Study on cotton ring- and OE rotor yarns characteristics: Part III - Effect of enzymatic wet processing on various characteristics

The changes in cotton yarn characteristics as a result of chemical treatments have been studied. It is observed that the yarn characteristics depend on yarn structural features, twist factor and chemical treatment. Analysis of the mechanical and surface characteristics shows that the caustic scouring remarkably improves the tenacity, abrasion resistance, dye uptake and residual shrinkage of both ring- and OE rotor-spun yarns. The increase in each of these characteristics decreases with the increasing twist factor. Treatment of enzyme scoured-hydrogen peroxide bleached cotton yarns with G-Zyme VGB enzyme, on the other hand, results in a significant decrease in their tenacity, abrasion resistance and hairiness. Additionally, enzyme-softened yarns have similar breaking extension, less surface roughness and higher absorbency values. The yarns spun with notched nozzle are relatively stronger, less hairy and less rough, have lower abrasion resistance and pick up more dye as compared to the yarns made with the plain nozzle regardless of the experimental conditions.