Performance Evaluation of the Percarbonate and Perborate Bleach Activators Synthesized by a Low-Cost, Two-Step Method from Phenol

Bleach activators decrease the energy consumption and fabrics damage in the process of laundry and industrial cotton bleaching. Herein, we demonstrate a low-cost, two-step method for the synthesis of sodium nonanoyloxybenzene sulfonate and sodium lauroyloxybenzene sulfonate from phenol as a simple precursor material for efficient bleach activators. Initially, phenol was sulfonated to sodium p-phenolsulfonate. In the second step, it was acylated with nonanoyl chloride and dodecanoyl chloride to synthesize sodium nonanoyloxybenzene sulfonate and sodium lauroyloxybenzene sulfonate, respectively. Sodium p-phenolsulfonate and the obtained bleach activators were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, IR-, and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The investigation of their detergency efficiency on different stains and substrates revealed that the as-synthesized bleach activators outperform the commercial tetraacetylethylenediamine (TAED) at room temperature (25°C). The detergency efficiency of sodium lauroyloxybenzene sulfonate for hydrophobic stains at a rather low temperature of 40°C remarkably rises to about 90%.

Cotton fibers bleaching through in situ electrochemical generation of oxidant agents

Cotton is the world’s leading fiber crop and contains natural coloring impurities which need to be removed by bleaching. The most applied bleaching methodology utilizes chemical oxidants, such as hydrogen peroxide. This method is carried out at high temperatures and under strong alkaline conditions, entailing high-energy consumption, strong alkaline effluents and severe fiber damage. The development of milder and greener bleaching processes, in which the fibers are less damaged, is a goal that has long been pursued. Another approach for cotton bleaching is the use of sodium hypochlorite as an oxidant. Several methods applying hypochlorite are known, but they face problems associated with the transport, storage and handling of unstable and hazardous chemicals. Here we present a mild methodology for in situ electrogeneration of hypochlorite from sodium chloride or potassium chloride, and its application in bleaching of cotton, thus reducing the problems associated with the transport and storage of the oxidizing reagent. Our methodology was able to bleach the cotton fibers with a comparable whiteness degree, when compared to the conventional one, and it is carried out in lower reaction times, at room temperature, with no need of addition of hazardous materials and avoiding the production of residual hypochlorite.

Extraction and mix compatibility study of beohmeria fiber with cotton

The study focuses on the mix compatibility of cotton and bohemeria fiber for the production of yarn. The Bohemeria fiber used for the study was by chemical degumming. By the chemical degumming from 1,500gm decorticated boehmeria 1,370gm of bohemeria fiber extracted which 91.3% fiber yield. The color of the extracted fiber is reddish yellow due to the presence of lignin, pectin, wax and other unwanted materials. To make the color of the extracted fiber compatible to cotton, bleaching using H2O2 was carried out and the converted bleached fiber into staple length by chopping. To facilitate the mixing of the bohemeria and cotton fiber; first Manual opening carried out and Further opening using waste feeder continued to open gently and to form homogeneous mix. In the mix Component ratio of 35% Bohemeria and 63% cotton was used. The mixed fibers were opened to individual fibers on carding. Finally 33Nm yarn is produced on rotor spinning machine. The Yarn has Tenacity of 10.822g/tex, elongation of 5.026% and breaking load 298.9gm.