Neutral Cellulase Enzymes
Neutral cellulase does the same job as acid cellulase near neutral pH. It puts less strain on the shade of dyed goods and has a lower tendency to back-stain. Derin Kimya's neutral cellulase family holds four products.
When does neutral cellulase come ahead of acid cellulase?
Both enzymes cleave the β-1,4 bond in cellulose and take the surface fibre off. The difference is the pH window, and it changes the result in two places.
The first is dyed goods. An acid bath shifts the shade on some reactive dyes and mobilises loosely bound surface dye. Where the fibre removal is done after dyeing, the neutral range lowers that risk.
The second is back-staining. Dye stripped during washing stays more stable in the bath at neutral pH; in the acid range its tendency to redeposit rises. On mixed loads and dark shades that difference becomes measurable.
What does a neutral washing enzyme do?
Products in this family are used for both bio-polishing and washing. With the protruding surface fibres removed, the colour of the cloth reads cleaner, the handle softens and the onset of pilling is delayed. On made-up garments the same treatment is run to give a soft, washed handle.
The general working window quoted in the literature for the neutral cellulase class is pH 6.0–7.5 at moderate temperature. That is a class range, not a product specification. Derin Kimya's figures are given on each product page: pending from the client.
What is given up against acid cellulase?
Speed. Acid cellulase generally gives higher activity inside its own window, so the same weight loss is reached in less time. With neutral cellulase the same effect takes longer, or more product.
|
|
Acid cellulase |
Neutral cellulase |
|---|---|---|
|
Working range |
Acid |
Near neutral |
|
Risk on dyed goods |
Possible shade shift |
Lower |
|
Back-staining tendency |
Higher |
Lower |
|
Process speed |
Faster |
Slower |
|
pH control |
Needs a buffer |
Easy to hold on the machine |
The decision is made on the batch rather than on the table: acid cellulase for pale shades and pre-dyeing treatment, neutral cellulase for dark shades and post-dyeing treatment.
How is the treatment stopped?
Because the neutral window is wide, dropping the pH is not as practical a stop as it is with acid cellulase. Deactivation is normally done by taking the temperature above the denaturation threshold; raising the pH with alkali is also used.
Skip the stop and the abrasion continues through rinsing, which produces variation inside the batch: the first garment out of the machine is not the same as the last.
Product comparison
Comparison
| Product | Description | Activity | Working pH | Temperature | Dosage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DK SUPERNOTR 8N | Cellulase, neutral washing enzyme | awaiting data | awaiting data | awaiting data | awaiting data |
| DK SUPERNOTR 10N | Cellulase, neutral washing enzyme | awaiting data | awaiting data | awaiting data | awaiting data |
| DK SUPERWASH NTR 10 | Cellulase, neutral washing enzyme | awaiting data | awaiting data | awaiting data | awaiting data |
| DK SUPERWASH NTR 30 | Cellulase, neutral washing enzyme | awaiting data | awaiting data | awaiting data | awaiting data |
Products
- DK SUPERNOTR 8N
Cellulase working near neutral pH: it takes fuzz off dyed fabric with less strain on the shade than acid grades.
- DK SUPERNOTR 10N
Neutral cellulase that removes the shade risk of an acid treatment when dark colours need their surface cleaned.
- DK SUPERWASH NTR 10
Neutral washing enzyme for garment laundries: it cleans the surface of cellulosic goods and softens the handle.
- DK SUPERWASH NTR 30
High-activity neutral washing enzyme for garment laundries that need a short cycle and a more marked surface effect.
Common questions
Does neutral cellulase lighten dyed goods?
Some visual loss of depth can appear, because the surface hair being cut off is itself dyed. That is fibre removal, not dye stripping. The effect is more obvious on dark shades, so colour approval is given on a treated sample.
Can a softener go into the same bath?
No. A softener coats the fibre surface and keeps the enzyme from reaching its substrate, and cationic structures lower enzyme activity. The softener goes into a separate bath after the enzyme has been deactivated and rinsed off.
Is neutral cellulase the same product as a stone wash enzyme?
The chemical class is the same, the formulation target is not. Stone wash enzymes are tuned to remove indigo and build abrasion contrast on denim; neutral cellulase enzymes are formulated for fibre removal and handle on knits and wovens.
Other families in this category
Related applications
Guides on these products
Not finding what you need?
We develop custom formulations. Tell us your process, machine type and the result you are after, and the lab will set up a trial and send a sample.