Chitosan is an environmentally friendly agent that is used to achieve the antimicrobial properties of textiles. Nowadays, the binding of chitosan to the textiles has been thoroughly researched due to the increasing demands on the stability of achieved properties during the textile care processes. Most crosslinking agents for chitosan are not safe for humans or environment, such as glutaric aldehyde (GA) and formaldehyde derivatives. Eco-friendly polycarboxyilic acids (PCAs) are usually used in after-treatment. In this work, chitosan powder was dissolved in citric acid with sodium hydrophosphite (SHP) as a catalyst. Standard cotton (CO) and polyester/cotton (PES/CO) fabrics were pretreated in 20% NaOH, similar to mercerization, in order to open the structure of the cotton fibers and hydrolyze polyester fibers, continued by finishing in the gelatin chitosan bath. Afterwards, the hot rinsing process, followed by drying and curing, closed the achieved structure. The main objective was to achieve durable antimicrobial properties to multiple maintenance cycles CO and PES/CO fabric in order to apply it in a hospital environment. The characterization of fabrics was performed after treatment, first and fifth washing cycles according ISO 6330:2012 by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR), electrokinetic analysis (EKA), by the determination of tensile properties and mechanical damage (wear), and the antimicrobial activity. The application of 20% NaOH led to the swelling and mercerization of cotton cellulose, and hydrolysis of polyester, resulting in better mechanical properties. It has been confirmed that the chitosan particles were well implemented into the cotton fiber and onto to the polyester component of PES/CO blend. The presence of chitosan was confirmed after five washing cycles, but in lower quantity. However, achieved antimicrobial activity is persistent.
The purpose of sizing is to improve physical-mechanical parameters of warp threads, thus, decreasing thread breakage rate in weaving [1][2][3][4][5]. Good sizing consists not only of sizing, but also of drying, which has not been fully investigated to date. As size particles are found in the solution, they move over the whole cross-section of the yarn during the drying process. Yarn drying has changed due to the development of sizing machines. The first dryers were mostly convection ovens in which air currents were used for warp drying. Today, contact drying is the most widely used. It was of great interest to perform research into the possible usage of microwave in the warp sizing, with regard to the performance as well as economical reasons. No such paper has been found in the published literature.For the purpose of this study, we used a newly constructed sizing laboratory device presented in Figure 1. Various types of dryers, convection (I), contact (II) and microwave (III), could be applied after the sizing process. The sizing device enabled a continuous control and regulation of the following parameters: sizing velocity, temperature of the sizing agent, tension and inlet moisture of the warp, outlet moisture of the warp, after drying and drying intensity. The dryer should dry the sized warp in a short period of time to the moisture content it had before sizing, or even less than that. The highest energy consumption in sizing is in the drying procedure. Therefore, the research and development of microwave drying of the sized warp could lead to a considerable reduction in energy consumption.The idea of microwave (MW) application for textile finishing processes first originated in the 1970s when cellulose fabrics were treated with Durable Press (DP) finishing agents and cured in the microwave oven. Although these first results were promising, the idea was abandoned until 1995, when Miller patented his Pre-set process without being aware of the earlier patent. Both cases involved garment microwave treatment, but they were abandoned because the efforts to control the process failed. Until now, microwaves have been used for textile finishing in the combined desizing, scouring and bleaching processes, durable press finishing [6, 7], dyeing and drying processes, as well as for eradication of insects from wool textiles. 1 Microwave dielectric heating is based on activation of polar molecules in treated medium (polarization phenomenon). In a microwave electromagnetic field oscillating at 2.5 GHz, which is a preferred frequency for heating applications, the charge changes polarity nearly five billion times per second. Under the influence of a high frequency Abstract The paper describes our research of microwave usage in drying the size pick-up. An analysis of three different drying processes in relation to physical-mechanical properties of sized yarn has been carried out. Under the same sizing conditions, but different drying methods, the following parameters were determined: breaking force, elongation at break, abrasi...
AimTo study the antimicrobial activity of citric acid (CA) and sodium hypophosphite monohydrate (SHP) against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, and to determine the influence of conventional and microwave thermal treatments on the effectiveness of antimicrobial treatment of cotton textiles.MethodTextile material was impregnated with CA and SHP solution and thermally treated by either conventional or microwave drying/curing treatment. Antibacterial effectiveness was tested according to the ISO 20743:2009 standard, using absorption method. The surfaces were morphologically observed by scanning electron microscopy, while physical characteristics were determined by wrinkle recovery angles method (DIN 53 891), tensile strength (DIN 53 837), and whiteness degree method (AATCC 110-2000).ResultsCotton fabric treated with CA and SHP showed significant antibacterial activity against MRSA (6.38 log10 treated by conventional drying and 6.46 log10 treated by microwave drying before washing, and 6.90 log10 and 7.86 log10, respectively, after 1 cycle of home domestic laundering washing [HDLW]). Antibacterial activity was also remarkable against S. aureus (4.25 log10 by conventional drying, 4.58 log10 by microwave drying) and against P. aeruginosa (1.93 log10 by conventional and 4.66 log10 by microwave drying). Antibacterial activity against P. aeruginosa was higher in samples subjected to microwave drying/curing than in those subjected to conventional drying/curing. As expected, antibacterial activity was reduced after 10 HDLW cycles but the compound was still effective. The surface of the untreated cotton polymer was smooth, while minor erosion stripes appeared on the surfaces treated with antimicrobial agent, and long and deep stripes were found on the surface of the washed sample.ConclusionCA can be used both for the disposable (non-durable) materials (gowns, masks, and cuffs for blood pressure measurement) and the materials that require durability to laundering. The current protocols and initiatives in infection control could be improved by the use of antimicrobial agents applied on cotton carbohydrate polymer.
Fabric flammability is affected by various factors such as the fibre composition, fabric construction, FR (flame retardant) finish, oxygen concentration and environmental conditions (moisture content, heat.). Inherently FR fabrics are synthetics which have been changed at the molecular level to make the fabrics thermally stable and able to pass FR tests. The thermal properties of knitted fabrics produced from cotton, modacryl and their blends were investigated in this paper. The design of FR knitted fabrics and an optimal blend ratio were evaluated by different thermoanalytical methods: the flame behaviour and thermal stability with the limited oxygen index (LOI), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), coupled thermal gravimetry - Fourier transform infrared technique (TG-FTIR) and microscale combustion calorimetry (MCC). Surface characterisation of the knitted fabrics designed was evaluated by the streaming potential method. Knitted fabric in the blend ratio C50:M50 proved to possess the most favourable FR characteristics, additionally confirmed by optimal hydrophilic properties evaluated through zeta potential measurement.
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