Ironing Out Cotton Wrinkles Without An Iron -- New Finish For Cotton Fabric Now Under Commercial Development

While the market-place demand for durable press finishes used on today's 100 percent cotton apparel continues to increase, the formaldehyde-based reagents that are now used to create them have caused world-wide concern about their impact on human health and the environment, Yang says.

Previously, one of the more effective formaldehyde replacements was an organic acid called butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA). But the exceedingly high cost of BCTA prevented its applications on a commercial scale.

Drawing on the BCTA technology, Yang found that citric acid, while not effective itself, could be combined with two different polymers of maleic acid in a manner that would efficiently cross-link the cellulose fibers in cotton fabrics. The results of this synergistic action, Yang states, is a cotton fabric with demonstrated superior durable press performance, good laundering durability, and high fabric strength retention. Because this new finish system is cost effective, it has become attractive as a formaldehyde replacement and is now under commercial development.

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