Performance of Low-Temperature Bleaching Techniques for Cotton Fabrics Using Hydrogen Peroxide Activators

Area of Science:

• Textile Chemistry
• Sustainable Materials Science

Background:

• Cotton bleaching is crucial for dyeing/printing but traditionally energy- and time-intensive using hydrogen peroxide.
• Conventional methods require high temperatures (near-boiling) and over 60 minutes for effective impurity removal.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate triacetin, peracetic acid, and performic acid as activators for hydrogen peroxide.
• To reduce the temperature and process time for cotton bleaching.
• To assess the impact on fabric whiteness and dyeing quality.

Main Methods:

• Investigated triacetin, peracetic acid, and performic acid as hydrogen peroxide activators.
• Optimized conditions using 0.9 g·L^-1 triacetin and 1.0 g·L^-1 peracetic acid at 80 °C for 30 min.
• Evaluated whiteness (Berger scale) and dyeing performance (color difference, tinctorial strength).

Main Results:

• Achieved 61.1 Berger whiteness under optimized conditions (80 °C, 30 min).
• Resulting dyeings showed minimal color difference (0.5 ΔE CMC2:1) and high tinctorial strength (103%) compared to conventional bleaching.
• Lighter colors exhibited a greater influence from the bleaching process.

Conclusions:

• Triacetin and peracetic acid offer a sustainable alternative for cotton bleaching, reducing energy and time.
• The method maintains fabric whiteness and dyeing quality comparable to conventional processes (97% similarity).
• Provides insights into color sensitivity during the optimized bleaching process.