Study On Molecular Structure And Effectiveness Of Polyoxyethylene Stearate As Smoothing Agents In Warp Sizing

The main object of the paper is to study the effect of polyoxyethylene stearate (POES) as sizing auxiliary on starch sizing properties. When polyoxyethylene stearate sizing auxiliary was used, the effect of starch on paste behaviors, mechanical properties of sizing film, the adhesion to fibers and the behaviors of sized yarns were investigated. The probability of using polyoxyethylene stearate (POES) as smoothing agents in warp sizing was evaluated in order to overcome the defects of traditionally used smoothing agents such as wax flakes and sizing cream. The usability of POES was estimated through adding it into starch and measuring the behaviors of the blends formed.EO number of POES was considered in a range of 6-40 and the influence of the EO upon the adhesion of starch to fibers, mechanical properties of sizing film, surface tension, and paste behaviors were investigated, and the favorable EO numbers of POES molecule for warp sizing was acquired. The results demonstrate that polyoxyethylene stearate as auxiliary show evident influence on the behaviors of starch films and adhesion to fiber. Polyoxyethylene stearate favors to keep the adhesion of starch on fibers. When EO number is 10, polyoxyethylene stearate is superior to sizing cream in the adhesion of starch on cotton fibers, and superior to wax flakes on polyester fibers. Mechanical properties of starch sizing film incorporating polyoxyethylene stearate are superior to that containing wax flakes and sizing cream.The effect of the polyoxyethylene stearate(10) content on the behaviors of starch films and adhesion to fibers was also investigated. Meanwhile the possibility by using the suitable amounts of polyoxyethylene stearate(10) to replace the sizing cream was studied in terms of experiments of sizing. It is found that the adhesion of starch on fibers decreased with the increase of the polyoxyethylene stearate(10) content, and with the increase of the sizing cream content. When the content is among 0.6% to 1.3%, polyoxyethylene stearate(10) is superior to sizing cream in the adhesion of starch on cotton fibers. However, the same effect was found for the adhesion of starch to polyester fibers. When the content exceeds 2%, the decrease in value is bigger in the adhesion of starch on polyester fibers for sizing cream. The breaking strength, breaking elongation and flex resistance of starch film with the increase of polyoxyethylene stearate(10), and the mechanical properties of sizing film were optimum when the usage was 1.3% and superior to sizing cream. Under the minor content, polyoxyethylene stearate(10) favors to keep the adhesion of starch on fibers and mechanical properties of sizing film. The experimental results prove that the tensile strength increasing rate, hairiness decreasing rate of the cotton yarns sized with starch containing polyoxyethylene stearate(10) were superior to those of with sizing cream. and the abrasion resistance was similar.