Wettability of Cotton Modified by Admicellar Polymerization

The wettability of yarns from plain cotton fabric and from polystrene-coated fabric modified by admicellar polymerization was examined by transient force measurements with a microbalance. Analysis of the observed time scales and forces suggests that water transport in cotton yarn proceeds by an initial rapid, capillary driven axial flow over the exterior, followed by a radial flow between fibers, and is completed by a slow diffusion of water into the individual fibers. Both the initial and final forces indicated a significant reduction in the affinity of the modified fabric for water. Admicellar polymerization after optimization yielded coated cotton yarn that absorbed only 3% of the water retained by the unmodified yarn.