Alkaline enzyme scouring of cotton textiles
AssigneeNovozymes North America, Inc.
InventorsCarl Andrew Miller, Steen Skjold Jorgensen, Eric W. Otto, Niels K. Lange, Brian Condon, Jiyin Liu
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Abstract
The invention relates to a process for treatment of cellulosic material, as for example, knitted or woven cotton fabric, comprising the steps of preparing an aqueous enzyme solution comprising pectinase, treating the cellulosic material with an effective amount of the aqueous enzyme solution under alkaline scouring conditions; e.g., pH of 9 or above and a temperature of 50° C. or above, in a low calcium or calcium-free environment, yielding a modification of the cellulosic material such that exhibits an enhanced respond to a subsequent chemical treatment.
Claims19
A method for scouring of cellulosic material, comprising the steps of:
- (a) preparing an aqueous enzyme solution comprising pectinase;
- and
- (b) treating cellulosic material with an effective amount of the pectinase solution of step (a) at a pH of 9.0 or above, a temperature of 50° C. or above, in the presence of a low calcium ion concentration, wherein scouring is achieved.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.