Researching Short-Time Cold
Pad-Batch Bleaching Procedures
And Auxiliaries
By Yao Jiming, Hebei Research and
Institute of Textile Science and
Technology,
Peoples Republic of China
Abstract
The primary purpose of this article is to state the short-
time cold pad-batch bleaching procedure and action of
auxiliaries. On the basis of sample tests, we have determin-
ed the optimum procedure conditions and chemical formu-
lations By production and application, it is shown that a short-
time procedure could be operated successfully with the
advantage of saving time, reducing cost, and increasing pro-
duction capability, thus ensuring good economic results. It
could even speed up the spread and development of the cold
pad-batch bleaching procedure,
Introduction
The cold pad-batch bleaching procedure of hydrogen
peroxide, compared to conventional techniques, has more
advantages, particularly for medium-weight fabrics. But since
the cold pad-batch bleaching procedure takes more than 20
hours, it has the disadvantage of long production periods and
low operation efficiency, which will, to some extent, restrict
the development of the cold pad-batch bleaching procedure.
Thus, the spread and development of short-time cold pad-
batch procedure and auxiliaries can result in saving time,
reducing cost, increasing production capability, and raising
working efficiency.
Bleaching procedure
Pre-treatment of medium-weight woven fabrics is conven-
tionally done in three separate stages-i.e. desizing, scour-
ing, and bleaching. Now the cold pad-batch bleaching pro-
cedure combines them into a single stage at common tem-
peratures. Due to the high caustic soda concentration, poor
penetration and low activity of the hydrogen peroxide. for the
procedure, compared with the traditional techniques, some
points should be considered. First, more chemical auxiliaries
must be added; second, preparation time must be longer, so
the natural and added impurities can be effectively removed
to achieve a good effect of semi-finished product quality.
In the cold pad-batch bleaching procedure, caustic soda
is generally held at 30-50 g/l. In this range, the effective
decomposition of the hydrogen peroxide and bleaching ef-
fect are low. Also, complete action between caustic soda and
fabric needs longer time, so the cold pad-batch bleaching pro-
cedure generally requires 24 hours,
On the basis of the preceding analysis, if one wants to
shorten the preparation time and increase the quality of semi-
finished products, some factors should be considered:
1. Increasing the activity of hydrogen peroxide. This
July 1994 American Dyestuff Reporter
Table 1. Chemical formulation
Hydrogen Peroxide (100%) 18-20 g/l
Scouring agent FA-I 10 g/l
Stabilizer FA-II 6 g/l
Activator FA-III 4 g/l
Caustic Soda 20, 30, 40. 50 g/l
can generally be done by changing the caustic soda
and raising the temperature. But the cold pad-batch
bleaching procedure cannot be finished through these
two steps. The preferable way is to add a material which
has a special structure so it can both increase the activ-
ity of the hydrogen peroxide and the polarity of con-
jugated double bonds, thereby making a H00- negative
ion easy to attach.
2. During activating of the hydrogen peroxide, one
kind of sequestering agent must be added. It has high
chelation with the heavy metal ions, such as FE+ + +
and Cu+ +, avoiding the heavy decomposition of the
hydrogen peroxide and oxidative degradation of
cellulose. This kind of sequestering agent must act in
coordination with an activator, having no effect on it
in order to get a proper chemical balance.
3. Due to the high caustic soda concentration and
more impurities in fabrics, we can add one kind of
scouring agent with the characteristics of good wet-
ting, emulsification, dispersion, and detergency. This
can help to remove impurities and raise whiteness and
capillary effect of the semi-finished products.
Bleaching Auxiliaries
1. FA-I is a kind of highly effective scouring agent,
consisting of many kinds of non-ionic and anionic surfac-
tants with a good wetting property emulsification, dis-
persion and detergency with excellent stability under
a high alkaline and peroxide condition. It can wet and
penetrate fabric rapidly.
2. FA-II is a kind of stabilizer which consists of many
organic compounds with excellent stability and chela-
tion of heavy metal ions under high alkaline, preven-
ting oxidative degradation of cellulosic fiber. It is com-
pletely compatible with all other auxiliaries, with no
effect.
3. FA-III consists of many kinds of material with
special structure. which can increase the activity of
(3) Results and discussion- The W-80 stabilizer cold pad-batch chemical formulation:
Test results are shown in Table VI. Hydrogen Peroxide (100%) 20 g/l
By an analysis of the test results, equilibrium and synthesis, Stabilizer W-80 6 g/l
we have determined the optimum chemical formulation, as Sodium Silicate 42Be 10 g/l
shown in Table VII. Magnesium Chloride 0.3 g/l

Table VI: Results of the Orthoqonal Test

Decomposition Rate of
H2O2 Whiteness (%) Capillary Effect (CM/3OMin)
Poly/Cotton All Cotton Poly/Cotton All Cotton Poly/Cotton All Cotton
59.72 43.59 80.5 75.5 7.2 5.0
66.66 45.14 80.2 79.0 8.5 7.8
59.85 58.89 80.7 78.7 9.0 7.6
63.44 60.12 80.6 78.0 13.0 8.5
61. 88 56.94 80.7 77.8 5.0 4.2
64.12 61.Ol 80.5 73.6 8.0 4.0
58.70 50.91 79.4 77.7 13.5 8.0
58.21 50.56 80.8 76.0 5.6 4.5
61.51 54.37 80.4 78.5 9.1 6.7

Test Three involved the certification of test results and the Scouring Agent ZH-11 8 g/l
contrast test. The process formulation determined by the Caustic Soda (100 %) 40 g/l
orthogonal test was verified, at the same time, compared with Potassium Persulphate 4 g/l
the 24-hour cold pad-batch bleaching procedure which uses The short-time procedure chemical formulations are shown
the W-80 stabilizer. in Table VII.

Table VII:

Fabric Sample Poly/Cotton Ail Cotton

Hydrogen Peroxide (100%)
g/l 15 20
Stabilizer FA-II
g/l) 4 6
Activator FA-III
(g/l) 2 4
Scouring Agent
(g/l) 10 10
Caustic Soda
(g/l) 40 40
Wet Pickup (100% l00+/-5 l00+/-5
Time (H) 4-6 6-8

The trial was run under identical conditions as with test

one, with the results shown in Table VIII.

Table VIII:
H2O2 Decomposition Whiteness Capillary Effect
Rate (%) (CM/30 min)
Procedure/Fabric A B A B A B
Short-Time 67.31 64.23 80.9 79.8 8.9 7.2
W-80.24 Hours 70.86 68.21 80.2 79.0 9.0 7.1
note: In the Table, A: polyester/cotton, B: all cotton

American Dyestuff Reporter July 1994

Table IX. The chemical formulation. procedure conditions and chemical formulations determined.
The tests and application show that the short-time procedure
Hydrogen Peroxide (100%) 20G/L can get an excellent semi-finished product. In addition, the
Scouring Agent FA-1 10 G/L
short-time procedure can save on energy and time, reduce
Stabilizer FA-II 6 G/L
Activator FA-III 4 GIL chemical costs and use less working space. The procedure
Caustic soda (100%) 40 GIL also offers the advantage of using no toxic auxiliaries and
the operation is simple and safe. q

Table XI : Evaluation of products.

Whiteness Strength Density Capillary

Effect
(%) (N,5/30CM) (Yarns/l0CM) (CM/30Min)
Sample T W T W T Wi
16/l2196148
Cotton 78.6 1195 620 396. 194 7.8 7.3
42/2/21/123/69
Poly/cotton 79.7 1615 790 510 248 8.1 7.4

As shown in Table VIII, the quality of the semi-finished prod- References

ucts in the short-time procedure is better than found in the
24-hour procedure.
Test four was the working solution stability test. To prepare
a working solution to follow the predetermined chemical for-
mulation (shown in Table IX) it’s necessary to put the work-
ing solution in a glass container at ambient temperature for
24 hours to get the decomposition rate of hydrogen perox-
ide at different times.
(1) Lemere, L.F., Textile Slashing Short Course Proceeding, Auburn
University, Auburn, Ala, 1986.
(2) Kibbel, W.H., Preparation and Bleaching of Celluloslcs and Blends.
AATCC Piedmont Section Meeting, January 20. 1979.
(3) Vassallo, J.C., Textile Chemist and Colorist, 19, No. 11, November
1987. P41.
(4) Fleischer, Paul C., Textile Chemist and Colorist, 22, No.2. February
1990. P25.
(5) U.S.P. 4526582 (1985).
(6) U.S.P. 4392975 (1983).

Table X: Results of working solution stability.

Time (H) Start 2 4 8 24
Decomposition
Rate (%) 0 5.0 6.1 6.6 6.9

As shown in Table X, the decomposition rate of a working

solution of hydrogen peroxide for the short-time procedure
is very low, while the working solution remains very stable.
Production and application criteria include chemical
formulation (shown in Table VII) and plant procedures.
Gray Fabric Preparation - Singing - Saturating to 100%
wet pickup - Pad-batch for 6 hours (more saturating and
two paddings) - Hot Wash (with PD-820 detergent of 2 G/L
at 90-95 C) - Hot Wash (90-95 C) - Cold-Wash - Drying
The short-time procedure, as discussed, can reduce energy
and chemical costs, save time and require less working
space. In many cases, the fabric still needs a short-time
steaming after 24 hours of pad-batch, while the short-time
procedure needs only a hot washing. Therefore, with the
spread and application of the short-time procedure, good
economic results can be expected.

Conclusions
Through the short-time cold pad-batch procedure research
a complete set of auxiliaries has been formed with proper

July 1994 American Dyestuff Reporter