Cyclodextrin-Based “Green” Wrinkle-Free Finishing of Cotton Fabrics

This study presents a cyclodextrin-based "green", inexpensive cross-linker to enhance the wrinkle-recovery angle (WRA) of fabrics. Cyclodextrin (CD) was oxidized using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and carboxylated with malic acid to introduce multiple carboxylic acid groups. The presence of carboxylic acid groups on CD was confirmed using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) and 13C NMR. Carboxylated CD (C-CD) was used to cross-link cotton fibers via multiple ester bond formation. Cross-linking was confirmed using ATR-FTIR and an increase in WRA. The impact of cross-linking on color change and tensile properties such as strength, strain, and tear strength of the fabrics was characterized. The wrinkle resistance of the treated fabrics was found to be durable for up to 25 laundry washings. Shelf-life of C-CD was found to be stable for 6 weeks as it did not show a reduction in WRA of fabrics. C-CD would be an excellent green alternative for industrial scale-up to replace dimethylol dihydroxyethyleneurea or 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid finishing, which are toxic and expensive.