Crosslinking of Cotton Cellulose in the Presence of Alpha-Amino Acids

We have used alpha-amino acids (aspartic acid and glutamic acid) to join with dimethyloldihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU) as crosslinking agents, and have found that at a given resin concentration, the wet crease recovery angle (WCRA) and tensile strength retention (TSR) values of the treated fabrics are in the order of DMDHEU- glutamic acid > DMDHEU-aspartic acid > DMDHEU; however, the dry crease recovery angle (DCRA) values are in the inverse rank. Nitrogen content and wicking height (wH) values for the various finished fabrics rank as DMDHEU-aspartic acid > DMDHEU- glutamic acid > DMDHEU. We have also found that the WCRA and DCRA of DMDHEU- alone treated fabrics are lower than those of the DMDHEU-alpha-amino-acid treated fabrics, and are ranked as DMDHEU-glutamic acid > DMDHEU-aspartic acid > DMDHEL' alone at a given TSR. The reaction between the —OH of DMDHEU and the amino and acid groups of alpha-amino acids in a pad-dry-cure process are confirmed by IR spectra. Surface distribution of the crosslinking agent on the finished fabrics is similar for DMDHEU alone and DMDHEU-alpha-amino acid.