FORMALDEHYDE-FREE DURABLE PRESS FINISHING WITH BTCA IN THE PRESENCE OF POLAR NITROGENOUS ADDITIVES

Small amounts of tertiary alkanolamines and N,N-disubstituted amides were added to formulations of 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) and sodium hypophosphite catalyst to serve as co-catalysts or accelerators for the crosslinking of cotton by pad-dry-cure application. Increased durable press (DP) performance and laundering durability were obtained without additional fabric strength loss. In some cases these increases were accompanied by moderate strength gains produced by the additive. Conditioned wrinkle recovery angles increased in some instances, remained constant in other cases, or even decreased, as DP ratings increased. Triethanolamine (TEA) was more effective than N-methyldiethanolamine in improving DP ratings. TEA is believed to increase the average length and degree of branching of the crosslinks by forming a 3-dimensional network with BTCA in the course of forming an amine-BTCA-cellulose terpolymer. The N,N-disubstituted amides may act as carriers to increase the rate and extent of diffusion of BTCA and hypophosphite into the cellulose. The amides decreased the concentration of BTCA and hypophosphite required to achieve high levels of DP performance. 1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone was unusual in that it appeared to be bound to the finish.