Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is a cellulose derivative with good water solubility, film-forming property, thickening and stability, so it has been widely used in the textile industry. With the development of textile technology, the requirements for fiber and fabric processing quality are constantly increasing. CMC plays an important role in textile sizing, printing and dyeing, finishing and other links with its excellent physical and chemical properties.
1. As textile sizing
Textile sizing is an important auxiliary material for improving yarn strength, reducing broken ends and improving weaving performance. Traditional sizing is mainly starch, but starch sizing has the disadvantages of poor adhesion, uneven sizing and low weaving efficiency. Carboxymethyl cellulose has good adhesion and film-forming properties due to the carboxylmethyl group in its molecular structure. It can firmly cover the yarn to form a tough and elastic film, improve the wear resistance and tensile strength of the yarn, and significantly reduce the breakage and hairiness in the textile process.
The sizing film made of CMC is soft and smooth, has little effect on the feel of the fabric, and is easy to sizing and desizing. It can effectively improve production efficiency, reduce energy consumption and slurry consumption, and is an ideal environmentally friendly textile slurry. CMC can also be used with other slurries such as PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) and starch to further improve the comprehensive performance of the slurry.
2. Application in textile printing and dyeing
Printing and dyeing is an extremely important process in textile processing, involving the preparation of color paste and the fastness of color. CMC is mainly used as a thickener and dispersant in the printing and dyeing process.
In the textile printing process, the rheological properties of the color paste directly affect the printing quality. CMC can make the color paste moderate in viscosity and good in fluidity, keep the printing outline clear, non-infiltrated, non-diffused, and improve the fineness and color brightness of the pattern. Because CMC carries a large number of carboxyl groups on the molecular chain, it has excellent water holding capacity, making the color paste not easy to dry up during the printing process, thereby ensuring the smooth progress of the printing operation.
In reactive dye printing, CMC has good compatibility with dyes, and will not produce precipitation or precipitation, ensuring the uniform color and high color fastness of the printed products. Especially in high-end fabric printing and dyeing (such as cotton, silk, etc.), CMC is an indispensable high-quality auxiliary agent.
3. As a textile finishing auxiliary agent
In the fabric finishing stage, in order to give the fabric anti-wrinkle, anti-shrinkage, softness, anti-static and other functions, a certain amount of finishing agent is often required. CMC is widely used as a finishing auxiliary agent due to its good film-forming property and softness.
Fabrics treated with CMC form a uniform and flexible protective film on the surface, which can not only improve the feel of the fabric, making it softer and smoother, but also increase the anti-wrinkle and wear resistance of the fabric, and extend the service life of the clothing. At the same time, CMC has certain hygroscopicity and breathability, and will not reduce the comfort of the fabric.
When CMC is used as an antistatic agent, it can effectively reduce the surface resistance of the fabric, prevent dust adhesion or clothing sticking to each other due to electrostatic adsorption in a dry environment, and improve the wearing experience.
4. Other applications
In addition to the above main application areas, CMC can also be used in the textile industry for:
Anti-shrinkage finishing: CMC can form a protective layer on the surface of the fabric to reduce the shrinkage of the fiber during washing or friction.
Dyeing auxiliary: In the dyeing process, CMC, as a dispersing stabilizer, can prevent dye agglomeration and improve the uniformity of dyeing.
Sizing auxiliary: When sizing yarn, CMC can be used as a sizing auxiliary to improve the adhesion and fluidity of the sizing.
5. Advantages and prospects
Carboxymethyl cellulose is increasingly favored by the textile industry because of its natural source, good biodegradability, non-toxicity and harmlessness, and in line with the concept of sustainable development of green environmental protection. With the development of high-end textiles and functional textiles, higher requirements are placed on the performance of processing aids. With its excellent performance, CMC is expected to play a more important role in the future textile industry, especially in the pursuit of high-quality and environmentally friendly production. The application prospects of CMC are very broad.
As a cellulose derivative with excellent performance and wide application, carboxymethyl cellulose has shown an irreplaceable role in the textile industry. From yarn sizing, printing and dyeing to finishing, CMC has greatly improved the quality and production efficiency of textiles with its excellent performance. In the future, with the emergence of new textile materials and smart textiles, the application field of CMC will be further expanded, helping the textile industry to move towards a higher level of green and smart manufacturing.
Post time: Apr-29-2025