Cationic etherification modification of corn starch and its sizing property

In order to solve the difficulty of starch being insoluble under medium and low temperature, a cationic starch slurry modified with etherification was developed. Raw starch was hydrolyzed by sodium hydroxide to improve the dispersion performance, and then the hydrolyzed starch was endowed with cationic groups by N-2,3-epoxy-propyl trimethyl ammonium chloride to improve the dispersion stability. Through various characterization methods, it was found that the quaternary ammonium cationic starch obtained was dissolved in water at medium and low temperature, and the starch structure was changed under the influence of sodium hydroxide and N-2,3-epoxy-propyl trimethyl ammonium chloride. Furthermore, the mechanical properties and abrasion resistance of cotton yarn treated with cationic starch could be significantly improved. Compared with the original yarn, the breaking strength of the yarn treated with cationic starch was increased by 70.05%, the hairiness index of the yarn was reduced by 87.5%, the abrasion resistance was increased by 500.00%, and the stiffness decreased by 276.47%. In addition, the Zeta potential of modified starch was positive, and the degree of etherification substitution of starch ranged from 0.02 to 0.26. The preparation method of etherified starch obtained has the advantages of environmental protection, low cost, and a simple process, which provides a novel way to construct textile size.