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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Cotton Chemistry and Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #135913
Title: COMPARISON OF SODIUM HYPOPHOSPHITE WITH HYPOPHOSPHOROUS ACID AS CURING CATALYSTS FOR DP FINISHING WITH BTCA OR CITRIC ACID

Author
item Welch, Clark
item Peters, Julie

Submitted to: American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/15/2002
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: It has been suggested that when sodium hypophosphite (SHP) is used to catalyze crosslinking of cotton by 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) at 160-190 degrees C, the active catalyst may be free hypophosphorous acid, which could form a mixed linear anhydride with, and subsequently a cyclic anhydride of BTCA. A direct comparison of hypophosphorous acid and sodium hypophosphite as curing catalysts has been made in DP finishing with BTCA and with citric acid at two temperatures and curing times (155 degrees C/12 minutes and 180 degrees C/90 seconds). In all cases, SHP was a more effective catalyst than the free hypophosphorous acid, indicating that hypophosphite anions are the principal curing catalysts. An epoxysilicone was used as fabric softener. SHP catalysis also resulted in much higher breaking and tearing strength retentions than did hypophosphorous acid.