Structure/Function Analysis of Nonwoven Cotton Topsheet Fabrics: Multi-Fiber Blending Effects on Fluid Handling and Fabric Handle Mechanics.

Greige cotton (GC) has attracted interest in recent years as an eco-friendly, functional fiber for use in nonwoven topsheet materials. GC imparts favorable fluid management and sensorial properties associated with urinary liquid transport and indices related to comfort in wearable incontinence nonwovens. Nonwoven GC has material surface polarity, an ambient moisture content, and a lipid/polysaccharide matrix that imparts positive fluid mechanic properties applicable to incontinence management topsheet materials. However, a better understanding of the connection between functionality and compositional aspects of molecular, mechanical, and material property relations is still required to employ structure/function relations beyond a priori design. Thus, this study focuses on the relation of key indices of material fluid and sensorial functions to nonwoven topsheet composition. Greige cotton, polypropylene, bleached cotton, and polyester fiber blends were hydroentangled at 60, 80, and 100 bar. Greige cotton polypropylene and bleached cotton were blended at ratios to balance surface polarity, whereas low percentages of polyester were added to confer whiteness properties. Electrokinetic and contact angle measurements were obtained for the hydroentangled nonwovens to assess surface polarity in light of material composition. Notably, materials demonstrated a relation of hydrophobicity to swelling as determined electrokinetically by Δζ, ζplateau, and contact angles greater than 90°. Subsequently, three blended nonwoven fabrics were selected to assess effects on fluid management properties including topsheet performance indices of rewet, strikethrough, and fluid handling (rate and efficiency of transport to the absorbent core). These materials aligned well with commercial topsheet fluid mechanics. Using the Leeds University Fabric Handle Evaluation System (LUFHES), the nonwovens were tested for total fabric hand. The results of the LUFHES measurements are discussed in light of fiber contributions. Fiber ratios were found to correlate well with improvement in softness, flexibility, and formability. This study provides insights that improves the understanding of the multifunctional properties accessible with greige cotton toward decisions valuable to selecting greige cotton as an environmentally friendly fiber for nonwoven topsheets.

The application of ultrasound and enzymes in textile processing of greige cotton.

A review is reported herein of the research progress made at the USDA's Southern Regional Research Center to provide an ultrasound and enzymatic alternative to the current textile processing method of scouring greige cotton textile with caustic chemicals. The review covers early efforts to measure pectin and wax removal from greige cotton textiles using standard wicking methodology and further describes an investigation of newly discovered polygalacturonase enzymes as bioscouring agents. Additional research is reviewed involving efforts to characterize and optimize the ultrasound-enhanced enzymatic scouring process through a statistical examination of the operating parameters of power, enzyme concentration, ultrasonic frequency and time.

Triphosgene-pyridine mediated stereoselective chlorination of acyclic aliphatic 1,3-diols.

We describe a strategy to chlorinate stereocomplementary acyclic aliphatic 1,3-diols using a mixture of triphosgene and pyridine. While 1,3-anti diols readily led to 1,3-anti dichlorides, 1,3-syn diols must be converted to 1,3-syn diol monosilylethers to access the corresponding 1,3-syn dichlorides. These dichlorination protocols were operationally simple, very mild, and readily tolerated by advanced synthetic intermediates.

Triphosgene-amine base promoted chlorination of unactivated aliphatic alcohols.

Unactivated α-branched primary and secondary aliphatic alcohols have been successfully transformed into their corresponding alkyl chlorides in high yields upon treatment with a mixture of triphosgene and pyridine in dichloromethane at reflux. These mild chlorination conditions are high yielding, stereospecific, and well tolerated by numerous sensitive functionalities. Furthermore, no nuisance waste products are generated in the course of the reactions.

Chlorination of aliphatic primary alcohols via triphosgene-triethylamine activation.

Activation of primary aliphatic alcohols with triphosgene and triethylamine mixtures afforded either alkyl chloride or diethylcarbamate products, and the switch in selectivity appeared to be driven by sterics. The reaction conditions to achieve this highly useful transformation were unexceptionally mild and readily tolerated by a wide range of sensitive functionalities.

2-(9-Anthrylmethyl-ideneamino)-4-methyl-phenol.

The title compound, C(22)H(17)NO, is a novel Schiff base synthesized via a condensation reaction between 9-anthracenecarboxaldehyde and 2-amino-p-cresol. The asymmetric unit contains two independent mol-ecules that are joined by an O-H⋯OH hydrogen bond. An intra-molecular O-H⋯N hydrogen bond occurs in each mol-ecule. π-stacking about inversion centers was observed between adjacent phenol rings [centroid-centroid distance = 3.850 (2) Å] and adjacent anthracene rings [centroid-centroid distance = 3.834 (2) Å]. The C-N=C-C torsion angles between the phenol and anthracene rings are close to 180° with values of 174.06 (15) and 179.85 (14)°.