Behavior of Cotton and Polynosic Fabrics Treated by the Poly-Set Process

A study was made of the relations between crease recovery and various physical properties of cotton and polynosic fibers treated by the two-step poly-set process. These relations fall in two different groups (step I and step II) in the case of cotton; for polynosics, the relations show the same grouping in wet and alkali-swollen states. In order to explain the different types of links that form in the poly-set process as well as the dominant influence of the water-sensitive links on treated polynosics in the dry state, it is postulated that the crease-recovery increment is due to new covalent links and those in place of the water-sensitive links. The different effects of MMM and DMEU finishes are discussed