Performance of Foam and Application in Foam Finishing of Textile

Mingsu Song, Jiangbo Hou, Yanhua Lu, Jie Lin, Dehong Cheng*

Eastern Liaoning University, Dandong, Liaoning, China

chengdehongldxy@qq.com

Keywords: Foaming agent, Foaming Finishing, Cotton fabrics, Crease resistant, Water repellent finishing

Abstract. Foaming finishing was a kind of dyeing and finishing technology with obvious energy

saving effect. In this paper performance of foaming stock solution, compatibility of foam system,

foaming finishing of cotton fabrics was investigated. The initial solution time, half life and foaming

ratio of lauryl sodium sulfate as anionic foaming agent were determined. The obtained results

indicated that advantages of foaming finishing of cotton fabrics included obvious low up-take and less

pollution in crease resistant and water repellent finishing. The finishing performances of cotton

fabrics with foaming finishing were the same level with that of the conventional padding finishing

process

Introduction

Cost was high for the moisture evaporation of chemical reagents in the conventional fabric

finishing[1]

, however the foam dyeing and finishing technology can save more energy in the drying

process. Foam finishing is a kind of dyeing and finishing technology with great energy saving effect

because foam as medium carrier of dyes was applied to substitute for part of the water. The processing

effect can reduce 65%- 75% comparing with the conventional water consumption [2]

. In addition,

multifunctional textiles can be produced through the foam finishing technology to meet the higher

demand for market consumption. It is a good prospect for application that the foam finishing

technology is applied to the textiles and non-woven fabric finishing, including the water (oil)

repellent finishing, anti-crease finishing, softening finishing, flame-retardant finishing and

anti-ultraviolet finishing etc[3]

.

Experimental process

Performances test of foaming agent. initial solution time t0 was determined. The foaming stoste was

stirred under 2000 r／min for 3 min and then initial solution time and half time t1 /2 were determined.

Foaming ratio was based on density ratio between foaming stoste and foam density and expressed in

eq 1[4]:

BR=f

s

f

f

fff

s

f

sW

W

V

W

V

V/W

1

d

d

V/W

V/==≈= (1)

Foaming collation of cotton fabric. Coating technology with plain net was applied to place foam on

cotton fabric. An amount of the untreated samples was tiled and coated by the plain net printing

forme. The foams were uniformly dumped on the plain net and then rapidly blade coating by using the

rubber drawknife. The liquid content was more than 35 %. The treated samples were quantified and

the accurate liquid content was calculated.

Technology of water repellent finishing. tidy liquids ( NaLS 3g/L, water repellency agent AG-710

100g/L, adhesion agent FS-460 30g/L) → foaming →foaming finishing →drying in the air → baking

(160 °C ×3 min). Water repellent finishing was carried out for the single face and double face. The

Advanced Materials Research Vols. 821-822 (2013) pp 661-664Online available since 2013/Sep/18 at www.scientific.net© (2013) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerlanddoi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.821-822.661

All rights reserved. No part of contents of this paper may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of TTP,www.ttp.net. (ID: 131.151.244.7, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Columbia, USA-16/08/14,21:20:50)

conventional padding finishing process was that tidy liquids (water repellency agent AG-710 100g/L )

→Two dipping two rolling (liquid content is 80% ) →drying at 80°C→baking (160 °C ×3 min)

Technology of antiwrinkling finishing for two faces. Tidy liquids → foaming →foaming collation

(liquid content is 35 %) →drying in the air →baking (160°C×3 min). The conventional antiwrinkling

finishing process was that tidy liquids (2D resin 100g/L) → two dipping two rolling (liquid content is

80 %) →drying at 80°C→baking (160 °C ×3 min)

Performances determination of cotton fabric. The touch water degree of samples was determined

by Y (B) 813 touch water tester based on the GB/T14577-1993(ISO 9865-1991. water permeability of

samples was determined by YG（B）812D-20 digital water permeability tester based on GB/T

4745-1997（ISO 4920:1981）.. The Crease elasticity was determined by Darong 541Ecrease elasticity

tester based GB/T3819-1997(ISO 811:1981). the breaking strength and breaking elongation were

determined by YG(B)026H-250 electronic fabrics strength tester based on GB/T3923.1-1997.

Results and discussion

The foaming performances of different foaming agents. the foaming ratio, initial solution time t0

and the half time t1/2 of the different foaming agents such as sodium lauryl sulfate (NaLS), octaphenyl

polyoxyethyiene (OPEO) and penetrant JFC were determined and shown in Table 1. The obtained

results indicated that under the same concentration for 5.0 g/L condition the foaming ratio was 5.64,

initial solution time t0 was 3.09 s and the half time t1/2 was 4.53 min. the foaming performances of

sodium lauryl sulfate was maximum and superior to that of octaphenyl polyoxyethyiene (OPEO) and

penetrant JFC.

Table 1 The foaming performances of different foaming agents

Effect of The foam stabilizer on foaming performances. The viscosity of liquid was pivotal to

stability of foam and the foam stabilizer could enhance the surface viscosity to restrain attenuation of

liquid film, which extend the half time of foam and improve the stability of foam [4, 5]

. The different

foam stabilizers such as hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxy propyl cellulose, polyethylene (PVA) and

gelatin were applied and the foaming ratio and half time of foam with different foam agents were

determined and shown in Table 2-4. The results indicated that the foaming performances of foam

were excellent with PVA as foam stabilizer. When the concentration of PVA stabilizers was 1.0 g/L,

the foaming ratio was 6.27 and half time was 6.28 min for NaLS as foaming agent and was more than

that with OPEO and penetrant JFC as foaming agents.

The effect of concentration of PVA as stabilizer on the half time of foam with NaLS as foaming

agent was determined and shown in Fig 1. The obtained results indicated that the half time was firstly

increased and then decreased with the increment of PVA concentrations and the maximum half time

was 6.28 when the concentration of PVA was 1.0 g/L. the main reason was that increment of liquid

viscosity resulted in that the increment of half time, however superfluous PVA could reduce the

elasticity of liquid film, which result in that foam was easily broken. The optimal concentration of

PVA for NaLS as foaming agent was 1.0 g/L.

662 Advances in Textile Engineering and Materials III

Table 2 The foaming performances of foam with NaLS as foaming agent under different stabilizers

Stabilizers Concentration of

stabilizers g/L

Foaming

ratio

Half time

min

Hydroxyethyl cellulose 1.0 5.36 5.67

Hydroxy propyl cellulose 1.0 5.04 5.58

Polyethylene (PVA) 1.0 6.27 6.28

Gelatine 1.0 5.48 5.52

Table 3 The foaming performances of foam with OPEO as foaming agent under different stabilizers

Stabilizers Concentration of

stabilizers g/L Foaming ratio Half time min

Hydroxyethyl cellulose 1.0 5.35 3.72

Hydroxy propyl cellulose 1.0 4.94 3.68

Polyethylene (PVA) 1.0 5.89 3.91

Gelatine 1.0 5.29 3.79

Table 4 The foaming performances of foam with JFC as foaming agent under different stabilizers

Fig. 1 Half time of foam with NaLS as foaming agent under different concentration of PVA

Performances of foaming finishing. The antiwrinkling finishing and water repellent finishing of

cotton fabric were achieved with NaLS concentration for 3.0 g/L, penetrant JFC for 8.0 g/L. The

degree of touch water was 4 for double faces and 3 for single face, which was similar with the

conventional finishing. The wrinkle recovery angle and breaking strength of fabric for foaming

Stabilizers Concentration of

stabilizers g/L Foaming ratio Half time min

Hydroxyethyl

cellulose 1.0 5.85 5.55

Hydroxy propyl

cellulose 1.0 5.56 5.16

Polyethylene (PVA) 1.0 6.04 6.48

Gelatine 1.0 5.61 5.23

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5

PAV concentration g/L

Ha

lf t

ime

min

Advanced Materials Research Vols. 821-822 663

finishing were more than that of the conventional padding finishing. The main reason was that

foaming finishing could reduce the amount of migration and improve the homogeneity of resin and

thus reduce the damage of fabric strength.

Conclusions

The foaming finishing with NaLS as foaming agent was achieved and the foaming performances of

foaming finishing was determined. The polyving akohol was applied to enhance the foaming ratio to

prolong the half time of foaming liquids. The performances of foaming finishing was determined and

an obvious energy saving technology was developed with low amount of water.

Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by Program of Liaoning Excellent Talents in University (No.

LJQ2011138), the Science and Technology Foundation of Liaoning (No. 201202081), Key Discipline

Project of Liaoning Province Universities (No. 2012310) and Program of Eastern Liaoning University

(No. 2013y023, 2013z004).

References

[1] D.K.Liu, Z.L. Dong, Y. B. Pan: Dyeing and Finishing Vol. 17 (2005), p. 26

[2] Q.Wang, H.L. Xi, Y.J. Zuo: Journal of Chemical Industry & Engineering Vol.28(2007),p.25

[3] L.Q. Chen: Dyeing and Finishing Vol.2 (2005), p.37

[4] Q.C.Sun, J.Huang: Physics Vol.12 (2006), p.15

[5] Z.Y.Liu: Guangxi Textile Science & Technology Vol.38 (2009), p. 34

664 Advances in Textile Engineering and Materials III

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