SCOURING

WPT - 1
 Scouring: Scouring is the process by which all natural and additive
impurities such as oil, wax, fat, hand dust etc. are removed to
produce hydrophilic and clean textile material. It is one of the vital
processes of wet processing.
 Objects of Scouring:
 To make the fabric highly hydrophilic.
 To remove impurities such as oils, waxes, gum, husks as nearly as
possible.
 To increase absorbency of fabric or textile materials without physical
and chemical damage.
 To produce a clean material by adding alkali.
 To make the fabric ready for next process.
 To remove non-cellulosic substance in case of cotton
 The changes occurring of cotton fibers during scouring:
 Saponifiable oils and free fatty acids are converted into soaps.
 Pectins and pectoses are converted into soluble salts of pectic acid.
 Proteins are degraded to simple soluble amino acids or ammonia.
 Mineral matters are mostly dissolved.
 Non-saponifiable oils are emulsified by the soluble soaps generated
from the saponifiable oils.
 Additive dirts are removed.
 Residual sizing materials are broken down into soluble products
 Scouring process depends on:
 The type of cotton.
 The color of cotton.
 The cleanliness of cotton.
 The twist and count of the yarn.
 The construction of the fabric.
 The shade % and type of shade of finished product.
 CHEMICALS USED IN SCOURING
PROCESS
Main chemicals Use
Caustic soda Neutralize acidic materials,
saponify glycerides (waxes and
oil),solubilise silicates
Surfactants Reduce surface tension & minimize
interfacial tension.
Detergents Emulsify oil, fats, waxes and
remove oil-borne stains.
Chelating agent Deactivate metal ions.
Sodium silicate Penetrate & break drown lignins
Soda ash Maintain pH
Solvent Assist emulsification by dissolving
oily materials.
 FORM OF SCOURING
 Yarn scouring:
 Hank form
 Package form
 Continuous sheet warp form.

 Fabric scouring:
 Open width form :
 Jigger
 Pad batch
 Progressive jig
 Rope form
 Kier
 Wahser
 Scouring process:
 Batch process.
 Semi – continuous process.
 Discontinuous process.
 Modern process.
 Scouring methods of Cotton:
 Generally,there are two principle methods of cotton scouring.
 Discontinuous (Kier boiling process or winch dyeing
machine)
 Continuous (Scouring in J or L box)
 Kier boiler process/ Scouring of cotton fabric in
Batch process/ discontinuous process:
 In this process of cotton scouring, the fabric is scoured in
rope form, by alkali liquor.
 Kier means specially constructed large cylindrical iron vessel.
The kier boiler may be-
 a. horizontal(yarn scouring)
 b. vertical(fabric scouring).
 Kier boiler capacity: maximum 5ton, but in industrially 2-3
ton kier boiler is very popular.
 Standard Recipe: The amount of different chemicals used in a kier
boiler may vary according to
 Hardness of water.
 Quality / Quantity of cotton.
 Fabric construction/ texture, yarn twist etc.
 But in generally, the following amounts of the chemical are used.
 Caustic Soda (Strong)→ 2-5% owf
 Soda ash (mild)→ 0.3-0.5%
 Sequestering agent→0.05-0.5%
 Wetting agent→ 0.25-1.0%
 M:L→1:4 to1:5
 Temp→100˚C-120˚C
 Time→12hrs - 4hrs
 Main parts of kier boiler:
 Cylindrical vessel
 Mixing tank(liquor prepared according to recipe)
 Multi tubular heat exchanger(heating the liquor)
 Perforated false bottom
 Circular tube(spray liquor on fabric)
WORKING PROCESS
 The fabric is loaded in the m/c and kept in rope form.
 The hot liquor is pumped and sprayed by circular tube on
to the fabric
 The liquor passes slowly over the packed cloth and
collects at the false bottom of the kier.
 The liquor again pumped into the heater by a centrifugal
pump and this cycle is repeated
 After scouring ,the fabric is washed with 800C water to
remove impurities on the fabric
 Continuous scouring process of cotton (Scouring in
J- box)The scouring vessel is looks like the English
letter ‘J’ hence, this process is called j box process. In the
process, desizing, scouring and bleaching can be
performed at a time.
 STANDARD RECIPE
Alkali (NaOH) 4-5gm/L
Wetting agent +Detergent 4-5gm/L
M:L 1:3
Pick up 90-100%
Impregnation Temp 70-800C
Impregnation Time 45-90sec
Storing time in J-box 2-4hr
Temperature in J-box 102-105oC
 Process: The working process in J-box can be divided into four
units. There are
 Impregnation box
 Pre – heater.
 J – box.
 Washing unit.

 Impregnation box: The fabric is passed through the guide roller

and immersed into the solution at temperature 70˚C – 80˚C for
about 40-90 sec
 Pre heater: Material is passed into the thermostatic controlling
system at temperature 90˚C – 100˚C for 30 sec
 J-box: In j-box, fabric is stored in this solution of NaOH for about
1-4 hrs at a temperature of 102˚C.
 Washing unit: The impurities are removed here.
First the materials are washed in hot water then
cold water.
 Scouring process of silk:
 Impurities present in silk:

 Sericin up to 30% (main impurities)

Mineral matter, coloring matter, traces of waxes (1-1.5%)

 The removing of above impurities in silk are called de-

gumming.
 Principle:
 InSilk, there is protein which is damaged by alkali, so for
scouring soap wash is done. The main impurities of silk are
one kind of gum which is soluble in hot soap solution. During
soap washing, alkali is produced which reacts with carboxyl
group of sericine and convert it into soluble form and remove
impurities.
 The different types of silk on the basis of scouring:
 Ecro silk: Ecro silk is obtained by removing of 3-4%
impurities (Sericin)
USED FOR DARK SHADED YARN
Soap solution 2-3%
Temp Room temperature
Time 40-60 min
 USED FOR MEDIUM SHADE
 2. Souple silk: Souple silk is obtained by removing
of 10% impurities (Sericin)

Soap solution 10%

Temp Room temperature

Time 1-2 hrs.
 3. Boiled off silk:
Sericin is removed up to 30%

This process required two bath processes:

Used for light shade.

1st Bath 2nd Bath

Soap solution 30% 10-15%

Temp 90-950C 95˚C
Time 60-90mins. 1-3 hrs
Soda ash 1-2%
 Scouring of Jute: (Bast fibre)
 Bast fibre, jute, linen etc. are multicellular fiber, having
polygonal shape. The cells are cemented with each other by
lignin which is non-cellulosic unit and is about 11-14%.
 If strong alkali is used for jute scouring, its strength is
reduced as lignin is removed and cells are separated. So, mild
alkali is used in jute scouring at low temperature.
STANDARD RECIPE
Na2CO3 4-6gm
Wetting agent + Detergent 0.5-1gm/ltr
Water softening agent 0.5-1.0gm/ltr
M:L 1:15-1:20
Temp Boiling(1000C)
Time 2-4 hrs.
Scouring of Silk
The scouring of pure silk is a degumming process used to
remove sericin (silk gum) from fibroin floss. Sericin is the
gummy element which keeps together the fibroin floss and
gives the silk a hard hand and dull appearance. It is carried
out on yarn, on dyed yarn, piece-dyed fabric or on products
ready for printing. The treatment, which causes a loss of
weight ranging between 24 and 28%, gives the degummed
silk a lustrous appearance and a soft hand; the treatment is
carried out with soapy solutions or with buffer dissolving
agents. It is also possible to use enzymes (protease), which
hydrolyses sericin.
 Scouring of Wool
 On wool, the scouring process removes oils and contaminants
accumulated during upstream processing steps and can be
carried out on slivers, yarns and fabrics with solutions
containing sodium carbonate with soap or ammonia, or anionic
and non-ionic surfactants, which carry out a softer washing to
avoid any damage to the fibres.

 Scouring of Synthetics
 The scouring process applied to synthetic fibres removes oils,
lubricants and anti-static substances, dust, contaminants and
can be carried out on yarns and fabrics (when warp yarns have
been bonded, the treatment is called debonding). It is carried
out by means of surfactants, detergents and emulsifying agents.
Scouring of Polyester/Cotton Blends:
Polyester and cotton are two different fibers obtained from
natural source and made of synthetically consecutively.
Because of varying physical (Length, diameter, strength,
elasticity, torsional rigidity, frictional properties) and
chemical properties (thermal properties, density, resistance
to chemical agents) of these two fibers have led to treat this
blend within proper conditions.Cotton has very good
resistance to alkalis but the action of aqueous alkalis may
lead an adverse impact on polyester. It should not be
pressure kier boiled in the presence of alkalis, as these
conditions favor an accelerated attack on the fiber.
Typical Scouring Recipe Polyester/Cotton Blend Goods:
Wetting agent………………………………….= 0.5-1.0 g/l
Sequesterant …………………………………..= 1.0-2.0 g/l
Detergent…………………………………………= 1.0-2.0 g/l
Caustic soda 36°Be……………………………= 1.0-3.0 g/l
Soda ash……………………………………………= 1.0-4.0 g/l
Temperature……………………………………..= 90-100°C
Time…………………………………………………..= 30-60 min
pH………………………………………………………= 10.5+/-0.5
M:L……………………………………………………..= 1:10
Scouring Procedure:
1. Set the with substrate at room temperature with wetting
agent, detergent, sequestering agents, and alkalis.
2. Raise the temperature to 95-100°C @1-3°/min
3. Run the bath for 30-60 min
4. Cool down the bath temperature to 60-70°C and drop
5. Rinse twice with hot (around 60°C) and cool water.
 Chemical Used and Purpose:
NaOH– Main scouring agent
Na2Co3 - To maintain PH.
Sequestering agent – To remove impurities,
deactivate metal ion
Wetting agent - To reduce the surface tension of the
water and increase water absorbency
Procedure:
•At first we took scouring agent in a conical flux . Scouring
agent is given below –
NaoH - 0.91 gm/L
Na2Co3- 0.54 gm/L
Wetting agent – 0.37 gm/L
Sequestering agent – 0.18 gm/L
• Since we get total water 182.2cc , so we put total water 182.2cc
in a conical flux and shake sometimes by a roller .
•We transferred this mixer solution into a steel mug and put into
before desizing fabric.
•Then we heated it 60 min at temperature 90 degree centigrade.
Then we washed the fabric properly and reduced water and than
dry it by oven machine.
•And then we took the fabric weight.
 Assessment of scouring:/Absorbency test:
 1. Drop/Spot test:
 In a pipette a solution of 0.1% direct red or Congo red is taken and
droplet of solution put on the different places of the fabric. Then the
absorption time of the fabric is observed.
 The standard time for the absorption of one drop of solution is 0.5-

0.8 sec up to 1 sec.

Good scouring

Uniform scouring

Uneven scouring
SOURING:

 The treatment/the process by which the fabric, after

processing with alkali or scouring, is treated with Acetic
Acid, Hydrochloric acid or dilute H2SO4 for removing
alkali or neutralization of alkali is souring.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SCOURING
AND SOURING
Scouring Souring
1. To remove oil, waxes gum 1. Not to remove any
soluble impurities. impurities, only for alkali
neutralization.
2. Scouring is done in alkali 2. Souring is done dilute HCl or
solution. H2SO4
3. Required heat to boiling. 3. No need of heat.
4. Need of definite time. 4. No need of definite time.