AbstractObservations and conclusions drawn from a modelN‐methylol reactant system have been used to study formaldehyde release from cotton fabric treated withN,N′‐dimethylol‐4,5‐dihydroxy‐ethyleneurea (DMDHEU). Reagent residues produced by DMDHEU in the presence of sodium bisulfate or zinc nitrate were found to be more complex than those formed from theN‐methylolpyrrolidone (NMP) reactant system, and the exact nature of some of the residues from DMDHEU could not be established. Zinc nitrate produces higher fixation of DMDHEU on cotton as compared to sodium bisulfate and also reduces formaldehyde release. As is the case with the NMP system, the lower amount of formaldehyde release with zinc nitrate catalyst is believed to be at least partially due to the formation of a complex between theN‐methylol reactant, DMDHEU, and zinc nitrate. The COCell bonds in both finishes resist acid‐catalyzed cleavage but cleavage of the NC bonds inN‐methylol groups (to release formadehyde) in the presence of acid is greater for the DMDHEU system than for the NMP system. Results with the DMDHEU and NMP systems are similar, but because of the complex nature of the products formed in the DMDHEU system it is very difficult to correlated formaldehyde release with specific chemical structures o
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