Cyanoethylated Starch Thickeners as Substitutes for Sodium Alginate in Printing with Reactive Dyes

Abstract

Abstract Cyanoethylated starches were prepared by reacting rice starch with acrylonitrile in presence of sodium hydroxide. The suitability of the modified starches in printing cotton fabrics with reactive dyes was investigated through application of pastes containing cyanoethylated starches and reactive dyes to cotton fabric, fixation of the prints by steaming or thermal treatment, assessment of colour strength and overall fastness properties of the prints, examination of rheological properties and carrying out parallel experiments using sodium alginate, unmodified starch and alkali‐treated starch. Cyanoethylated starches particularly that containing 1.75% N proved to be a potential thickener for printing cotton with reactive dyes.