Effect of Crosslinking Agents on Water Repellency of Cotton Fabrics Treated with Fluorocarbon Resin

Abstract

Cotton fabrics and cellulose films treated with fluorocarbon resin (Asahi Guard AG-480 ) with and without crosslinking agents (isocyanate blocked copolymer and aziridine) were washed and subsequently heat treated. Water repellency of the fabrics decreased with washing and recovered with heat treatment. The decreased water re pellency with washing was controlled by using the resin with a crosslinking agent. To investigate surface tension and surface chemical composition of the fabrics after washing and subsequent heat treatment, the contact angle to water and critical surface tension of the films were measured along with an ESCA analysis of the fabrics. Adding cross linking agents to the fluorocarbon resin treatment controlled the decrease in F 1s intensity and the increase in O 1s intensity with subsequent washing.