Study On Water Repellent Treatment of Cotton Fabric.

Port City
International
University
ASSIGNMENT
Course Code : TEX-321
Course Title : Wet Processing Engineering-2
Name of Assignment : STUDY ON WATER
REPELLENT TREATMENT OF COTTON FABRIC.
Submitted TO:
Mr. Iusuf Khan

Sr. Lecturer, Department of Textile Engineering
Port City International University
Submitted BY:
Md. Sakib Uddin
ID: BTE 01606116
Program: B.Sc in Textile Engineering
Batch: 16th (Evening)
Date of Submission: May 5, 2020
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STUDY ON WATER REPELLENT
TREATMENT OF COTTON FABRIC.
Water Repellent Treatment:
Fabrics to be used as raincoats, umbrellas, and tarpaulins have to be

treated with chemicals to give them a property which makes them
water resistant. The finish is called waterproofing and it is a durable
finish. Water repellant finish is different from the waterproof finish. It
means water, if showered on the fabric briefly, cannot make the fabric
wet.
The waterproof finish should still be classified by a degree because of

its involvement in a big duty rate difference for export to the United
States. Please note the following:
If the fabric in question is a TC fabric and the waterproof finish is

only a regular waterproof finish which cannot pass the Rainwater Test
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No. AATCC-35 the import duty is 34% for jackets. However, if the
same fabric with waterproof finishes which can pass an AATCC-35
test and qualifies as rainwater resistant, then the duty is 7.6%.
To pass the rainwater test no. AATCC-35 the fabric has to go through
a Cup Test where the fabric has to stand 600mm water pressure
without leakage. (The laboratory can do the test for you)
Most fabric finishing mills know about the above test and the required
waterproof standard to qualify for rainwater duty. The importance is
to specify clearly what you need when you order the fabric.
Cotton fibre is the purest cellulose and is the maximum rich polymer
in the environment. Approximately 91% of cotton fibres are cellulose.
Most of the plants are composed of cellulose, however to changeable
degrees. Bast fibre from plant stems, such as flax, jute, ramie, and
kenaf, accounts for about three-quarters of cellulose.
Cotton is an outstanding versatile fibre with superior quality mainly

comfort ability. Water repellency is one general functional property
that is required for protective clothing without deteriorating the
comfort ability. Water repellent textiles have many uses such as
industrial, consumer and apparel purpose. This repellency can be
achieved by applying water repellent chemicals which imparts a thin
surface layer of chemicals on textile fibres by the modification of
surface energy of textiles without much deterioration of other
mechanical and aesthetic properties like strength, flexibility, lustre,
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breathability, softness etc. It has been reported that various types of
fluoro chemicals that are used for textile finishing.
Water Repellent Finish:
Water repellant finish is different from the waterproof finish. It means

water, if showered on the fabric briefly, cannot make the fabric wet.
However, water can still get through the fabric if we continue to
shower on it.
You can do a test to find out if the fabric has water repellent
finish(W.R) or waterproof finish(W.P) has no finish (plain finish) on
it as follows:
Put the fabric on a flat surface and put a few drops of water on it.
If the water rolls on it, it tells you this side of the fabric has W.R.Now
you use your finger to rub on the water. If it does not get through to
the other side, it means this fabric also has W.P on the other side,
however, if it gets through to the other side it means it has W.R on
this side only.
If the water gets absorbed and it got through to the other side easily
(Completely wet), it means the fabric has “plain finish” not W.R and
not W.P.
If the water does not roll but sticks to the fabric and when you rub on
it, it does not go through; it tells you that this side of the fabric has
W.P finish. Very possibly, it has W.R on the other side, because
normally, when the fabric has W.P on the other side. It has W.R on
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the other side. To make sure what you think is correct, you can turn it
over and put water on it to see if the water rolls.
Another test: If you can breathe through the fabric, it is not W.P. If
you cannot breathe through the fabric it is W.P.
Figure: Water repellent finish to fabric
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Water repellency and breathability of water repellent fabric
Water Repellent Chemicals:
Three types of fluorocarbon based water repellent chemicals are used,

first is fluorocarbon (FC) (trade name Nuva TTC, dispersion of
fluorine compound, weakly cationic, Clariant), second is fluorocarbon
with dendrimers (FC + D) (trade name Rucostar EEE6, fluorocarbon
(C6) resin with polymeric, hyperbranched dendrimers in a
hydrocarbon, weakly cationic, Rudolf chemie) and third is
fluorocarbon with booster (FC + B) (trade name Lurotex protector RP
ECO, C6 fluorocarbon finish with an unblocked isocyanate booster,
weakly cationic, BASF).
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Flow Chart of Waterproof of Cotton:
1. Fabric Preparation
2. Cotton knitted dyed sample
3. Dosing (sunk into waterproof solution for two times)
4. Padding (pass through the two times—Pick up rate of 80%)
5. Dry (75˚C - 80˚C) normally 4 - 5 min
6. Baking temperature and time
7. Washing (60˚C × 15 min)
8. Dry (75˚C - 80˚C) naturally 4 - 5 min
9. Contact angle measurement (Drop shape analyzer).
Waterproof Finishing:
The waterproof chemical (RUNWELL TEO) has been applied on

cotton knitted dyed fabric to increase the hydrophobic properties
on both fabric surface. Waterproof chemical RUNWELL TEO was
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mixed with distilled water at different concentration (1 g/L,10 g/L,
20 g/L, 30 g/L, 40 g/L, 50 g/L, 70 g/L and 90 g/L) to maintain the
proper pH range 5 - 6. Then the cotton knitted dyed sample was
sunk into a waterproof solution and passed through the padding
machine roller. Then padded sample again put in waterproof
solution and passed through the padding machine roller. This
process is called two-dip two pad process. The pick-up rate of 80%
was intended by Equation.
Pick-up rate % = (After Fabric Weight – Before Fabric

Weight)/Before Fabric Weight × 100 %
Then the double padded sample was preserved in small dryer

machine at 70˚C - 75˚C for 4 - 5 min. subsequently drying, the
sample was reserved at different backing time (0.5 min, 1 min, 1.5
min, 2 min, 2.5 min) and temperature (110˚C, 120˚C, 130˚C,
150˚C, and 170˚C). To remove the impurities and it needs soap
wash of cotton fabric (waterproof) which are stated in
 Detergent -2 g/L
 M:L -1:20
 Temperature -60˚C
 Time -15 min
The sample was rinsed with cold water then dried in an oven at 75˚C -
80˚C for 4 - 5 min. The main focus of this thesis to investigate
optimized condition for waterproof finishing chemical (RUNWELL
TEO).The detail information of the treatment is described below.
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1) Waterproof application bath (group 1)
Cotton knitted dyed cloths were treated with RUNWELL TEO
waterproof finishing concentration is 30 g/L solution was
prepared. Pad–mangle machine (pick-up rate 80% and padder
pressure 0.5 (kg/cm2) was recycled for padding respectively and
oven instrument was used for proper drying. After drying, the
sample was taken for curing at a different curing temperature of
110˚C, 120˚C, 130˚C, 150˚C, and 170˚C individually. Now, the
backing time was 2 min on every step. The sample was washed
away at 60˚C for 15 min. Contact (position) angle of every
sample was determined very carefully to identify the suitable
backing temperature.

Waterproof chemicals RUNWELL TEO the concentrations are
30 g/L, suitable backing temperature 130˚C. Pad–mangle
machine (pick-up rate 80%) was recycled for padding
respectively and to change the baking time is configured as
follows: 0.5 min, 1 min, 1.5 min, 2 min, and 2.5 min
respectively. The sample was washed away at 60˚C for 15 min.
The contact angle of every sample was determined very
carefully to identify the suitable backing time.
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To change the concentration of waterproof chemical
respectively (1 g/L, 10 g/L, 20 g/L, 30 g/L, 40 g/L, 50 g/L, 70
g/L and 90 g/L) from a separate bath were taken with standard
bath condition. Waterproof finishing chemicals were prepared.
Pad–mangle machine (pick-up rate 80%) was recycled for
padding respectively and oven instrument was used for proper
drying. After drying the sample was taken for curing at curing
temperature of 130˚C individually. At this point, the backing
time was 2 min on every step. The sample was washed away at
60˚C for 15 min. The contact angle of every cotton sample was
determined very carefully to identify the suitable concentration.)
Variable pick up rate (group 4)

Waterproof suitable concentrations, curing temperature and
curing time as RUNWELL TEO are configured as follows 30
g/L, 130˚C, 2 minutes. To change the pick-up rate of % i.e.
70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90% respectively. The contact angle of
every sample was determined very carefully to identify the
suitable pick-up rate of %. Waterproof finishing suitable
condition (three levels-four factors) such as Concentration (g/L),
Temperature (˚C), Time (min) and pick up rate of (%) are
included in the orthogonal experimental scheme. To catch out
the best waterproof optimized result.
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Conclusion:
Water repellent, or WR, is a coating added to fabrics at the factory to

make them water-resistant (hydrophobic). Most factory-applied
treatments are fluoropolymer based; these applications are quite thin
and not always effective. Durable water repellents are commonly used
in conjunction with waterproof breathable fabrics such as Gore-Tex to
prevent the outer layer of fabric from becoming saturated with water.
This saturation, called 'wetting out,' can reduce the garment's
breathability (moisture transport through the breathable membrane)
and let water through. As the WR wears off over time, re-treatment is
recommended when necessary. Many spray-on and wash-in products
for treatment of non-waterproof garments and re-treatment of proofed
garments losing their water-repellency are available from sources of
sporting apparel. Older methods for factory application of WR
treatments involve applying a solution of a chemical onto the surface
of the fabric by spraying or dipping.
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Port City

Mr. Iusuf Khan

Fabrics to be used as raincoats, umbrellas, and tarpaulins have to be

The waterproof finish should still be classified by a degree because of

If the fabric in question is a TC fabric and the waterproof finish is

Cotton is an outstanding versatile fibre with superior quality mainly

Water Repellent Finish:

Water repellant finish is different from the waterproof finish. It means

Figure: Water repellent finish to fabric

Water Repellent Chemicals:

Three types of fluorocarbon based water repellent chemicals are used,

The waterproof chemical (RUNWELL TEO) has been applied on

Pick-up rate % = (After Fabric Weight – Before Fabric

Then the double padded sample was preserved in small dryer

2) Waterproof application bath (group 2)

3) Waterproof application bath (group 3)

Variable pick up rate (group 4)

Water repellent, or WR, is a coating added to fabrics at the factory to

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