Innovative Method for Demineralization of Cellulosic Substrates via Morpholinium Hydrogen Sulfate

Currently, replacement of hazardous chemical
treatments with environmentally-friendly alternatives
coupled with assimilation of different processes in one
step in order to save water and energy and prevent the
production of waste is one of the priorities of industries
that seek sustainable development and cleaner production.
Conventional demineralization of cotton fabric is mostly
carried out using mineral acids which are corrosive, toxic,
and above all, could cause fabric damage. In addition,
demineralization as a separate step requires a high rate of
water and energy consumption. This study examines the
possibility of simultaneous desizing and demineralization
using an acidic and nonvolatile ionic liquid. Evaluation of
different experimental conditions revealed that under proper
condition via morpholinium hydrogen sulfate, simultaneous
demineralization and starch desizing of the cellulosic
substrate could be carried out with a significant decrease in
the concentration of cationic metal ions like Fe2+, Cu2+, Mg2+,
Ca2+, and Zn2+ while the quality of desizing is at the same
range as conventional enzymatic hydrolysis (Tegewa: 8-9).
This new method did not show any negative effects on the
substrate tensile properties.