Abrasion and Tensile Properties of Cross-Linked Cotton Fabrics

Abstract

Fiber toughness, fabric construction, and pretreatment were found to affect abrasive wear in permanent-press trouser cuffs. Samples of Pima S-2, Hopi Acala, and Delta pine 15 cottons were processed into twelve constructions of print-cloth weight fabrics. Cross-linking with the dimethylol dihydroxyethyleneurea-type resin was applied as a continuous process to fabrics after scouring and after slack mercerizing. Nitrogen con tents of treated fabrics show that type of cotton, fabric construction, and pretreatment affected the amounts of resin reacted with the fabric. Pima cotton had the lowest and Deltapine the highest level of nitrogen in almost every fabric construction. Pima cotton fabrics showed less wear during conventional abrasion test and laundering and greater crease-recovery angles than did the other cottons. Cuffs of basket-weave fabrics with 0.87% nitrogen showed less crease wear during laundering than did plain weave at 0.64% nitrogen. At comparable nitrogen content, slack-mercerized fabrics were more durable at a higher crease-recovery angle than were cuffs made from scoured fabrics.