Assessing the quality of raw cotton knitted fabrics by their streaming potential coefficients

Raw cotton knitted fabrics of Greek, Indonesian, and Indian origin were investigated through surface characterization before and after processing. Surface modifications of all the knitted cotton fabrics were objectively evaluated through zeta potential measurements within a range of the electrolyte solution pHs, and swelling over time. Streaming potential coefficients of different cotton knitted fabrics were applied in order to establish a correlation between the properties of the raw and treated cotton knitted fabrics of different origins. The rate of swelling was calculated from the streaming potential coefficients of the raw knitted fabrics before and after different treatments. Swelling rate for different origins and different treatments of cotton knitted fabrics and the correlation coefficients were obtained using linear regression. Additionally, a data cluster analysis was performed in order to group different origins of cotton, while all the treatments were sorted according to zeta potential and the rate of swelling coefficients. The obtained results showed differences among the clusters, depending on the origin of the cotton knitted fabrics and treatments they were exposed to.