Imparting Crease Resistance and Crease Retention to Cotton With APO

Cotton fabric (80 × 80) was made crease resistant by processing with APO, tris(1-aziridinyl)phosphine oxide. Application was made by wetting the fabric with an aqueous solution of APO containing catalytic quantities of zinc fluoborate, squeezing out the excess with squeeze rolls, drying for 4 min. at 80-90° C., and curing for 4 min. at 140° C., followed by a good wash. An aftertreatment with a 1% Primenit VS 2 solu tion increased the crease recovery angle. Monsanto crease angles of from 250° to more than 300° (warp + fill) have been obtained, depending on the resin add-on. The crease recovery is not changed much by home laundering. A loss of 30% in the Elmen dorf tearing strength was observed with samples with over 300° crease recovery angles. Creases durable to washing were obtained by drying the fabric with a hand iron followed by an oven cure. The resin could not be stripped from the fabric by methods that are effective with other resins. In addition to imparting crease resistance, this resin also imparts some degree of flame resistance.