1.Cationic Softener
Because most fibers themselves have a negative charge, softeners made of cationic surfactants can be well adsorbed on fiber surfaces, which effectively decreases the fiber surface tension and the friction between fiber static electricity and fiber and causes fibers to stretch rather than sticking together, so that there achieves the softening effect. Cationic softeners are the most important softeners.
Cationic softeners also have the following advantages:
They have strong bonding strength with fiber. They are washable and high-temperature resistant.
A small dosage can achieve excellent softening effect. They are high-efficient softeners.
They can impart fabrics good soft performance.
They can improve wear resistance and tear strength of fabric.
(1) Amine salt softener
Amine salt softeners are cationic in acidic medium. They have strong adsorption effect on fiber. The cationic property of such softeners is weak. So they are called weak cationic softeners. In order to strengthen the interaction with fibers and improve durability, reactive groups can also be added into molecules.
Monoalkyl and dialkyl cationic softeners containing amide groups are a new kind of softeners. Fatty amide groups are more rigid and can impart fabrics softness and plump and thick hand feeling and good resilience.
(2) Quaternary ammonium salt softeners
Quaternary ammonium salt softeners are cationic in acidic and alkaline medium. They are widely used, which have the most diverse categories.
2.Amphoteric Softener
Amphoteric softeners have very strong affinity for synthetic fibers without the disadvantages of yellowing, changing the color of dyes or restraining fluorescent whitening agent . They can be used within a wide range of pH value. The commonly used varieties of this kind of softeners mainly are amphoteric betaine with long hydrophobic chains and amphoteric imidazoline structure.
3. Nonionic Softener
Nonionic softeners have poor absorbability to fibers compared with ionic softeners. They have little effect on synthetic fibers, which can only play a smoothing role. They are mainly applied in the finishing process of cellulose fibers, especially suitable for the softening finishing of bleaching fabrics and light color fabrics. And they have good compatibility with other auxiliaries and good stability to electrolyte without the defect in yellowing fabrics. They can be used as a non-durable softening finishing agent. The main products are the condensation of stearic acid with ethylene oxide, pentaerythritol fatty acid ester, sorbitol fatty acid ester and surfactant with polyether structure.
4.Anionic Softener
Anionic softeners have good wettability and heat stability. They can be used together with fluorescent whitening agent in same bath. They can be used as softeners for extra-white fabrics, which will not cause discoloration to color cloth. Most anionic softeners are applied in the finishing for cotton, viscose fibers and pure silk products. Because fibers have a negative charge in water, anionic softeners are not easily adsorbed. So the softening effect of anionic softeners is poorer than that of cationic softeners. Some varieties are suitable for use as soft components in spinning oils.
Post time: Jun-22-2022