Synthesis of a novel formaldehyde-free crosslinker for waterborne binder dispersions in textile industry

Binders are emulsion polymers used in textile and nonwoven production to impart integrity, strength and durability. However, binders that do not have reactive functional monomers in their formulations are not efficient enough to provide these properties. Addition of self-crosslinking monomers to the binder system is a common method to improve the properties of textile and nonwoven products. Textile industry has used monomers such as n-methylolacrylamide (NMA) as functional group to crosslink upon curing. But, this crosslinking mechanism has a by-product. NMA generates formaldehyde when it is heated to crosslink. Formaldehyde remains in the products in which binders are used or is released into the environment. According to the 12th Report on Carcinogens published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, formaldehyde is a substance listed in the category of known to be a human carcinogen. Because of its toxicity, reduction or elimination of formaldehyde emission is one of the focal points of development in textile industry. In this study, a novel formaldehyde-free crosslinking monomer was synthesized for waterborne binder dispersions and its performance was evaluated in comparison with NMA.