Exploration of Alkaline Degumming Printing Techniques for Silk Gauze Fabric: Alkaline Boiling, Alkaline Steaming, and Alkaline Gel

As an important branch of ancient Chinese silk dyeing and printing technology, alkali degumming printing utilizes alkali agents to degum raw silk, creating differences in fiber water absorption, dye uptake, and optical characteristics between degummed and non-degummed areas to achieve localized pattern formation.Based on the differences in degumming processes of Silk Gauze using alkaline boiling, alkaline steaming, and alkaline gel, this study compares the effects of these three alkaline degumming techniques under different conditions of alkaline agent dosage, hot press temperature, and hot press duration. The degumming efficiency, fiber surface morphology, and infrared spectra of the degummed Silk Gauze were analyzed and compared. Through the analysis of the degumming mechanisms, it was found that the alkaline gel, within a localized micro-system, meets the conditions of alkali, water, and heat required for precise degumming of Silk Gauze. Combining the dual effects of alkaline boiling and alkaline steaming, the alkaline gel can achieve rapid degumming at a hot press temperature of 80 °C within 50 s, without significantly affecting the surface morphology or the primary structure of the Silk Gauze. The implementation of alkaline gel for precise degumming of Silk Gauze holds significant importance for expanding the application of traditional alkaline printing techniques in modern silk degumming and printing processes.