Knit Fabric Mercerisation through the Use of High-Concentration NaOH in a Scouring and Bleaching Bath using an Exhaustion Method

Abstract

The combined scouring, bleaching and mercerising of single jersey cotton knitted fabrics through the use of high-concentration NaOH was evaluated in this study. The effect of that new combined process was compared, contrasted and analysed with pristine scoured, bleached fabric and conventional bleached fabric. Surface morphology, structural analysis and the colour strength of dyed fabrics were examined using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and spectrophotometric analysis. The barium activity number and bursting strength of treated fabric was evaluated and analysed in accordance with the relevant AATCC test standards. It was found that a sample treated through combined scouring, bleaching and mercerising demonstrated a higher level of smoothness and lustre than typical scoured and bleached fabric. The treated sample exhibited decreased crystallinity, as well as the transformation of the crystalline phase in a similar manner. The barium activity number, bursting strength and improved K/S value were also in line with the separately mercerised fabric. The above described properties of the combined scoured, bleached and mercerised fabric are sound evidence of the effectiveness of the process.

Keywords

• surface morphology
• X-ray diffraction
• barium activity number
• crystallinity
• bursting strength