Hydroxyethyl Cellulose‐Graft‐Polyacrylamide Copolymer as a Novel Thickener for Reactive Dye Printing on Viscose Rayon Fabrics

Abstract This study presents the synthesis and characterization of hydroxyethyl cellulose‐graft‐polyacrylamide (HEC‐g‐PAM) copolymers as a novel thickener for textile printing applications. The chemical structure of the copolymers was confirmed through FT‐IR and ¹H‐NMR spectroscopy, which provided clear evidence of successful PAM grafting onto the HEC backbone. DSC analysis showed that HEC‐g‐PAM had a melting temperature between that of HEC and PAM, indicating improved thermal resistance due to the grafting process. The increased melting temperature suggests partial crystallinity retention and stronger intermolecular interactions. TGA analysis further confirmed enhanced thermal stability, with HEC‐g‐PAM exhibiting a higher onset decomposition temperature and intermediate residual weight compared to HEC and PAM. The HEC‐g‐PAM copolymer was evaluated as a thickener in reactive printing on viscose rayon fabrics and compared to conventional sodium alginate thickeners. Key factors such as HEC‐g‐PAM content, additives, and curing conditions were optimized to enhance viscosity, color strength, sharpness, and fastness, resulting in improved printing performance, bending length, and cost‐effectiveness compared to sodium alginate. With its enhanced thermal stability and printing properties, HEC‐g‐PAM demonstrates strong potential as an advanced thickener for viscose rayon fabric applications.