Effects of Sodium Hydroxide and Liquid Ammonia Treatments on the Coverage of Neps in Dyed Cotton Fabric

Abstract

Four swelling treatments were examined for their ability to improve the appearance of cotton fabrics containing numerous neps. Cotton printcloth was treated with two concentrations of sodium hydroxide, 14% and 20%, and with two liquid ammonia treatments, one in which the ammonia was removed through water rinsing and the other through evaporation. The treated fabrics were subsequently dyed with CI direct red 81 and CI direct green 26 and compared for coverage of neps and change in depth of shade. Both sodium hydroxide treatments resulted in virtually complete coverage of the neps. Application of ammonia followed by water rinsing had no significant effect, whereas when the ammonia was removed by evaporation, coverage of neps was significantly improved. The depth of shade of the treated fabrics, in decreasing order, was NaOH-20%/NH₃-H₂O, NH3-air, NaOH-14%/untreated control.

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