges of the DMDHEU and 3% MgCl • 2 test specimen. The samples were was~ed in a 2 Jute-rayon (60:40) fabric samples cross- wash wheel having false bottom contamer and linked as per samples l(a)-(f). forward and reverse rotation using 5 g/l neutral 3 (a) Jute fabric crosslinked with 6% DMDHEU soap (material-to-liquir ratio, 1:100) at ~O°C for and 2.4% ZnCl catalyst, cured at 150°C 2 30 min. After washing, the soap solution was for 5 min, washed and dried. drained out and the samples were rinsed twice (b) Same as 3(a) using 2.4% zinc nitrate catal- yst. with water (each time for 10 min) at room tem- perature. The samples were then taken out, ~y- (c) Jute fabric crosslinked with 6% DMDHEU droextracted, dried in a flat bed pressed dner and acetic acid catalyst (pH of the bath ad- (AMERESCO), and conditioned at 67% RH and justed to 2.5), cured at 150°C for 5 min, 25°C. The shrinkage after the first and subsequent washed and dried. washes and drying cycle was calculated as follows: (d) Jute fabric crosslinked with 6% DMDHEU and hydrochloric acid catalyst (pH of the Original length - Final length bath adjusted to 2.5), cured at 150°C for 5 0;' Length-wise shrinkage = _. .. x 100 min, washed and dried. o Original length (e) Jute fabric crosslinked with 6% DMDHEU Original width - Final width x 100 % Width-wise shrinkage and mixed catalyst containing 1% magne- Original width

InS INDIAN J. TEXT. RES., VOL 14, DECEMBER 14X4

The average values of 3 tests are reported in The effect of DMDHEU cone. on shrinkage of the results. jute and jute-rayon fabrics on successive washings is shown in Figs 2 and 3 respectively. It is ob- 2.2.2 Measurement or" Area Shrinkage served from these figures that in the fabrics cross- The fabric samples of 60 ern x 60 ern were used linked with more than 4% DMDHEU, the shrin- for % area shrinkage measurement. An area of 30 kage practically ceased after second wash and the em x 30 ern was marked on the fabric samples fabrics approached to stable dimensions. and then the samples were washed in a wash The effects of crosslinking 6% DMDHEU with wheel as reported in 2.2.1. The % area shrinkage jute and 8% DMDHEU with jute-rayon blended in each sample was calculated as follows: fabrics using different types of catalysts on dimen- sional stability are shown in Table 2. It is ob- Original area - Changed area % Area shrinkage = x 100 served from the table that with all the catalysts, Original area the degree of stabilization of dimension in both types of fabrics is very good, particularly in warp The average values of 3 tests are reported ill direction. However, the shrinkage in weft direc- the results. tion is higher than that in warp direction and it 3 Results and Discussion becomes stable in successive washes, i.e. in subse- Jute and jute-rayon (60:40) fabrics crosslinked 9 with a range of DMDHEU add-on using magne- \MJrp way sium chloride as catalyst were assessed for their 8 .>: dimensional stability after each and successive 7 .r: five washings. Fig. 1 shows the effect of concen- ~6~ tration of crosslinking agerit on shrinkage of jute Cl' 5 .x:o and jute-rayon (60:40) fabrics. For all the con- c .r:': .~ 4 centrations, the degree of stabilization in both the .J;; <.fl warp and weft directions was found to be very 3 ~ high. 6-8% DMDHEU add-on was found to be .....-- 2 • • • adequate since further increase in DMDHEU did a- • • • ~ • not contribute significantly to further shrinkage )( \( \( l( control. In the case of jute-rayon blended fabric, 0 " the degree of stabilization was marginally lower at 2 3 4 5 2 3 4 5 equivalent treatment than that of 100% jute fabric No. of Wash and good shrinkage control was obtained at 8% Fig. 2 - Effect of DMDHEU cone. on shrinkage of 100% jute DMDHEU conc. The rayon fibre swells and fabric on successive washing [DMDHEU cone: (e) nil, (A) shrinks considerably more than the jute fibre and 2%, (I) 4%, ("') 6%, (x) 8%, (0) 10%, and (0) 12%] accordingly in blended fabric the resultant shrin- 10 kage is higher than that in jute fabric. For this Wlrp way 9 we~ reason, a higher amount of crosslinking is re- quired to dimensionally set the jute-rayon fabric. 8 .r:: 7 ;! c.:.' • v.orp way • Warp way -6 8 ~ o Wczft way o Weft way t» A 7 ~ 5 • c ~ • -;: 4 .J;; \ <.fl I y"A \ • • • • • • \ 3 • \ \ ~ \ 2 ~ \ \ \ ~ 0,,"'0... 0 1 .~ 2 3 4 5 2 3 4 5 o (a) (b) ~- No. of Wash 2 4 6 8 10 12 2 4 6 B 10 12 DMDHEU ADD-ON. -t; Fig. 3 - Effect of DMDHEU cone, on shrinkage of jute-rayon Fig. 1 - Relationship between DMDHEU add-on and shrin- (60:40) blended fabric on successive washing [DMDHEU kage [(a) 100% jute fabric, and (b) jute-rayon (60:40) blended cone: (I) nil, (A) 2%, (I) 4%, ( c ) 6%, (x) 8%, (0) 10%. fabric] anJ (0) 12%]

1M SOM & MUKHERJEE: CHARACTERISTICS OF JUTE AND JUTE-RAYON FABRICS

Table 2 - Effect of crosslinking treatment with DMDHEUa using various types of catalyst on shrinkage property of 100% jute fabric" and jute-rayon (60:40) blended fabric" Catalyst conc.(w/v) % Shrinkage after

1st wash 2nd wash 3rdwash

Jute Jute-rayon Jute Jute-rayon Jute Jute-rayon

Warp Weft Warp Weft Warp Weft Warp Weft Warp Weft Warp Weft way way way way way way way way way way way way ZnCI2 (2.4%) 0 0.78 0.80 1.17 0.40 0.82 0.85 1.20 0.40 0.85 0.90 1.92 1.2 1.03 1.03 1.05 1.06 1.03 Zn(N03)2 (2.4%) 1.04 1.56 1.25 1.03 1.05 1.06 Acetic acid (pH 2.5) 0.9 1.03 1.06 1.07 1.02 1.04 1.06 1.75 1.02 1.04 1.06 1.08 Hydrochloric acid (pH 2.5) 0.4 0.85 0.76 1.17 0.05 0.09 0.80 1.02 0.015 0.09 1.00 1.02 MgCI2 (1%) + acetic acid (pH 2.5) 1.1 1.02 1.02 1.05 1.02 1.25 l.35 1.70 1.25 1.40 1.05 1.75 MgClz (1%) + hydrochloric acid 0.8 1.03 1.00 1.04 1.00 1.05 1.03 1.05 1.00 1.06 1.05 1.05 aDMDHEU conc.: 6% for jute fabric and 8% for jute-rayon fabric. bWeight, 325 g/m"; ends x picks/dm, 60 x 48. "Weight, 325 g/rn"; ends x picks/dm, 60 x 72. • quent washes the shrinkage value decreases grad- 20 "') • .Ma labric (b) Jut. IaIric ually. 1S 0 Nta-ro)'OflIalrlc / .. 15 ~ . The shrinkage causes loss in fabric area since it DMDt£U DMOHEV occurs in both the directions. This is also known 02... A 4'" 02.,. A4.,. .~ • S••• 16.,. AS.,. as area shrinkage. The shrinkage in warp direc- D1O.. 1112••• 010.,. .'2"10 tion is not equivalent to that in weft direction and • ConUOI • Control ".....,0 O. ..--0 a - the relationship between these two are not co- related. The effect of different concentrations of ..••• :It.•....• ••••• DMDHEU on % area shrinkage was calculated ~ on the basis of the change in area (30 em x 30 D I •....•.••••• cm) after successive washings. The results are 1134512345 shown in Figs 4a-4c which indicate that the % _.Of .." area shrinkage decreases gradually with the in- Fig. 4 - Relationship between concentration of DMDHEU add-on and area ahrinkqe for (a) 100",4 jute fabric and jute- crease in DMDHEU concentration. rayon (60:40) blended fabric, (b) 100"k jute fabric on succes- The change in area or dimensions of warp and sive washing, and (c) jute-rayon (60:40) blended fabric on weft of a textile woven material on wetting de- successive washing pends upon several factors which include (i) type of fibre, (ii) fabric geometry and (ill) the stress/ of cloth in warp-way thus causes an increase in strain applied to the fabric during mechanical and crimp of the warp threads. In a similar way, the chemical processing. The principal cause of shrin- weft crossing threads also resist extension and the kage of a fabric is the swelling of yarns in water cloth contracts weft-way. or soap-water solution. The amount of swelling, It was earlier reported':" that the tensile i.e. increase in yam diameter, is expected to be strength of the fabric is reduced by crosslinking. exactly proportional to the diametrical swelling of Andrews et aL5 reported that both the tensile fibres in yam. Since the shrinkage in jute yam is strength and the elongation at break of the cotton negligible (less than 1%), the fabric shrinkage fabric are reduced by crosslinking. The reason for must come from the structural changes within the this is that the crosslinking agent crosslinks be- fabric. When the fabric is wet and the yam swells, tween the hydroxyl groups of amorphous regions, a greater length of warp yam will be required to filling the intramolecular spaces therein. Conse- interweave the increased diameter of the swollen quently, the jute fibres in the amorphous regions threads if the threads are to remain in the same become less elastic and behave like orderly position. Since in any of the existing woven struc- oriented regions. giving some compactness like tures such extra warp yams are not available, it that of crystalline region. This ultimately gives follows that contraction in warp direction occurs, anti-shrink or anti-elongation properties in the treat- resulting in length-wise shrinkage. The shrinkage ed fabrics. It is also postulated=" that the cross-

167 INDIAN J. TEXT. RES., VOL. 14, DECEMBER IYK':I

linking treatments restrict the swelling of the fibre sional stability of the fabric qualitatively, the in water and with the increase in resin add-on, the % area shrinkage would be appropriate for ability of fibre to swell in water decreases. As a jute and jute-rayon blended fabrics. result, the crosslinked fabric resists to change in dimensions. The results are in conformity with Acknowledgement those of Andrews et al" on knitted fabric. The authors would like to express their thanks to Dr S.R. Ranganathan, Director, UIRA, for val- 4 Conclusions uable criticism and interest during the study. 4.1 Crosslinking of jute and jute-rayon blended fabrics with DMDHEU reduces the shrinkage References of fabrics after washing or laundering and the 1 Cooke T F, Dusenbury J H, Kienle R H & Lincken E E, effect is pronounced for all the concentrations Text Res J, 24 (1954) 1005. of DMDHEU studied. However, the optimum 2 Fric!c J G (Jr), Andrews B A K & Reid J D, Text Res J, 30 concentration of DMDHEU is 6% for all-jute (1960)495. 3 Som N C, Bagchi A & Mukherjee A K, Indian J Text Res, fabric and 8% for jute-rayon fabric. 12 (1987) 78. 4.2 Jute-rayon blended fabric shows marginally 4 Som N C, Bagchi A & Mukherjee A K, Indian J Text Res, higher shrinkage than all-jute fabric after 12(1987) 126. crosslinking . 5 Andrews B A K, McSherry W F, Frick J G (Jr) & Copper • 4.3 The catalyst type has no significant effect on A B, Text Res J, 41 (1971) 387. the dimensional characteristics of jute and 6 Hussain G F S, Pelkar B M, Krishna Iyer K R & Patil N B, jute-rayon blended fabrics and all the catalysts Text ResJ, 52 (1982) 503. 7 Rowland S P, Stark V 0 & Mason J S Text Res J 41 studied impart good dimensional stability. (1971)57. " 4.4 There is no relationship between warp-wise 8 Andrews B A K, Frick J G (Jr) & Reid J D, The Knitter, and weft-wise shrinkage. To describe dirnen- 33 (1969) 26.

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