A mechanistic study on the alleged cellulose cross-linking system: Maleic acid/sodium hypophosphite

A combination of maleic acid and sodium hypophosphite as a durable press finishing agent has been reported as a safer but equally effective alternative to conventional formaldehyde-based cross-linking agents for applications in cellulose-based fiber and textile finishing. However, the mechanistic details of this system have not yet been fully elucidated to allow optimization of the conditions. Effective cross-linking treatment requires high curing temperatures of ≥160 °C, which enhances oxidative and thermal degradation of cellulose. In this work, the sequential steps of the cross-linking mechanism were investigated both with model compounds and cellulosic substrates. Extensive NMR studies on model compounds revealed several side reactions alongside the synthesis of the targeted cross-linkable moiety. As an alternative, to circumvent side reactions, a two-step procedure was used by synthesizing the cross-linker sodium 2-[(1,2-dicarboxyethyl)phosphinate]succinic acid in a well-defined pre-condensation reaction before application onto the cellulosic substrate. Further, the effect of the cross-linking treatment on the molecular weight distribution of cellulose was studied by gel permeation chromatography, which showed degradation due to maleic acid/sodium hypophosphite treatment. By using sodium 2-[(1,2-dicarboxyethyl)phosphinate]succinic acid and sodium hypophosphite, this degradation could be significantly limited.