Cationic softeners are one of the most important softening agents utilized for finishing process It is widely used for softening the cellulosic materials.

What is Cationic Softener?

Cationic softeners – such as quaternary ammonium salts, amine salts, imidazolines and quaternaries with ester groups – orient themselves with their positively charged ends towards the partially negatively charged fiber (zeta potential), creating a new surface of hydrophobic carbon chains that provide the characteristic excellent softening and lubricity. They have an inherent affinity for most fibers, making them applicable using exhaust procedures.

Properties of Cationic Softener

1.Cationic softeners are widely used on cellulose materials.
2.It has enough affinity and substantively towards cellulosic fibers
3.Its PH lies between 5 – 6.
4.Cationic agents become unstable to alkaline media.
5.It is soluble in water.
6.Cationic salts present in hard water react with softener forming precipitation.
7.Chemically cationic softener is sap amines, amido amines, imidazoline and quaternary ammonium compounds.

Preparation of Softener Solution

•At first, take required softener.
•Then, take the required amount of water at 70°C
•After that, softener and water are mixed by stirring.
•Finally, acetic acid is added in the solution.

Methods of Application: Softener is applied on the fabric by the following two ways.

1.Pad-dry-calender - In this method, 20 -25 g/l softener is taken where PH level is 4 – 5. Then, fabric is impregnated into water and the pickup % is 70 – 80. Then fabric is dried at 120°-140° C for 2-3 minutes.

2.Exhaust Methods (Jigger or winch) – In this method, following parameters are maintained. It is a sample recipe.

Americos AC 1000:1-2% (0wf)
Material:liquor: 1:10
Temperature: 45°-50° C
PH: 4-5
Time: 20-30 minutes

Advantages of Cationic Softener

•Cationic softener increases lubricity of yarn.
•It minimizes the loss in physical property on resin finished goods.
•Permanent finish is done by cationic softener.
•It can be used as antistatic agent for loose fiber.

Disadvantages of Cationic Softener

•Cationic softener gets precipitated when with anionic compounds.
•It is not compatible with other additives.

So, when you will choose cationic softener, you should remind the properties of cationic softener as well as the advantages and disadvantages of cationic softener.

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