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Textile finishing is a processing method aimed at improving the appearance and intrinsic quality of textiles, enhancing their wearability and application performance, or endowing them with special functions through physical or chemical methods. This process is usually arranged in the later stage of dyeing and finishing, and is therefore widely referred to as post finishing.
In textile finishing, different types of organic silicon materials can be used to endow textiles with diverse properties through their physical or chemical interactions on fibers, thereby achieving the purpose of finishing. Among them, silicone oil based organic silicon finishing agents play an important role in the soft finishing, water repellent finishing, anti fouling finishing, and anti shrink and anti wrinkle finishing of textiles, and are the core finishing agents for achieving high added value and high functionality of textiles.
①Silicone soft finishing agent for textiles
1. The importance of soft finishing: Cotton and other natural fibers have a certain softness due to the presence of fat and wax substances, while synthetic fibers are coated with oil agents. However, after undergoing refining, bleaching, and printing and dyeing processes, the wax and oil on the fibers are removed, resulting in a rough and hard texture of the fabric. Therefore, carrying out soft finishing has become particularly important.
2. The advantage of organic silicon softener is that applying softener on fabrics is an effective method to reduce the friction coefficient between fibers and yarns, and obtain a soft and smooth hand feel. Among them, organic silicon softeners have become the preferred choice for textile softening finishing due to their wide application, good performance, and outstanding effects.
Organic silicone softeners mainly composed of modified silicone oil can undergo cross-linking reactions with fibers to form directional arrangements, thereby significantly improving the flexibility of fabrics. By further modifying and compounding amino modified silicone oil, a series of silicone softener varieties with different style characteristics can also be produced.
3. The comprehensive evaluation of fabric softness (also known as hand feel, style) is a complex comprehensive reaction that involves certain physical and mechanical properties of the fabric, and is reflected through the sensation of human hands and vision. These reactions include softness, smoothness, coolness, stiffness, elasticity, tissue tightness, luster, warmth and coldness, as well as visual flatness. Due to the lack of quantitative standards for evaluating softness, it often relies on individual subjective feelings.
4.In addition to endowing fabrics with good softness, smoothness, and tactile characteristics, the application requirements of silicone softeners should also meet the following requirements: stability: the formulated finishing solution should remain stable under various soft finishing conditions. Including shear stability (such as no oil floating or sticking to rollers in shear tests at a line speed of 12.5m/min) and thermal stability (such as no oil floating or delamination for more than 30 minutes at 100-105 ℃).
Whiteness and color fastness: Do not reduce the whiteness of the fabric, and there should be no yellowing of bleached fabrics; For colored or printed fabrics, the smaller the color difference from the original fabric, the better. Generally, the color difference level is required to be above 4.5. It should be noted that color difference is not only related to the softener, but also closely related to the color fastness and process of the original color cloth.
Heat resistance and storage stability: The fabric after soft finishing does not change color when heated, and there should be no changes in color, feel, or odor during storage.
Skin safety: The soft finished fabric should have no adverse effects when in contact with the skin.
②Amino modified polydimethylsiloxane soft finishing agent
Amino modified polydimethylsiloxane (abbreviated as amino silicone oil) plays an important role in textile soft finishing agents. Among them, more than 90% of amino silicone oil softening finishing agents use copolymers of N - β - aminoethyl - γ - aminopropylmethylsiloxane and dimethylsiloxane as active ingredients. This special molecular structure enables amino silicone oil to interact with functional groups such as hydroxyl and carboxyl groups on the fiber surface, thereby directing the siloxane backbone to adhere to the fiber surface, significantly reducing the friction coefficient between fibers and endowing the fabric with excellent softness and smoothness.
1. The molecular structure and softening effect of amino silicone oil have a significant impact on its softening effect. Generally speaking, when the ammonia value is low, in order to obtain good flexibility, it is necessary to appropriately increase the viscosity of amino silicone oil. Meanwhile, the variety and grade of the fabric are also important factors to consider when selecting parameters for amino silicone oil. In addition, the preparation process of lotion will also affect the softening effect and stability in the finishing process. Therefore, after selecting the appropriate variety of amino silicone oil, it is necessary to develop a reasonable formulation process for the finishing agent to ensure the production of amino silicone oil soft finishing agents suitable for various fabrics.
2.Amino silicone oil softening agent containing N - β - aminoethyl - γ - aminopropyl group In order to improve the emulsification dispersion of amino silicone oil, the amino acid in its molecule can be neutralized to prepare transparent micro lotion with particle size less than 50nm. This micro lotion has high stability to mechanical and thermal stress, and can avoid demulsification and oil bleaching during fabric finishing.
3. The choice of surfactant is very important in the preparation of amino silicone oil micro lotion.
Non ionic, cationic, or zwitterionic surfactants can be used, but considering the compatibility stability with other ionic additives, non-ionic or zwitterionic surfactants are generally preferred. Non ionic surfactants such as polyoxyethylene alkyl aldehydes, polyoxyethylene isomeric alkyl ethers, etc. can be used in combination with two or more surfactants with different HLB values, and the HLB value after blending should be controlled within the range of 1215. The appropriate dosage of surfactant is 3070 parts. If it is too low, it will not form a microemulsion with a particle size less than 100nm. If it is too high, it will remain in the fibers and hinder the performance of amino silicone oil.
Organic carboxylic acids such as formic acid and acetic acid can be used to neutralize amino acids, as well as amino containing acids such as glutamic acid. During the emulsification process, high-speed homogeneous mixers and other emulsifying devices can be used to add acid after emulsification or together with water. Alternatively, amino silicone oil can be mixed evenly with surfactants before adding water and acid. The stability of lotion can be further improved by treating at 6080 ℃ for 320 hours.
4. Example of Preparation Process for Finishing Agent
(1) Amino silicone oil softener prepared with non-ionic surfactants is added to a 2L beaker with a certain amount of silicone oil, polyoxyethylene lauric ether, and water. After stirring with a homogeneous mixer, formic acid is added for neutralization. Then move the mixture into a flask, and treat it with a slurry mixer at 80 ℃ for a certain time to obtain a blue white transparent microemulsion. The micro lotion softener has very good storage stability, no demulsification after one year at room temperature, and good dilution stability and mechanical stability. In addition, the addition of binary alcohol ether compounds such as ethylene glycol monomethyl ether can further improve the thermal stability, dilution stability and transparency of the micro lotion.
(2) Amino silicone oil softener prepared with zwitterionic surfactant The amino silicone oil micro lotion softener prepared with zwitterionic surfactant has the characteristics of simple preparation process, good repeatability, and low amount of surfactant. The prepared microemulsion is very stable to shearing force, and will not pollute the fabric due to demulsification in the finishing process of the fabric, and has good softness and smoothness. When preparing, first mix amino silicone oil, zwitterionic surfactant, alcohol, and a small amount of water to form a concentrate, then stir and dilute with water.
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Post time: Jan-22-2025