Mercerizing

Mercerization gives cotton woven cloth a silky lustre, and is the foundation of many improved and beautiful finishes.  Sewing and embroidery cotton yarns are mercerized with tension in the form of hank. Stretched yarn can be made by mercerizing without tension.  The stretched materials are used for bandages, casual wear (originally garments for skiing), skirts, boat covers etc. The increasing cost of chemicals, machinery, labour , effluent control and recovery of caustic soda make the process of mercerization less attractive now-a-days. Mercerization may be carried out on grey fibres or after scouring/bleaching. The cloth should be singed before mercerizing to give a smooth surface.  If mercerization is carried out in the grey state, complete removal of alkali is not necessary during washing treatment as the residual alkali in the cloth is used for the kier process. However, mercerization is commonly carried out after scouring, but it is preferable to mercerize after bleaching if continuous bleaching plant is available.

Object:

•  To make the goods more luster because raw cotton fibers are ribbon-like. After this process, the fibers change to cylindrical shape resulting more evenness reflected light from the goods the fibers.  

 

• To improve dye ability of the goods about 5-10%.