Self-Templating Synthesized Silica Nanocapsules and Fabrication of Nanocomposite for Enhancing the Anti-Felting of Wool Fabrics

In this study, silica nanocapsules within silica shell (SNPs) based on an amphiphilic silica precursor polymer – poly (ethylene glycol) substituted hyperbranched polyethoxysiloxane (PEOS-m PEG) was synthesized through a self-assembly method in a fully aqueous with high efficiency. SNPs was homogeneously distributed in waterborne polyurethane to study the influence on the mechanical properties of the nanocomposite as a novel anti-felting agent for wool fabric. The mechanical properties of the nanocomposite anti-felting agent films improved in comparison with the neat polymer. The storage modulus and tensile strength was increased by 143% and 49%, respectively. The novel nanocomposite anti-felting agent was coated on wool fabrics by a pad-dry-cure process. The area shrinkage of the obtained wool fabrics with nanocomposite was 0.8%, much lower than the fabric treated with the same dosage of neat polymer, 4.1%. The warp tensile strength of the wool fabric was increased to 212.2N with lower polymer consumption by 40%.