Pore Characterization of Cellulase Enzyme Treated Cotton Fabric

The pore volume and surface area of cotton fabric are dominant parameters in determining the accessibility of dyes and finishes during wet processing. Cellulase enzyme hydrolysis of cellulose may result in changes in pore volume and surface area of the fabric. This work characterizes these changes using size exclusion liquid chromatography with cotton in the form of rolled stationary phases, which are prepared by rolling and inserting a whole woven fabric into a chromatography column, and pore volume and surface area of the enzyme treated cotton are then determined. The volume and surface area of pores smaller than 60 Å in cotton fabric decreases after cellulase enzyme treatment, and does not change for pores larger than 60 Å. This method shows that enzyme hydrolysis significantly decreases small pores in cotton fabric. Direct dyed samples show no observable color difference between untreated and enzyme treated cotton.