Definition of scouring agent in textile

Scouring in textile refers to a large number of auxiliaries with functions of emulsifying, penetrating, washing, dispersing and wetting in the scouring process before dyeing and printing, in order to remove oil stains and impurities from the textile fibers. The common scouring chemicals include sizing agent, lubricating agent, oil stains agent, alkali-resistant agent, mercerizing agent, wax removing agent, penetrating agent and so on. The required property of scouring agent varies depending on materials, fabric structure, stains and applications.

Scouring agent is a non-toxic, tasteless, pollution-free white powder, soluble in water whose aqueous solution is alkaline, capable of cleaning, emulsification, dispersion, wetting, penetration and the pH buffering. It belongs to the inorganic alkali products, easily hygroscopic when placed in the air, sometimes there existing a little bit block, which is a normal phenomenon with no effect on quality.

To achieve the best scouring effect, the ideal scouring agent in textile should be with those characteristics:

(1) High temperature resistance and alkali resistance. The conventional continuous refining process temperature of cotton is usually higher than 95 °C. The concentration of caustic soda in dipping scouring agent is 40-60g/L (concentration of Supply tank is up to100-150g/L). It is required not to decompose or stratified under such conditions.

(2) Moistening the fabric uniformly and fastly Under normal temperature. Also required to be Alkali resistant chemically

(3) Good emulsifying effect: removed from the fabric by emulsifying the saponifying and cooking auxiliaries of the fiber.

(4) Having certain metal complexing ability, can be complexed with Ca^2, Mg^2 and other metal ions, can be removed from fabric and prevent the decomposing material from being redeposited onto the fabric.

(5) The refined agent is required for low - bubble.

(6) Biodegradable, and its decomposition is non-toxic.

Advantages of scouring agent in textile

1. Scouring agent can be widely used in printing and dyeing industry, textile industry; Treating before yarn dyeing, dyeing, cloth dyeing.

2. Scouring agent can be used with other alkali classes at the same time. It can achieve good effects including decontamination if hydrogen peroxide is added to bath.

3. With strong dispersibility, scouring agent can effectively prevent the production of white powder and make the fiber become brighter.

4. Alkalinity buffer of scouring agent is good. The solubility is extremely high, which is twice of soda ash, thus has strong decontamination strength.

Current Situation of Scouring Agent in Textile

At present, most of the refining agents in the market are mixed with anionic and nonionic surfactants. When the anionic surfactant and non-ionic surfactant were mixed, the cloud point of the system increased and the heating stability in the alkaline solution increased. After the combination of anion and non-ionic, the application effect is improved obviously, which shows the synergistic effect. Nonionic surfactants are dissolved in water by binding hydrogen atoms in their ether bonds to hydrogen atoms in water. The bonding force of hydrogen bonds is weak and gradually breaks with the increase of temperature. Therefore, the solubility of non-ionic surfactant in water gradually decreases, when reaching a certain temperature, it will be precipitated and turbid, then oil drift appears with the increase of temperature. In alkaline solution, the turbidity point ratio of non-ionic surfactant decreased obviously than that in aqueous solution, and the oil floating phenomenon appeared in alkaline solution for low cloud point non-ionic surfactant. After adding anionic surfactant in non-ionic surfactant, the turbidity point, oil floating point synchronously increases to reach a certain proportion, the solution exhibits the properties of ionic surfactant solutions.