【正文】 osage of MPTSMPTS in the reaction system might play the roles ofpromoting the hydrolyzed TEOS to polycondensate,crosslinking the polycondensated polymer ?lm withthe cotton fabric or conglutinating the macromolecular chains of cotton ?bers or all.Figure 1 demonstrated that the crease recoveryangle was dependent on the dosage of MPTS. Itwas clear that the value increased severely whenthe increase in the MPTS dosage was from to mol/L. This enhancement could be interpretedin terms of all roles of MPTS. Firstly, hydrolyzedTEOS polycondensated rapidly and formed highdegree polymers in the presence of MPTS. Secondly,formed polymers were crosslinked to the fabrics also255250245240235with MPTS. Thirdly, the macromolecular chainsof cotton ?bers were conglutinated by MPTS too.The higher the dosage of MPTS added, the higherthe degree of the polymerization。Surface Review and Letters, Vol. 16, No. 5 (2009) 715–721c World Scienti?c Publishing CompanySURFACE TREATMENT OF ANTICREASE FINISHEDCOTTON FABRIC BASED ON SOL–GEL TECHNOLOGYCharles Q. Yang,*,? Qingliang He,? and Bojana Voncina?Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Textiles, University of Maribor, Maribor, SloveniaAbstract:The silica sol was applied onto 1, 2, 3, 4butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) ?nished cottonfabrics with the attempt to improve the physical properties especially the tensile strength whichhad a big loss in the previous anticrease ?nishing processing. The parameters including thedosage of the coupling agent, the concentration and pH of the sol and the processing methodswere studied in detail. Compared to the sample ?nished with BTCA, % of the increase inthe crease recovery angle and % of the enhancement in the tensile strength of the cottonfabric also treated with silica sol in the better selected conditions were obtained. The abrasionresistance was also improved. Keywords:Sol–gel。 more polymerswere anchored to the fabric and more macromolecular chains were conglutinated. The polymers crosslinked to the fabrics formed a transparent ?exiblethreedimensional silicon oxide ?lm. The fabric wasbended for the excuse of external forces. When theapplied force was withdrawn, the internal stressesbetween the macromolecular chains trend the fabric to restore its original shape. The conglutinatingimproves the forces between the macromolecularchains. The anchored ?lm also improved the forcesdue to its ?exibility and its crosslinking with thefabric. So increasing the dosage of MPTS couldimprove the ability of restoring from deformation,thus enhancing the crease recovery angle. Theremight be another explanation: the capacity of outerforce resistance could be improved by the bendingrigidity which corresponded to the diameter of ?ber.MPTS worked as a bridge which made hydrolyzedTEOS aggregate mutually. The higher the dosage ofMPTS added, the greater the amount of the polymer anchored on the fabric, the thicker the diameter of ?ber. This results in stronger bending rigidity,stronger capacity of outer force resistance and highercrease recovery angle. When the MPTS dosage wasincreased further, the enhancement in the creaserecovery angle was very small. It had likely reached asaturated value. The dosage of mol/L was probably enough to aggregate hydrolyzed TEOS, anchorthe ?lm onto the ?bers and conglutinate the macro0molecular chains of ?bers. Dosage in excess wouldDosage of MPTS/mol/LFig. 1. E?ect of dosages of MPTS on the crease recoveryangles of fabrics treated with concentration of the sol100% and pH of the sol.not make signi?cant e?ect on the crease recoveryangle.Figure 2 showed that the tensile strengthdecreased with increasing dosage of MPTS. ForCrease recovery angle/176。720640620600580560not adequately contact and react with the fabric.Method 1 seemed to be the most e?ective approachto improve the crease recovery angle. BTCA couldfully crosslink with the fabric and the silica ?lmalso improved the ?exibility of the fabric. Compared to Method 1, in Method 3, the paddedBTCA ?nishing solution was only dried and then34567pH891011padded with silica sol. The BTCA available waslesser. In Method 5, the sample which paddedFig. 6. E?ect of pH values on the tensile strengths offabrics treated with MPTS mol/L and concentrationof the sol 100%.in alkaline medium. That might be because the overrapid speed of hydrolysis of TEOS in higher pH leadto uneven distribution of ?lm onto the fabric surface. The higher the pH value of the sol, the higherthe speed of the hydrolysis. That might result ingreater uneven distribution of ?lms. When an external force was imparted, the resulting internal stresswould concentrate on the weaker areas. Then the tensile strength would decre