STUDY ON THE INFLUENCE OF ULTRASOUND IN BIOSCOURING TREATMENT OF 50 % OF FLAX + 50 % OF COTTON FABRICS

Abstract

Study on the influence of ultrasound in Bioscouring treatment of 50 % of flax + 50 % of cotton fabric was made. The role of the Bioscouring treatment was the removing of natural cellulose attendants such as: pectin, hemicelluloses, waxes, extractable substances, etc. The cleaning treatment was carried out with a commercial enzymatic product called Beisol PRO (which consists of a mixture of enzymes pectinases), in water at a 20:1 liquid to fabric ratio and a temperature of 55 0C, in the presence of a complexing agent (2 g/L EDTA) and a washing agent (0.5 % Denimcol Wash RGN). The effect of the enzyme mixture was intensified by ultrasound at a frequency of 45 kHz in an ultrasonic bath Elmasonic X-tra basic 2500 from Elma Company, Germany, leading to the improvement of the process and better properties for treated material. The experiments were conducted after a central, rotatable second order compound program with two independent variables: enzyme concentration (concentrations between 1-3% o.w.f) and treatment time (15-55 minutes). Treated samples were analyzed for weight loss, hydrophilicity, whiteness index, yellowness index, crystallinity, tensile strength, elongation at break, scanning electron microscopy analysis (SEM), CIELAB color system analysis of the samples dyed with alizarin and ruthenium red dyes. The results showed that the bioscouring process performed in the presence of ultrasound has been effective at a lower enzyme concentration and a lower duration of the treatment, thereby reducing the costs and the possibility of degradation of the treated material.

Keywords

• cotton/flax fabric
• biscouring treatment with ultrasound
• weight loss
• whiteness index
• K/S color strength
• crystallinity