Cellulase activities and finishing effects on cotton fabrics

The relationships between cellulase activities and properties of treated fabrics including weight loss, breaking strength, surface thickness and bending rigidity were investigated. Three kinds of cellulases were used to treat two kinds of cotton fabrics and the results were compared to their activities measured towards filter paper, CMC and dewaxed cotton. The results suggested that among the three activities, exo activity (towards dewaxed cotton) be mostly inclined to reflect the actual hydrolytic capability of the cellulase on cotton fabrics; while endo activity (towards CMC) is of little use in predicting cellulase efficiency in terms of weight loss. The investigation also suggested that the relatively endo-rich cellulase (Cellusoft Plus) is inclined to give biopolishing effects by cleaning the surface fibril of fabrics while the exo-rich cellulase (Cellusoft L, also known as total or full cellulase) tends to deliver softening effects by decreasing the bending and shearing properties.