Optimization of Glycerol Treatment for Improved Flexibility of Dried Bacterial Cellulose Nonwoven Fabric

ABSTRACT

Drying of bacterial cellulose nonwoven alters its structural properties due to the collapse of its three-dimensional structure. The dried bacterial cellulose is stiffer, less flexible, brittle and cannot be used as a material for apparel. To improve these properties, this research is aimed to plasticize the bacterial cellulose nonwoven using glycerol. Statistical optimization with Box and Behnken design is performed using major influencing process parameters, such as percentage of glycerol concentration, immersion time, and drying temperature. The glycerol treatment process is optimized against textile properties like thickness, crease recovery, bending length, tensile strength, and elongation. results show that an increment in the glycerol concentration and treatment time reduces the tensile strength and increases the thickness and elongation. Bending length and crease recovery angle reduce with longer treatment time. Lower temperature drying showed positive effects of desirable properties. The statistical optimization process identified 1% of glycerol concentration, 30°C drying temperature, and 33 h of immersion time as an optimum parameter with 84% desirability. The moisture management results indicated that the glycerol treatment converted the waterproof fabric into a fast-absorbing fabric with slow drying. However, the fabrics showed a poor one-way moisture transport capacity.

摘要

由于细菌纤维素非织造布的三维结构崩溃,其干燥会改变其结构特性. 干燥后的细菌纤维素更硬、更不灵活、更脆,不能用作服装材料. 为了改善这些性能,本研究旨在使用甘油对细菌纤维素非造布进行塑化. 采Box和Behnken设计进行统计优化,使用主要影响工艺参数,如甘油浓度百分比、浸泡时间和干燥温度. 甘油处理工艺针对织物特性(如厚度、折皱恢复、曲长度、拉伸强度和伸长率)进行了优化. 结果表明,随着甘油浓度和处理时间的增加,拉伸强度降低,厚度和伸长率增加. 弯曲长度和折痕回复角随着处理时间的延长而减小. 低温干燥显示出良好性能的积极影响. 统计优化过程确定1%的甘油浓度、300℃的干燥温度和33小时的浸泡时间为最佳参数,期望值为84%. 水分管理结果表明,甘油处理使防水织物转变为快;吸水织物,干燥速度较. 然而,织物的单向水分传输能力非常差.

KEYWORDS:

• Bacterial cellulose
• glycerol
• physical properties
• box and behnken design
• moisture management properties

关键词:

• 细菌纤维素、
• 甘油、
• 物理性质、
• Box和Behnken设计
• 水分管理特性

Highlights

• Glycerol concentration, treatment time, and the drying temperature are optimized to obtain improved flexibility in bacterial cellulose nonwoven

• The increment in glycerol concentration increases the elongation and reduces the tensile properties.

• The immersion time increased thickness, bending length, and crease recovery properties. The lower the drying temperature, the better will be the handling ability.

• One percent glycerol concentration, 30°C drying temperature, and 33 h of immersion were noted as optimum for better handling of bacterial cellulose nonwoven.

• Glycerol treatment converted the waterproof fabric into a fast-absorbing slow drying fabric.