UNIT II

UNIT II
Scouring; bleaching and mercerization of cotton; preparatory process for wool and silk

The term ‘scouring’ applies to the removal of impurities such as oils, was, gums, soluble impurities
and sold dirt commonly found in textile material and produce a hydrophilic and clean cloth.

Objectives of Scouring:

1. To remove natural as well as added impurities of essentially hydrophobic character as

completely as possible
2. To increase absorbency of textile material
3. To leave the fabric in a highly hydrophilic condition without undergoing chemical or
physical damage significantly.
Scouring process depends on:
 The type of cotton
 The color of cotton
 The cleanliness of cotton
 The twist and count of the yarn
 The construction of the fabric.

Scouring mechanism involves the following processes

• Saponification: (for vegetable oils, animal fats, mineral oils)

• Solublisation(for pectins, minerals, heavy metals, amino acid, proteins)
• Emulsification (for mineral oils, waxes)
• Detergency (for dirt, dust, china clay)
Sponification

• The name given to the chemical reaction that occurs when a vegetable oil, animal fat and
mineral oils (not soluble in water) are mixed with a strong alkali. The products of the
reaction are two: soap and glycerin
• Fats, oils and waxes (glycerides of fatty acids)
• Soap formed enhances scouring
• Quantity of residual waxes in particular decide the absorbency of fabric
Solublisation
• NaOH swells the impurities & makes them water soluble
• For Pectins, protiens and motes
• Minerals and heavy metals are converted to soluble salts by use of acids
• Amino acids and protiens are removed by formation of their sodium salts

Emulsification

• An emulsion is a mixture of two or more liquids that are normally immiscible

• Non-sponifiable mineral oils and waxes which are esters of higher fatty alcohols and fatty
acids (natural and added) can be removed by emulsifying them with a surfactant (emulsifying
agent)
• Ordinary soap (washing soap) is a good emulsifying agent
• An emulsion consists of a base liquid, with the other liquid contained and spread within the
base liquid in tiny droplets. }
• The base liquid is called the ‘continuous phase’ and the contained liquid is called the
‘dispersed phase.’
Chemical used:
Caustic soda and soda ash are mainly used for scouring of cotton fabric. There are also used
surfactants, detergents, chelating agents, sodium silicates, builder, solvent etc
Auxiliary chemicals:
• Leveling agent
• Tinting agent
 • Wetting agent
• Solvent

Scouring Process:
There are two types of textile scouring processes 

1. Conventional scouring process:

 Kier boiling (discontinuous) scouring.
 Scouring in J or L box (continuous).
 Exhaust method

2. Special scouring process:

 Solvent scouring process.
 Vapor lock scouring process.

Kier Boiling (discontinuous) Scouring:

General recipe for scouring for Kier boiler process:

 Alkali (NaOH) - 2 to 5 gm per litre.

 Soda ash - x gm per litre to adjust PH (PH required for scouring is 10.5).
 Wetting agent - 1 gm per litre.
 Sequestering agent - 1 gm per litre.
 Detergent - 1 to 2 gm per litre.
 Temperature - 100 to 1250c.
 Time - 6 hours (close vessel) and 8 hours (open vessel)
 M : L - 1 : 10
Water level should keep 6 to 8” above the fabric.
Machine capacity may be from 1ton to 5 ton.

Description and Working:

Kier boiler is a long mild steel or cast iron cylindrical vessel provided with two perforated tube
sheets (disc with a number of holes). One is placed at the bottom and another is top. These discs are
connected by a number of tunes which carry the liquor from the bottom compartment to the upper
one. In the middle compartment steam is passed. Thus the tubes carrying the liquor are surrounded
by steam which heats them.

The hot liquor from the multitublar heater is sprayed over the cloth, packed in the kier,
through a hollow perforated ring. The liquid passes slowly over the packed cloth, collects below the
false bottom, from where it is pumped into the auxiliary heater by a centrifugal pump and the cycle
repeats.

Precaution:
1. Kier boiler should be cleaned.
2. Material should be packed evenly.
3. Complete immersion of the fabric need.
4. After boiling the liquor should be removed in absence of water.
5. Before starting all the joining parts should be checked.
6. Fabric should always keep under scouring solution.
Scouring in the J Box:

In continuous process J-box is used for cotton scouring. It looks like English letter j. so it is called J-
box. In J-box cotton is scoured open width and rope form.

General recipe of scouring in J-box:

 Alkali : 4 to 6 g/l
 Wetting agent : 4 to 5 g/l
 Impregnation temperature : 70to 800c.
 Impregnation time : 40 to 90 second.
 Pick up : 90 to 100%
 Storing time in J box : 1 to 2 hours.
 Temperature in J box : 98to 1020c.
Rinsing with water and finally hot wash (not less than 800c) and cold wash is done.

Description and Working Principle:

The scouring process in J-box can be divided into four units. They are

a) Impregnation box

b) Pre-heater.

c) J-box.

d) Washing unit.

a) Impregnation box:
Fabric is passed into impregnation box in open width form and through the guide rollers and padded
by caustic soda and wetting agent. The temperature for impregnation should be maintained at 70 to
800c for about 40 to 90 seconds. Then the fabric is squeezed and passed on to the next unit.

b) Pre heater:

In this unit the material is passed to the thermostatic controlling system at temperature of about 90 to
1000c for about 30 seconds. Then the material is passed to the J-box

c) J-box:

The capacity of normal J-box is about 12000 to 15000 pounds. The material from the J-box is passed
to the washing unit passing through squeeze roller.

d)Washing unit:

The water soluble impurities or products that were left on the material are removed by washing. First
of all the materials are washed in hot water at the temperature above 800c, then it is cold washed and
finally dried.

Advantage:
1. The process is a continuous process. So consumes less time.
2. The process is economical.

Disadvantage:
1. The result of scouring is not good as compared with kier boiler.
2. The process is not hydrophilic as kier boiler.

Types of scouring treatments

1. Scouring By Chemicals Means
2. Bio scouring or scouring with Enzymes

Scouring of Cotton:
In the scouring process the cotton cellulose material is treated with a solution containing alkali
( soda ash and caustic soda), an anionic and/or nonionic detergent, a wetting agent, a complexing
and sequestering for the removal of metal ions and polyacrylates or polyphosphonates as special
surfactant free dispersing agents, at high temperature.The scouring operation was conventionally
done in kiermachines and hence the process was called kier boiling, but now a days the scouring is
done mostly in the dyeing machines itself as a part of combined or single operation such as scouring
and bleaching.

1. Saponification of fats into water soluble soap and water miscible glycerin under alkaline
conditions.
2. Hydrolysis of proteins into water soluble degradation products.
3. Dissolution of amino compounds.
4. Solubilising of pectose and pectins by converting into soluble salts .
5. Dissolution and extraction of mineral matter.
6. Emulsification and solubilisation of natural oils and waxes.
7. Removal and dispersion of dirt particles and kitty by the action of alkali and detergent.
The material after scouring is more absorbent , free from natural impurities and coloring matter.This
treatment can be carried out on filaments, yarns and fabrics.

Saponification:
When a grey cotton fabric is dipped in water the oil present in the size will not allow the water to
spread on the fibre, i.e, the oil resists the wetting of the fabric by water. For further processes such as
bleaching, dyeing, printing etc. to be effective, it is essential for the fabric to wet easily when treated
with solutions of chemicals and dyestuffs. In other words, the cloth should be highly absorbent
towards water. To achieve this objective, the oil has to be removed from the fabric. Also China clay
(of the size) is firmly fixed on the grey cloth with the help of oils and waxes which act as binding
agent for the clay particles. Thus it is necessary to remove the oils and waxes for removing the China
clay from the fabric.