The feasibility of glyoxal treatment for ramie fabric in the presence of a swelling agent is studied. Adding polyethylene glycol (PEG) 600 or a higher molecular weight PEG to the glyoxal finishing bath provides an optimum balance between the wrinkle recovery angle and strength retention by maximizing ramie swelling during the crosslinking reaction. Adding PEG also increases the water of imbibition, moisture regain, whiteness index, and color strength of treated ramie fabrics. The durability of glyoxal finished fabric in the presence of PEG is also acceptable during multiple launderings. Therefore, glyoxal treatment with PEG can be used for crease-resistant finishing of ramie and ramie-blended fabrics to obtain superior performance properties.
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