Both air/He and air/O2/He atmospheric plasma treatments are applied to desize PVA on cotton, then PDR (percent desizing ratio) and tensile strengths of cotton fabrics and single yams are measured, xPs and SEM are used to analyze the effects of atmospheric pressure plasma treatments on PVA. These treatments can both remove some PVA sizing and significantly improve PDR by washing, especially by cold water washing. The tensile strengths of cotton fabrics treated with atmospheric pressure plasma are the same as for the unsized fabric, xPs analysis of the plasma treated PVA films reveals surface chemical changes such as chain scission and formation of polar groups, which promote the solubility of PVA in Cold water. Air/O2/lIe plasma is more effective than air/lie plasma on PVA desizing.

Bombyx mori silk fabrics were chemically modified by EPSIB (a multifunctional silicone-containing epoxy crosslinking agent). The reactivity of the epoxy groups with silk fibroin was studied by using amino acid analysis. The physical properties of the modified silks such as resiliency (both wet and dry), moisture regain, dyeing behaviors, and solubility in a mixture solvent (C2H5OH CaCl2: H2O 2: 1: 8, molar ratio) were examined. The modified silk fabrics exhibited a significantly improved resiliency, a small increase in moisture regain and whiteness, and a slightly decreased tensile strength. The contents of Serine, Trosine, Lysine, and Histidine decreased linearly as the wet crease recovery angle (CRA) increased. The solubility in the mixture solvent also decreased as the wet CRA increased. The changes of physical properties, especially the wet CRA, were mainly due to the presence of stable crosslinks between silk fibroin and epoxy groups. The DSC and TGA analyses showed that EPSIB-modified silk fibroin had a higher thermal stability compared with the control.

The optimum technique of finishing silk fabric with EPSIA (a silicone-containing epoxy crosslinking agent) has been investigated through single factor experiments and orthogonal design. Treatment parameters such as finishing agent concentration, catalyst concentration, steaming temperature and time have been investigated. Changes of physical properties, durability to laundering and dyeing properties of the finished silk are also discussed.

Durable antimicrobial acrilan fabrics were prepared by using cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) in a chemical finishing process. The CPC could form ionic interactions with anionic groups on acrilan fibers, which contribute to durable antimicrobial functions. Reaction conditions such as pH, temperature, and time of the chemical treatment affected exhaustion of CPC and antimicrobial properties. However, the pH conditions of the finishing bath also impacted mechanical properties and color of the fabrics, particularly under alkaline conditions. Although a more alkaline condition is preferred for durable antimicrobial functions, high pH reduces tensile strength and results in yellowing of acrilan fibers. The yellowing of the acrilan fibers is caused by the hydrolysis of acrylonitrle groups and induced formation of conjugated C N systems in the polymers. The conjugated systems were characterized by FTIR.

Durable antimicrobial properties could be achieved on acrilan fabrics by chemically incorporating biocidal quaternary ammonium salts such as cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) into the fibers. The chemical interactions between CPC and acrilan fibers were investigated through adsorption isotherm and exhaustion rates of CPC on the fabrics under various conditions. The equilibrium adsorption of CPC on the acrilan fabrics was in good agreement with the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The study found that CPC concentration, pH value, and finishing temperature and time affected the adsorption process and antimicrobial properties of the acrilan fabrics.