TECHNOLOGY OF HYDROPHOBIC TREATMENT OF COTTON TARPAULIN FABRIC

Abstract

  Abstract. Canvas is a dense fabric produced using plain weave from thick linen yarn or its blend with cotton yarn. It is distinguished by its unique properties, combining good vapor permeability with the rapid and significant swelling of flax fibers when exposed to water, thereby acquiring high waterproofing and increased strength. However, the limited availability of linen yarn due to its low technological efficiency and high manual labor requirements necessitates the production of canvas exclusively from cotton fibers—sailcloth—followed by treatment with accessible water-repellent, fire-resistant, and other protective compositions. To this day, canvas remains one of the most effective materials for protecting moisture-sensitive agricultural products, raw cotton, and other materials that cannot tolerate synthetic additives. This issue is addressed by manufacturing sailcloth—dense fabric made entirely from raw cotton—and further waterproofing it. Imparting waterproof and rot-resistant properties through impregnation with specially formulated solutions allows for the creation of a unique and practical material. At the same time, there is a significant shortage of materials for highly effective waterproofing of canvas. This study presents the results of improving the waterproofing technology of cotton-based canvas using accessible and practical waterproofing materials—aqueous acrylic copolymer latexes. The physical and mechanical properties, including tensile strength, elongation at break, water resistance, and air permeability of the prepared samples, have been investigated.