Abstract:

Objective Conventional cotton fabric pre-treatment processes are plagued by high energy consumption, extensive water usage, and significant fiber damage due to their reliance on high temperatures and strong alkali. In order to address these critical limitations, this study aimed to develop a novel, low-temperature high-efficiency scouring agent. The primary objective was to design a synergistic surfactant composite that enables a short process under mild conditions, thereby reducing environmental impact while preserving fabric integrity. Establishing an optimized low-temperature bleaching process was also a key task to validate the agent's industrial applicability.

Method A low-temperature high-efficiency scouring agent was designed and prepared by compounding anionic surfactant sodium alpha-olefin sulfonate(AOS), nonionic surfactant isotridecanol ethoxylate, and amphoteric surfactant tetradecyl dimethylamine oxide (OA-14) at a weight ratio of 3∶7∶1. The short process utilizing low temperature and low alkali was systematically studied and optimized via single-factor experiments. The mechanism of action was investigated through surface tension measurements, wetting performance characterization, and comprehensive stability analysis. This approach revealed that the ternary system forms mixed micelles, leading to a synergistic effect that lowers the critical micelle concentration (CMC) and enhances surface activity. The optimal one-bath low-temperature scouring and bleaching process parameters were determined, where the scouring agent 1.4 g/L (based on active content), NaOH 3.5 g/L, Na₂SiO₃ 2 g/L, 30% H₂O₂ 6-14 g/L, process temperature of 85 ℃, and treatment time of 55 min.

Results The prepared low-temperature high efficiency scouring agent demonstrated excellent performance. It exhibited superior surface activity, with a remarkably low CMC of 0.01% and a surface tension at CMC (γ_cmc) of 25.33 mN/m, indicating high efficiency at low usage levels. The wetting time was significantly short, measured at just 4.43 s, which is crucial for rapid and uniform treatment. Furthermore, the agent showed outstanding stability, including good alkali resistance, oxidation resistane, and high-temperature stability, ensuring its robustness under the intended application conditions.

When cotton fabrics were treated using the optimized one-bath low-temperature scouring and bleaching process established in this study, the results met key textile performance benchmarks. The capillary effect, which indicates wettability and absorbency, reached an excellent 14.0 cm, demonstrating effective removal of hydrophobic impurities like waxes. The whiteness of the fabric was measured at 81.23%, confirming successful bleaching and removal of natural pigments. Importantly, the fabric's mechanical strength was well-preserved despite the chemical treatment; and the breaking strength retention rate was 82.12%. This high retention value is a direct benefit of the milder low-temperature process compared to conventional harsh treatments, highlighting the agent's effectiveness in minimizing fiber damage. The synergistic effect within the ternary surfactant system was key to these results. The formation of mixed micelles enhanced the overall surface activity, allowing for effective contaminant removal and wetting at lower concentrations and temperatures than typically required.

Conclusion In conclusion, this study successfully developed a novel ternary composite scouring agent that is both low-temperature efficient and highly effective. The synergistic interaction between the anionic, nonionic, and amphoteric surfactants was identified as the core mechanism, leading to excellent surface activity, wetting power, and stability. The concurrently established optimized one-bath low-temperature scouring and bleaching process, operating at 85 ℃, demonstrates a viable and superior alternative to conventional energy-intensive and fiber-damaging methods. This new process significantly reduces alkali dosage, energy consumption, and water footprint while maintaining high fabric quality, as evidenced by the excellent capillary effect, good whiteness, and, most notably, high strength retention of over 82%. The findings strongly suggest that this approach has significant potential for industrial application, promoting a more sustainable and eco-friendlier pathway for cotton fabric pre-treatment without compromising on performance. Future work could focus on the long-term durability testing of treated fabrics and scaling up the process for industrial evaluation.

Key words: cotton fabric, low temperature, pretreatment, compounding, surfactant, scouring agent