Modification of woolen fabrics through grafting with methacrylic esters

Grafting of methyl, n-butyl, n-decyl, and n-octadecyl methacrylate onto reduced woolen fabrics was carried out by using K2S2O8 and K2S2O8-LiBr redox system as initiators. The success of the grafting was proven by scanning electron microscopy, size exclusion chromatography, and infrared spectroscopy. The felting shrinkage and water-repellency tests were applied on the modified fabrics. Dyeing with an alpha-bromoacrylamido and an aminoxanthene dye was carried out and the color-fastness tests were applied on the modified dyed fabrics. The influence of the grafted polymethacrylates on the shrinkproofing, water-repellency, and dyeing properties of the woolen fabrics was discussed. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.