Effect of stimuli-responsive nano hydrogel finishing on cotton fabric properties

Abstract

Cotton fabrics have been prepared with smart properties by functional finishing with stimuli-responsive nano gel. A biopolymer (chitosan) and a synthetic polymer (poly-NiPAAm) have been used for the synthesis of nano gel through semi-batch surfactant-free dispersion polymerization (SB-SFDP) method. The incorporation of nano gel to textile fabrics is achieved by pad-dry-cure procedure, using an aqueous nano gel dispersion and 1,2,3,4-butantetracarboxylic acid as a crosslinking agent. With this cross linking method, it is possible to integrate the nano gel into the cotton fabric’s structure with good resistance to washing. The changes in physiological comfort parameters of cotton fabric such as the water vapor transmission rate, air permeability and vertical wicking as well properties such as the thickness, crease recovery angle, yellowness index and washing fastness of cotton fabric after smart finishing have also been assessed. The results show that the application of nano gel as a smart finishing system not only impairs the intrinsic properties of cotton but also improves the common textile quality by providing new features of stimuli-responsiveness.