Abstract
Soil deposition retention on acrylic acid-grafted polypropylene fabrics, which change continuously from hydrophobic to hydrophilic with the degree of grafting, are correlated with the work of adhesion of an oil drop to fabrics in water and the zeta potential on the fabric-water interface. The maximum soil deposition on fabric was at 0.4% of grafting ratio in air, while the minimum of soil removed by washing was at 0.2–0.4% of the grafting ratio in water. These results help to explain, in the light of the theory of hydrophobic soil stabilization, the detergency mechanism and to understand the influence of such factors as electrical repulsion and adhesive energy on the fabric surface. Correlations have been established between the physico-chemical properties and hydrophobic-hydrophilic surfaces. This should make possible greater soil-release effect with the finishes on hydrophobic fabrics. Electron micrographs of fabric surfaces, on which soils were deposited and retained before and after washing, show no significant differences in morphological differences with the degree of grafting.
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