En teñido textil y acabado production, pretratamiento often determines whether the fabric can enter the subsequent dyeing process in a more stable state.
Especially for cotton, viscose fiber, Modal, Tencel and various kinds of blended fabrics, if the grease, cotton wax, pectin and other residual impurities during production on the fabric surface are not fully removed during scouring process, they will easily affect the subsequent wetting, liquid absorption and dyeing solution penetration effect of the fabric. For dyeing mills, such pretreatment problems are often further reflected in actual production:
- Fabric absorbs water slowly and has a slow penetration rate. Dyeing solution is difficult to fully penetrate into the interior of fibers
- Evenness of dyeing is decreased. It is easy to occur dyeing defect, white spots and uneven shades
- Stability of color shade is not enough. Differences easily occur between different batches
- Bleaching effect is not ideal. Whiteness is insufficient or base color is not clean enough
- When printing, there is easily encountering unclear outlines and insufficiently rich colors
- Process stability decreases. Rework and redyeing increase. So that there is more consumption of water, electricity, time and dyes
Thus, whether impurities such as grease, cotton wax and pectin on fabric can be effectively removed during scouring process and a good wetting and liquid absorption foundation can be established often directly affects the stability of subsequent dyeing, bleaching and printing processes.
Why Does The Scouring Process Need To Take into Account Both Penetration and Cleaning?
Natural fibers such as cotton themselves contain natural impurities, as cotton wax, pectin and grease, etc. And at the same time, there may add spinning oil during spinning and weaving.
These substances will influence the fabric’s absorption of water and working solutions. If the scouring agent only has cleaning ability but lack of wetting performance, working solution may be difficult to enter the interior of fabrics quickly and evenly. So that some areas are not treated adequately.
Therefore, the scouring agent used in modern pretratamiento textil needs to pay attention to several key functions at the same time:
- Wet fabrics quickly
- Improves penetration performance of working solution
- Promote to remove impurities such as grease, cotton wax and pectin, etc
- Emulsify and disperse greasy dirt
- Decrease the risk that impurities stain fabrics again
- Keep proper foams in production equipment
For engineers in dyeing mills, scouring agent is not a simple “cleaning agent”, but it is an important auxiliar de pretratamiento to set up a foundation for subsequent dyeing.
The more thorough the pretreatment is, the easier it is for the wetting and liquid absorption state of the fabric to remain stable, and it can also create a more uniform processing basis for the subsequent dyeing process.
Why Do Dyeing Mills Need Different Types of Scouring Agents?
The production conditions in different dyeing mills are not exactly the same.
Some dyeing mills mainly carry out normal scouring of cotton fabrics. others need to treat fabrics in the condition of high concentration of alkaline solutions. And some enterprises are involved in mercerizing process, which put forward higher requirements for the strong alkali resistance of scouring agents.
If all processes are adopted the same scouring agent, it is difficult to balance different production conditions.
Therefore, when choosing a textile scouring agent, we can pay attention to the following aspects:
Firstly, the type of fabric
It is necessary to clarify whether the product is suitable for cotton, viscose fiber, Modal, Tencel and different blends.
Secondly, condition of alkaline solution
Different products have different resistances to caustic soda concentration. The common cotton scouring and high-concentration alkali solution, mercerizing process has different requirements for product stability.
Thirdly, requirement for wetting and penetrating
For fabrics and process that require rapid penetration, it should particularly pay attention to the humectante and penetrating abilities of the product.
Fourthly, degreasing and scouring ability
If the fabric contains more oil, it should pay more attention to the emulsifying, cleaning and degreasing performance of the product.
Fifthly, control of foaming
For continuous, high-speed and low bath ratio equipment, low foaming is also an important factor to be considered in actual production.
BLUELAKECHEM’s scouring series in auxiliares de pretratamiento is exactly a product combination aiming at the different application requirements of pretreatment, which provides more targeted choices for different production processes through different concentration, alkali stability and wetting, penetrating, scouring and degreasing features.
BLUELAKECHEM——Provide Pretreatment Auxiliary Solution for Global Textile Enterprises
BLUELAKECHEM is focusing on the research and development, production and application of auxiliares químicos textiles to provide teñido textil y productos auxiliares de acabado and technical support for overseas dyeing mills, textile manufacturing enterprises, textile chemical distributors and traders.
In the field of pretreatment, BLUELAKECHEM sets up the product system including humectante, scouring, desengrasante, emulsifying, sequestering y bleaching agents, also covering multiple product series, as dyeing auxiliaries, functional finishing agents, aceite de silicona y suavizante.
Enterprises who are seeking textile scouring agent, low-foaming scouring agent, high-concentration wetting agent, high-alkali resistant pretreatment auxiliary can choose the corresponding item product for testing according to fabric type, alkali solution condition, equipment and production process.
BLUELAKECHEM can provide sample test and product application support according to customer’s specific production process, so as to help overseas textile enterprises further transfer from purchasing single auxiliary to more systematic pretreatment solutions.
How to Choose a Suitable Scouring Agent According to Dyeing Mill’s Process?
Purchasing manager and dyeing mill’s engineer can pre-screen product according to production requirement:
| Main Production Requirement | Products Can Be Importantly Paid Attention to |
| Normal scouring for cotton and cellulose fiber blends, low foaming, high efficiency | 11050 |
| Scouring for cotton in 100g/L alkali solution | 11017 |
| Scouring for cotton in 180g/L alkali solution | 11024 |
| 300 g/L caustic soda mercerizing bath | 11008 |
| Strong wetting, wetting, scouring, degreasing | 11004H |
| Strong scouring, wetting, scouring, degreasing | 11079 |
It should be noted that the above content is mainly used to illustrate the application directions of different item products. The optimal product and dosage in actual production still need to be tested according to fabric type, equipment, bath ratio, alkali solution concentration and specific production process.
To take 11050 for example, its technical data clearly suggests that customers conduct tests based on their own equipment and production processes to confirm whether the product meets the actual production requirements.
BLUELAKECHEM Scouring Series: Select Products Based on Different Process Conditions
BLUELAKECHEM scouring series is not one single product, but a product combination according to different pretreatment process.
According to product information, at present, it mainly includes 11050, 11017, 11024, 11008, 11004H and 11079. Different items vary in product concentration, alkali stability, and application directions such as wetting, penetrating, scouring and degreasing.
This serialized product layout can help dyeing mill to select more suitable pretreatment auxiliaries based on their own production processes, rather than using one product to deal with all processes.
11050: Low-foaming & High-efficiency Scouring Agent
11050 is mainly targeted at high-efficiency and low-foaming scouring applications, which is suitable for the scouring for cotton fabrics and cellulose fiber blended fabrics.
According to product technology data, 11050 has the functions of degreasing, scouring and wetting. It has good effect on removing impurities, such as grease, pectin and cotton wax. And it also has cleaning, emulsifying, dirt removing and anti-staining performance.
Therefore, for dyeing mills that hope to balance strong penetrating ability, removing dirt effect and low-foaming production in the normal cotton fabric scouring process, 11050 can be given priority consideration.
This product is high-concentration and low-foaming. Technology data shows that the recommended dosage for scouring of cotton fabric is 1.0~ 1.5 g/L and it can be applied in the scouring and bleaching process for cotton and cotton/polyester fabrics.
11017: Suitable for scouring of cotton in 100 g/L alkali solution
Comparing with 11050, 11017 is more prominent in its stability in 100 g/L alkali solution.
Therefore, for factories using high-concentration alkali solution for cotton scouring, when choosing a scouring agent, they can pay more attention to the stability of the product in the actual alkali bath.
This type of product is more suitable for dyeing mill engineers who need to adjust the pretreatment formula according to the specific concentration of the alkali solution.
For purchasing personnel, they can also conduct targeted screening of different item products according to the actual concentration of alkali solution used in the factory, rather than simply comparing the prices of the products.
11024: Suitable for scouring of cotton in higher concentration alkali solution
The product information of 11024 shows that it can keep stable in the condition of 180 g/L alkali solution. It is mainly used for scouring for cotton fabrics.
Comparing with normal scouring process, this product is more suitable for production condition that has higher requirement for resistance to strong alkali.
For dyeing mills using high-concentration alkali solution in pretreatment process, whether the product can keep stable in actual process conditions is one of the key indicators that need to be examined when choosing a scouring agent.
11008: Suitable for mercerizing process in high-concentration caustic soda
11008 is mainly applied in scouring for cotton fabrics and it is emphasized its stability in 300 g/L caustic soda mercerizing bath.
Therefore, the application scenarios of this product are different from those of ordinary cotton fabric scouring products. It is more suitable for production enterprises involved in mercerizing process.
For dyeing mills having mercerizing equipment, scouring agent not only need to have basic wetting and cleaning functions, but also need to keep stable in high concentration caustic soda, so as to adapt to the actual production process.
11004H: High-concentration Wetting Pretreatment Auxiliary
11004 belongs to high concentration product. It can be diluted according to actual requirement before used, also can be directly used.
Its main positioning is high-concentration surfactant, which is suitable for wetting, scouring and degreasing. It has outstanding strong wetting performance.
Therefore, if the dyeing mill currently faces the main problem is slow entering speed of working solution and insufficient wetting, or if it hopes to further improve the penetrating effect of the pretreatment liquid, 11004H can be a targeted choice among the series.
11079: Strong scouring type high concentration pretreatment auxiliary
11079 is also high concentration product, which can be used directly and also can be treated according to actual process requirement.
Comparing with 11004H, 11079 has more excellent scouring performance, and it also has wetting and degreasing application.
Therefore, for dyeing mills that hope to hope to further strengthen the scouring effect in a high-concentration product system, they can make targeted tests according to specific fabrics and production processes.
Transfers from Single Product Purchasing to Complete Pretreatment Solution
For overseas dyeing mills, what they really need to solve is often not “which scouring agent to purchase”, but rather how to establish a stable pretreatment system.
From wetting, penetrating to degreasing, scouring, and then subsequently bleaching and dyeing, every link will influence the final fabric state.
If the wetting and penetrating in pretreatment stage are insufficient, and the grease, cotton wax and other impurities are not fully removed, it may bring additional process pressure to the subsequent dyeing.
On the contrary, if more suitable scouring agents can be selected based on different fabrics and production conditions, the pretreatment formula can be made more targeted.Thus, for dyeing mills’ owners, choosing a scouring agent is related to production stability. For purchasing personal, they need to take into account the actual application value of the product. For engineers, they need to importantly focus on the degree of matching between the product and the existing equipment, fabrics and process conditions.
