Surface modification of cotton fabric by grafting of polyurethane

Chemical modification of cotton was investigated using blocked isocyanates prepared from reaction of 4,4-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) with Poly(propylene glyols) followed by addition of methyl ethyl ketoxime (MEKO). The products were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Evidences of grafting were obtained by IR from the appearance of CO bands absorbance and the reducing of relative intensity of OH, with respect to cotton. The results of XPS and SEM also give the same evidences that polyurethane has been grafted onto the surface of cotton.