Common Textile Additives and Their Functions

Common additives and their effects

1) Penetrant: reduces the surface tension of the solution, making the fibers easy to wet and penetrate

2) Detergent: It has a washing effect, making it easy to remove dirt on the fabric and can be used as a cooking and bleaching agent for a long time

3) Caustic Soda (NaOH): Strong alkali, used as a scouring agent for cotton fabrics and as a stripping agent. After use, it should be neutralized with acid before being washed clean

4) Sodium carbonate (Na2SiO3): used as a softener, T/C fabric scouring agent, and reactive dye fixing agent

5) Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3): can be used as a fixing agent for reactive dyes

6) Trisodium phosphate: Na3PO4 acts as a water softener

7) Six types of sodium phosphate: acts as a water softener

8) Sodium silicate (Na2SO4): used as a scouring aid for cotton fabrics and as a stabilizer for hydrogen peroxide bleaching

9) Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2): Bleaching agent that can bleach fabrics and also serve as a deoxidizer

10) Sodium sulfite (Na2S2O3): used as a scouring agent for cotton fabrics to prevent brittleness and damage, as well as as as a residual oxygen neutralizer and dechlorination agent

11) Sodium sulfide (Na2S): Dyeing aid for sulfurized dyes, which fully reduces and dissolves sulfurized fuels

12) Sodium hypochlorite (NaClO): used as a bleaching agent, can also be used for color stripping and cylinder washing

13) Table salt (NaCl) or sodium sulfate (Na2SO4): used as a dye promoter for direct reactive dyes and sulfide dyes, which can increase the dye uptake percentage

14) Sodium Hydroxide (NaS2O4): Strong reducing agent, used for stripping and reducing cleaning

15) Dispersant (or dispersant): Used as a dispersing fuel dyeing assistant to evenly disperse dispersed dyes in the dye solution, ensuring the stability of the dye solution

16) Acetic acid (HAC): used as a dyeing assistant for disperse dyes to adjust the pH value and as a neutralizing agent for alkalis

17) Ammonium sulfate [(NH4) 2SO4]: used as an alkali resistant agent for dispersed dyes and can also play a role in jumping pH values

18) Leveling agent: can make the dye evenly applied, achieving a leveling effect

19) Oxalic acid: can wash away rust spots on fabrics

20) Fixing agent: (Fixing agent Y or M) causes direct dyes to firmly adhere to fibers, thereby improving dyeing fastness

21) Softener: It combines with fibers or adsorbs on the surface of fibers, playing a wetting role and improving the texture of the fabric

22) Flat Plus O: Used as a direct, reactive dye leveling agent

23) Guangyouling: Remove oil stains on fibers