What Are The Applications of Cellulase for Textiles?

The textile industry is an important economic field, and its development is of great significance to the country's economic development and social progress. As people's attention to environmental protection and sustainable development continues to increase, the textile industry has also begun to seek more environmentally friendly and sustainable development methods. Among them, the application of cellulase has become a direction that has attracted much attention.

Cellulase is a biological enzyme that can decompose cellulose into soluble sugars and has the advantages of environmental protection and sustainability. In the textile industry, cellulase can be used in processes such as desizing, refining and bleaching of cotton and linen fabrics, and can also be used in the softening treatment of wool fabrics. Below, this article will introduce the basic properties, application methods and application of cellulase in the textile industry.

1. Basic properties of cellulase

Cellulase is a biological enzyme produced by microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria and actinomycetes. It breaks down cellulose into soluble sugars and is efficient, specific and environmentally friendly. There are many types of cellulases, including glucanosidase, cellobiosidase, endoglucanosidase and exoglucanosidase. These enzymes have different modes of action. For example, the synergistic action of glucansidase and cellobiosidase is required to degrade cellulose.

2. Application methods of cellulase

Application methods of cellulase include mixing cellulase with water, buffer or other solvents to make liquid or solid formulations, and contacting the formulation with textiles for treatment. The specific process includes desizing, refining, bleaching and softening. The desizing process is to soak the fabric in hot water containing a certain concentration of cellulase preparations and surfactants. After a certain period of treatment, the slurry on the surface of the fabric can be removed and the softness and water absorption of the fabric can be improved. The refining process uses the action of cellulase preparations to remove impurities and fiber surface defects on the fabric surface and improve the quality and gloss of the fabric. The bleaching process uses the action of cellulase preparations to degrade colored substances into small molecule soluble substances to achieve the bleaching effect. The softening treatment process is to soak wool fabrics in hot water containing a certain concentration of cellulase preparations and softeners. After a certain period of treatment, the hardness of the fabric can be reduced and the softness and smoothness of the fabric can be increased.

3. Application of cellulase in textile industry

Cellulases are widely used in the textile industry, mainly involving desizing, refining, bleaching and softening processes. In the desizing process, cellulase can effectively remove sizing on the surface of the fabric without causing damage to the fabric itself, which is beneficial to improving the quality and water absorption of the fabric. In the refining process, cellulase can remove impurities and fiber surface defects on the fabric surface and improve the quality and gloss of the fabric. In the bleaching process, cellulase can degrade colored substances into small molecule soluble substances to achieve the bleaching effect. At the same time, cellulase can also be used in the softening process.