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  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Microencapsulation of essential oil on cotton
    (CCSHAU, 2012) Bhatt, Latika; Saroj S. Jeet Singh
    The study was conducted to standardize the process of microencapsulation and padding, to impart aesthetic and functional finish on cotton fabric. Microencapsulation is a technique to prepare microcapsules, small particles that contain an active agent or core- material surrounded by coating or shell of limited permeability and can be used to impart durable functional and aesthetic finish to textiles using essential oil as core material. Lemongrass oil was selected as the core material and complex coacervation technique was used for encapsulation. Ratios of gum, oil and gelatin, temperature and pH were standardized for the process of microencapsulation. The proportion of ingredients for padding bath i.e. microcapsule gel, binder and softener were also standardized along with MLR, curing time and temperature. Cotton fabric was padded with microcapsule gel using the optimized process and the washing durability and physical properties were tested. It was summarized that 2:1:4 ratio of gum, oil and gelatin , at a temperature of 50 with initial and final pH 4.5 and 9.5 respectively was optimized for microencapsulation process. The proportion of binder, softener and microcapsule gel was optimized at 15:1:50 with MLR 1:20 cured at at 80°C for 60 seconds. The samples retained aroma till 30 wash cycles and as the number of wash cycles increased the intensity of aroma decreased. The fabric count, fabric weight and fabric thickness of treated fabric increased hence flexural rigidity increased. Microencapsulation did not have any adverse effect on tensile strength and elongation.. Bending length of microencapsulated fabric increased but to an acceptable level. Microencapsulated fabrics will not only provide health benefits to the common masses but will also benefit the agriculture sector as it will ensure increased cultivation of aromatic plants and enhanced rate of essential oil extraction. Aroma finish will add value to cotton so the cultivation, production and export of cotton will also boost.