EP0685013B1 - Wool and wool-blend fabric treatment - Google Patents

Wool and wool-blend fabric treatment Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0685013B1
EP0685013B1 EP94908205A EP94908205A EP0685013B1 EP 0685013 B1 EP0685013 B1 EP 0685013B1 EP 94908205 A EP94908205 A EP 94908205A EP 94908205 A EP94908205 A EP 94908205A EP 0685013 B1 EP0685013 B1 EP 0685013B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
fabric
wool
radiation
pilling
exposed
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP94908205A
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German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
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EP0685013A1 (en
EP0685013A4 (zh
Inventor
Keith Reginald Millington
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization CSIRO
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Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization CSIRO
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Publication of EP0685013A1 publication Critical patent/EP0685013A1/en
Publication of EP0685013A4 publication Critical patent/EP0685013A4/en
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    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06M—TREATMENT, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE IN CLASS D06, OF FIBRES, THREADS, YARNS, FABRICS, FEATHERS OR FIBROUS GOODS MADE FROM SUCH MATERIALS
    • D06M11/00—Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, with inorganic substances or complexes thereof; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment, e.g. mercerising
    • D06M11/32—Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, with inorganic substances or complexes thereof; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment, e.g. mercerising with oxygen, ozone, ozonides, oxides, hydroxides or percompounds; Salts derived from anions with an amphoteric element-oxygen bond
    • D06M11/50—Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, with inorganic substances or complexes thereof; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment, e.g. mercerising with oxygen, ozone, ozonides, oxides, hydroxides or percompounds; Salts derived from anions with an amphoteric element-oxygen bond with hydrogen peroxide or peroxides of metals; with persulfuric, permanganic, pernitric, percarbonic acids or their salts
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06L—DRY-CLEANING, WASHING OR BLEACHING FIBRES, FILAMENTS, THREADS, YARNS, FABRICS, FEATHERS OR MADE-UP FIBROUS GOODS; BLEACHING LEATHER OR FURS
    • D06L4/00—Bleaching fibres, filaments, threads, yarns, fabrics, feathers or made-up fibrous goods; Bleaching leather or furs
    • D06L4/10—Bleaching fibres, filaments, threads, yarns, fabrics, feathers or made-up fibrous goods; Bleaching leather or furs using agents which develop oxygen
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06L—DRY-CLEANING, WASHING OR BLEACHING FIBRES, FILAMENTS, THREADS, YARNS, FABRICS, FEATHERS OR MADE-UP FIBROUS GOODS; BLEACHING LEATHER OR FURS
    • D06L4/00—Bleaching fibres, filaments, threads, yarns, fabrics, feathers or made-up fibrous goods; Bleaching leather or furs
    • D06L4/50—Bleaching fibres, filaments, threads, yarns, fabrics, feathers or made-up fibrous goods; Bleaching leather or furs by irradiation or ozonisation
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06M—TREATMENT, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE IN CLASS D06, OF FIBRES, THREADS, YARNS, FABRICS, FEATHERS OR FIBROUS GOODS MADE FROM SUCH MATERIALS
    • D06M10/00—Physical treatment of fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics, or fibrous goods made from such materials, e.g. ultrasonic, corona discharge, irradiation, electric currents, or magnetic fields; Physical treatment combined with treatment with chemical compounds or elements
    • D06M10/001—Treatment with visible light, infrared or ultraviolet, X-rays
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06M—TREATMENT, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE IN CLASS D06, OF FIBRES, THREADS, YARNS, FABRICS, FEATHERS OR FIBROUS GOODS MADE FROM SUCH MATERIALS
    • D06M10/00—Physical treatment of fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics, or fibrous goods made from such materials, e.g. ultrasonic, corona discharge, irradiation, electric currents, or magnetic fields; Physical treatment combined with treatment with chemical compounds or elements
    • D06M10/04—Physical treatment combined with treatment with chemical compounds or elements
    • D06M10/06—Inorganic compounds or elements

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to wool and wool blend fabric treatments and in particular to novel methods of treating such fabrics to give good colour yields when printed and/or to reduce pilling.
  • Wool and wool-blend fabrics have been processed and treated for many years to improve and/or enhance a wide range of characteristics.
  • the pre-treatment of fabrics, such as wool, before printing is essential to achieve good colour yields, levelness and brightness.
  • a range of processes and treatments have been proposed to reduce or eliminate pilling.
  • DCCA Dichloroisocyanuric acid
  • the batch method involves chlorination with 3-4% DCCA on mass of fibre (omf), at pH 3.5-4.5 and a temperature of 20-40°C for about 1 hour, followed by an antichlor aftertreatment with sodium bisulphite and acetic acid.
  • the continuous process involves padding DCCA (35-50 gl -1 ), followed by a dwell time of 2-5 minutes before rinsing and an antichlor treatment similar to the batch process.
  • DCCA Chlorine reacts with water to give a mixture of hypochlorous and hydrochloric acids, which is sprayed directly onto the fabric with a wetting agent.
  • the reaction is more rapid than DCCA, but a rinsing and antichlor treatment are still necessary. Processing speeds of 10-15 m min -1 at a chlorine dose rate of 4% omf are typical and give similar performance to fabrics treated with 4% DCCA.
  • Typical problems with fabric chlorination include: yellowing, achieving an even application, and fibre damage. It is also very often necessary to bleach chlorine-treated fabrics, usually with hydrogen peroxide, to remove yellowness before printing. However, it is the environmental pressure on processes involving chlorine, particularly when absorbable organohalogens (AOX) are present in the plant effluent, which is leading to the replacement of chlorination by alternative technologies.
  • AOX absorbable organohalogens
  • Hercosett 125 (trade name)
  • This polymer is applied to wool top after a prechlorination stage. Fabrics produced from treated top have an increased affinity for anionic dyes. The further mechanical processing which occurs during gilling, spinning and weaving results in a level preparation. However the colour yields tend to be lower since less chlorine is used. Further, care must be taken in washing off since treated wool has a high affinity for loose anionic dyes.
  • This polymer may be applied to a fabric without the need for a prechlorination step.
  • the treatment of fabrics with this polymer prior to printing- provides the fabric with a high affinity for hydrophobic dyes.
  • the lack of a chlorination step reduces the penetration of printing paste into the fibres, and control over the steaming conditions is critical. This method has been used to print wool/cotton blends, but not pure wool fabrics to date.
  • Pilling is a term used to describe the formation of small, tight balls of fibre on a fabric surface. Pilling is highly detrimental to garments, resulting in a worn and unkempt appearance, and is a particular problem for knitwear.
  • the pilling process is complex but can be described as four successive stages:
  • Applicant has now surprisingly found that the combination of subjecting a fabric to UV radiation followed by oxidative bleaching provides a synergistic mechanism to effectively increase the ability of the fabric to give good colour yield when printed and reduce the likelihood of pilling.
  • U.K. Patent 811702 describes the use of ultraviolet radiation for modifying the rate of dye uptake of wool fabrics. This increases the colour yields of exposed fabric, depending on the nature of the dye used.
  • This document also discloses that in the interest of shortening the period of irradiation it is advantageous to pre-treat the fabric with an oxidising agent.
  • this document does not describe or suggest the possible application of irradiation to fabric printing, or the method of oxidative bleaching of the fabric after subjecting the fabric to irradiation.
  • the U.K. patent stresses the use of an oxidising agent as a pre-treatment step in order to shorten the period of irradiation rather than as an essential, discrete step in a synergistic process to increase the affinity of the fabric to dyes.
  • the present invention provides a method of modifying the surface of a wool or wool-blend fabric which comprises the successive steps of:
  • the fabric may be irradiated by ultraviolet light from any suitable source.
  • the fabric is subjected to ultraviolet radiation in the preferred range of 400-180 nm. More preferably the fabric is subjected to short-wavelength UV radiation (UV-C) having a wavelength of 280-200 nm and yet even more preferably having a wavelength near the absorption maximum of the disulphide bonds in wool (approximately 254 nm).
  • UV-C short-wavelength UV radiation
  • the UV radiation may be provided by any suitable source.
  • the source selected will depend on the intensity and wavelength of irradiation to be used in the method.
  • Preferred sources of radiation for ultraviolet radiation include low; medium-and high-pressure mercury arcs, and xenon discharge tubes.
  • a low-pressure mercury arc, producing 85% of emitted UV at 254 nm, may be used.
  • the length of time for which the fabric is irradiated will depend upon the intensity and wavelength characteristics of the radiation source and the desired result. Depending on the source of radiation, the length of time required may range from a few seconds to 2 hours. For example, with a low intensity UV source, such as a low pressure mercury arc, irradiation times of 30-50 minutes may be required. With a suitable medium or high-pressure mercury arc of high UV intensity (typically 120W cm -1 ), irradiation times of a few seconds may be sufficient. Using a suitable elliptical or parabolic reflector to focus the UV radiation from a tube into a narrow strip or parallel beam allows fabric to be treated continuously, and this is clearly the most suitable commercial method for exposing large pieces of fabric. Alternatively a continuous irradiation process could be used to treat individual garments or lengths of fabrics for dyeing.
  • the colour of the wool or wool-blend fabrics change from pale cream to pale olive-green, and this colour changes over an hour or so in room air to a pale yellow.
  • Measurement by any conventional method of the yellowness of fabrics irradiated with UV-C after standing for 24 hours can be used to assess the degree of surface modification.
  • the fabric may be oxidised by any suitable treatment.
  • it may be oxidised by using any suitable oxidant such as hydrogen peroxide or permonsulphuric acid (PMS).
  • the fabric is bleached using hydrogen peroxide.
  • hydrogen peroxide Preferably a solution of approximately 0.75% w/w hydrogen peroxide having a pH in the range 8-9 is used.
  • the time period required for bleaching will be dependent upon the type of fabric and oxidant used and the desired result.
  • the oxidant may be stabilised by any suitable stabiliser. For example, if a hydrogen peroxide solution is used then this may be stabilised by a tetrasodium pyrophosphate.
  • UV-irradiated fabric can be stored for several months before bleaching without any reduction in colour yields or anti-pilling properties.
  • a fully continuous process using a more rapid oxidant such as PMS may be used. It is also possible to undertake continuous bleaching by use of hydrogen peroxide pad/steam methods.
  • tone-in-tone designs from a compouter to a wool fabric.
  • a complex design or caption can be cut into a thin adhesive PVC film which is opaque to UV radiation.
  • the design is transferred either directly onto the wool fabric or onto a clear polyethylene or polypropylene film (which is transparent to UV down to 220 nm). After exposing the fabric to UV and bleaching, the design can be developed by overprinting a large area with a suitable dye paste.
  • Pieces of scoured undyed shirting fabric were exposed to short wavelength UV using a low pressure mercury arc (30W) for periods ranging from 2-30 minutes by wrapping the fabrics around the UV tube.
  • the fabrics were then bleached for one hour at 60°C using 0.75% w/w hydrogen peroxide solution stabilised by tetrasodium pyrophosphate (0.6% w/w) at pH 8-8.5.
  • the fabric was printed using pastes of the following composition: Indalca PA3, 10% stock solution 50% dye (e.g. Lanaset Blue 2R) 2% water 38% urea 10%
  • Print pastes were prepared using Lanasol Black 5055, Lanasol Scarlet 3G and Drimarene Turquoise R-BLD dyes.
  • Test strips were printed using a Johannes Zimmer Sample Printing Machine Type MDK, using two passes of a magnetic squeegee bar.
  • the colour yield of UV-treated/peroxide-bleached fabric was significantly higher than that of unirradiated fabric.
  • the colour yields increased with irradiation time as shown in Figure 1, and in all cases exceeded those for fabric treated with 4% dichloroisocyanuric acid (DCCA) after 30 minutes irradiation.
  • DCCA dichloroisocyanuric acid
  • a piece fine glass fibre mesh was placed between a low pressure mercury arc and a sample of ecru shirting fabric. The sample was exposed to UV for 40 minutes, followed by peroxide bleaching as described in Example 1. The mesh design was not visible after bleaching, but after printing with Lanasol Black 5055, a fine-detailed black/grey tone-in-tone effect was observed.
  • Scoured ecru wool fabric sampler were placed on a conveyor system and passed below a medium pressure mercury arc the UV radiation from which was focused at the fabric surface using an elliptical reflector.
  • the conveyor speed was varied from 2 to 15 metres per minute, and a single UV source having a power of 120W/cm was used.
  • Samples were given up to three passes under the UV source over a range of conveyor speeds, to simulate a machine having a series of UV tubes.
  • the fabrics were then bleached, printed with Lanasol Black 5055 and steamed as per Example 1, and the colour yields measured.
  • the colour yields of UV-exposed/bleached fabric varied with conveyor speed as shown in Figure 2.
  • a company logo was generated using computer graphic arts software and the design was cut into a thin black adhesive PVC film.
  • the design was affixed to a sheet of polyethylene film held taut on an aluminium frame.
  • the frame was held firmly over a piece of wool challis fabric and a bank of low-pressure mercury arcs was positioned over the frame.
  • the frame and fabric were exposed to UV for 40 minutes.
  • the fabric was removed and bleached as described in Example 1.
  • the entire area of the logo was printed with Drimarene Turquoise R-BLD paste, and the print was dried, steamed and washed off normally. Irradiated areas of the printed logo were far more intensely coloured than unexposed areas, and a high-quality tone-in-tone print was obtained.
  • Pilling performance was measured using an Atlas Random Tumble Pilling Tester (RTPT) using the standard procedure (ASTM D3512-82), with number of pills counted at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 60 minute intervals.
  • Figure 3 shows the variation in the mean number of pills per sample throughout the pilling test. It is clear that only those samples treated with UV/peroxide bleaching show excellent anti-pilling performance.
  • Figure 4 shows the variation of the mean number of pills observed for samples in each group with tumbling time. Clearly the extent of UV irradiation has a dramatic effect on the degree of pilling observed; zero pilling was found throughout the pilling test for all samples irradiated with UV for 50 minutes.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Toxicology (AREA)
  • Coloring (AREA)
  • Chemical Or Physical Treatment Of Fibers (AREA)
  • Treatments For Attaching Organic Compounds To Fibrous Goods (AREA)
  • Treatments Of Macromolecular Shaped Articles (AREA)
  • Woven Fabrics (AREA)
EP94908205A 1993-02-16 1994-02-15 Wool and wool-blend fabric treatment Expired - Lifetime EP0685013B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AUPL7282/93 1993-02-16
AUPL728293 1993-02-16
PCT/AU1994/000066 WO1994019526A1 (en) 1993-02-16 1994-02-15 Wool and wool-blend fabric treatment

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0685013A1 EP0685013A1 (en) 1995-12-06
EP0685013A4 EP0685013A4 (zh) 1996-01-17
EP0685013B1 true EP0685013B1 (en) 1997-09-17

Family

ID=3776711

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP94908205A Expired - Lifetime EP0685013B1 (en) 1993-02-16 1994-02-15 Wool and wool-blend fabric treatment

Country Status (11)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0685013B1 (zh)
JP (1) JPH08506632A (zh)
CN (1) CN1074800C (zh)
AT (1) ATE158354T1 (zh)
CA (1) CA2156178A1 (zh)
DE (1) DE69405717T2 (zh)
ES (1) ES2109678T3 (zh)
IN (1) IN184221B (zh)
NZ (1) NZ262060A (zh)
TW (1) TW288066B (zh)
WO (1) WO1994019526A1 (zh)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB9923280D0 (en) 1999-10-01 1999-12-08 Unilever Plc Fabric care composition
AUPQ544900A0 (en) * 2000-02-04 2000-02-24 Commonwealth Scientific And Industrial Research Organisation Treatment of cellulosic material
JP4500927B2 (ja) * 2004-03-24 2010-07-14 独立行政法人産業技術総合研究所 繊維構造物の漂白方法
ES2638843B1 (es) * 2016-04-22 2018-09-11 Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya Procedimiento de decoloración superficial de tejidos naturales y sintéticos, especialmente tipo denim, mediante radiaciones ultravioleta y un oxidante ecológico

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB727771A (en) * 1952-10-09 1955-04-06 Hermann Loosli A method of bleaching textile materials with ozone
GB811702A (en) * 1954-07-08 1959-04-08 Harrison & Company Finishers L Improvements in or relating to the dyeing of textile material of wool or hair
GB1408144A (en) * 1972-06-02 1975-10-01 Procter & Gamble Ltd Bleaching process
DE3610694A1 (de) * 1986-03-29 1987-10-01 Hannes Marker Vorrichtung zur loesbaren befestigung eines gabelbaumes am mast eines segelsurfers
DE3619694A1 (de) * 1986-06-11 1987-12-17 Suppan Friedrich Verfahren und vorrichtung zur erzeugung funktioneller atomgruppierungen in makromolekularen stoffen
JPH03130463A (ja) * 1989-10-12 1991-06-04 Toyobo Co Ltd 繊維製品の精練方法
NZ237321A (en) * 1991-03-05 1994-12-22 Wool Res Organisation Bleaching process for natural fibres using electromagnetic radiation and alkaline peroxide oxidant

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO1994019526A1 (en) 1994-09-01
IN184221B (zh) 2000-07-08
ATE158354T1 (de) 1997-10-15
CN1074800C (zh) 2001-11-14
DE69405717T2 (de) 1998-02-26
CA2156178A1 (en) 1994-09-01
TW288066B (zh) 1996-10-11
DE69405717D1 (de) 1997-10-23
EP0685013A1 (en) 1995-12-06
EP0685013A4 (zh) 1996-01-17
CN1117745A (zh) 1996-02-28
NZ262060A (en) 1996-06-25
ES2109678T3 (es) 1998-01-16
JPH08506632A (ja) 1996-07-16

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