EP1268920A2 - Procedes de reduction du temps de sechage de textiles et textiles ayant des proprietes ameliorees - Google Patents

Procedes de reduction du temps de sechage de textiles et textiles ayant des proprietes ameliorees

Info

Publication number
EP1268920A2
EP1268920A2 EP01922880A EP01922880A EP1268920A2 EP 1268920 A2 EP1268920 A2 EP 1268920A2 EP 01922880 A EP01922880 A EP 01922880A EP 01922880 A EP01922880 A EP 01922880A EP 1268920 A2 EP1268920 A2 EP 1268920A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
fabric
formaldehyde
fabrics
fibers
time
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP01922880A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Michelle Frances Mellea
George L. American Laundry Machine Inc. PAYET
George Louis Strike
Lori Joanne Walker
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.)
Strike Investments LLC
Original Assignee
Procter and Gamble Co
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Procter and Gamble Co filed Critical Procter and Gamble Co
Publication of EP1268920A2 publication Critical patent/EP1268920A2/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • 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
    • D06M15/00—Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics, or fibrous goods made from such materials, with macromolecular compounds; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment
    • D06M15/19—Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics, or fibrous goods made from such materials, with macromolecular compounds; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment with synthetic macromolecular compounds
    • D06M15/37—Macromolecular compounds obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
    • D06M15/643—Macromolecular compounds obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds containing silicon in the main chain
    • 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
    • D06M13/00—Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, with non-macromolecular organic compounds; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment
    • D06M13/10—Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, with non-macromolecular organic compounds; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment with compounds containing oxygen
    • D06M13/12—Aldehydes; Ketones
    • D06M13/127—Mono-aldehydes, e.g. formaldehyde; Monoketones
    • 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
    • D06M2101/00—Chemical constitution of the fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, to be treated
    • D06M2101/02—Natural fibres, other than mineral fibres
    • D06M2101/04—Vegetal fibres
    • D06M2101/06—Vegetal fibres cellulosic
    • 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
    • D06M2200/00—Functionality of the treatment composition and/or properties imparted to the textile material
    • D06M2200/20—Treatment influencing the crease behaviour, the wrinkle resistance, the crease recovery or the ironing ease
    • 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
    • D06M2200/00—Functionality of the treatment composition and/or properties imparted to the textile material
    • D06M2200/45—Shrinking resistance, anti-felting properties
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T442/00—Fabric [woven, knitted, or nonwoven textile or cloth, etc.]
    • Y10T442/60—Nonwoven fabric [i.e., nonwoven strand or fiber material]
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T442/00—Fabric [woven, knitted, or nonwoven textile or cloth, etc.]
    • Y10T442/60—Nonwoven fabric [i.e., nonwoven strand or fiber material]
    • Y10T442/643—Including parallel strand or fiber material within the nonwoven fabric
    • Y10T442/646—Parallel strand or fiber material is naturally occurring [e.g., cotton, wool, etc.]
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T442/00—Fabric [woven, knitted, or nonwoven textile or cloth, etc.]
    • Y10T442/60—Nonwoven fabric [i.e., nonwoven strand or fiber material]
    • Y10T442/696—Including strand or fiber material which is stated to have specific attributes [e.g., heat or fire resistance, chemical or solvent resistance, high absorption for aqueous compositions, water solubility, heat shrinkability, etc.]

Definitions

  • This invention relates to methods for reducing the drying time of fabrics, particularly fabrics containing natural fibers such as cotton, rayon and the like, and, in further embodiments, to methods for reducing the drying time of fabrics while providing the fabrics with good water absorbency, durable press and/or shrinkage resistance.
  • This invention also relates to natural fabrics which exhibit reduced drying time, and, in further embodiments, to natural fabrics which exhibit reduced drying time in combination with good water absorbency, good durable press properties and/or shrinkage resistance.
  • aminoplast resins may release additional formaldehyde when stored under humid conditions.
  • Aminoplast resins may also hydrolyze during washing procedures, resulting in a loss of the durable press performance.
  • aminoplast resins tend to give fabric a harsher handle, that is, make the fabric feel less soft. As the resins make the fabric feel less soft, the fabric must be treated with additional softeners. Unfortunately, the softeners tend to make fabric hydrophobic although it is often preferred that the fabric have hydrophilic properties for consumer comfort.
  • Cellulosic fibers have also been cross-linked with formaldehyde to impart durable press properties.
  • the Payet U.S. Patents Nos. 3,960,482, 3,960,483, 4,067,688 and 4,104,022 disclose durable press processes which comprise impregnating a cellulosic fiber-containing fabric with an aqueous solution comprising a catalyst, and, while the fabric has a moisture content of above 20% by weight, exposing the fabric to formaldehyde vapors and curing under conditions at which formaldehyde reacts with the cellulose.
  • 4,108,598 discloses a process which comprises treating cellulosic fiber-containing fabrics with an aqueous solution of formaldehyde and a catalyst, heat curing the treated fabric by introducing the fabric into a heating zone, and gradually increasing the temperature of the heating zone, thereby increasing the temperature of the heated fabric to prevent the loss of an amount of formaldehyde which will reduce the overall extent of curing.
  • the Payet U.S. Patent No. 5,885,303 also discloses a durable press process for cellulosic fiber-containing fabrics.
  • the process comprises treating the fabric with an aqueous solution of formaldehyde, a catalyst capable of catalyzing the cross-linking reaction between formaldehyde and cellulose, and an effective amount of a silicone elastomer to reduce loss in tear strength in the treated fabric.
  • Formaldehyde is generally less expensive than aminoplast resins, and formaldehyde treatment of cellulosic fabrics typically results in durable press properties which are more durable than those obtained by aminoplast resins.
  • the copending Payet application Serial No. 09/163,319 discloses processes for providing rayon fabrics with durable press properties wherein a rayon fiber-containing fabric is treated with an aqueous mixture containing a high concentration of formaldehyde and a catalyst capable of catalyzing the cross-linking reaction between formaldehyde and the rayon, and the treated fabric is heat cured.
  • the fabric may be washed or laundered in an aqueous system and does not shrink substantially on aqueous washing.
  • a silicone elastomer may be employed to reduce loss in tear and tensile strength in the treated fabric.
  • An important feature of cellulose fabrics, both cotton and rayon particularly, is that they are naturally hydrophilic, and therefore absorb moisture.
  • garments made of fabrics which are hydrophilic are more comfortable for wear and therefore are preferred by consumers over garments which are formed of hydrophobic, non-moisture absorbing fabrics.
  • many conventional resin-based fabric treatments for improving durable press and/or for reducing shrinkage of cellulose fabrics, and particularly for cotton and rayon fabrics also require the use of silicone softeners which inhibit the natural water absorbency of the cellulose fibers and render the fabrics hydrophobic.
  • Such fabrics are therefore not preferred for garment use owing to their reduced ability or substantial inability to absorb moisture.
  • many hydrophilic fabrics retain water and are difficult to dry. Such fabrics typically require a greater amount of energy to thoroughly dry, resulting in increased care costs to consumers and to industries which perform large scale garment washing, for example the rental uniform industry.
  • the invention is directed to methods for reducing the drying time of fabric, which methods comprise treating the fabric with a treatment composition comprising formaldehyde, catalyst for crosslinking the formaldehyde with natural fibers in the fabric, and silicone elastomer or a precursor thereof, and heating the treated fabric to effect crosslinking of the formaldehyde.
  • the invention is directed to methods for reducing the drying time of fabric while providing the fabric with good water absorbency and durable press properties, which methods comprise treating the fabric with a treatment composition comprising formaldehyde, catalyst for crosslinking the formaldehyde with natural fibers in the fabric, and silicone elastomer or a precursor thereof, and heating the treated fabric to effect crosslinking of the formaldehyde.
  • the invention is directed to methods for reducing the drying time of fabric while providing the fabric with good water absorbency and shrinkage resistance properties, which methods comprise treating the fabric with a treatment composition comprising formaldehyde, catalyst for crosslinking the formaldehyde with natural fibers in the fabric, and silicone elastomer or a precursor thereof, and heating the treated fabric to effect crosslinking of the formaldehyde.
  • the invention is directed to fabrics comprising natural fibers, having a crosslinked formaldehyde treatment and being provided with a silicone elastomer, wherein the fabric exhibits a reduced drying time and does not comprise 100% cotton, and to fabrics comprising rayon fibers and exhibiting a reduced drying time.
  • the methods of the invention are advantageous in providing fabrics which exhibit reduced drying time, particularly in combination with other desirable properties, for example good water absorbency, durable press properties and/or shrinkage reduction.
  • the present invention is directed to methods for providing fabrics, particularly fabrics comprising natural fibers, with reduced drying time.
  • reduced drying time means a reduction in the ability to retain water and, therefore, a reduction in the time required to dry a sample of a particular fabric as compared with an untreated sample of the fabric and/or as compared with a conventional aminoplast resin-treated sample of the fabric.
  • An untreated sample of the fabric refers to a sample of the fabric which does not have any chemical finishing treatment thereon.
  • the methods of the invention provide fabrics with drying times which are from about 30% to about 55% less than the drying times of untreated fabric.
  • the methods of the invention provide fabrics with drying times which are from about 10% to about 45% less than the drying times of conventional aminoplast resin-treated fabric.
  • the invention is directed to methods for providing fabrics, particularly fabrics comprising natural fibers, with reduced drying time in combination with one or more of good water absorbency, good durable press properties and/or shrinkage resistance.
  • This invention also relates to fabrics which have reduced drying time, particularly in combination with one or more of good water absorbency, good durable press and/or shrinkage resistance, and which can be subjected to aqueous laundering.
  • a fabric's ability to retain water refers to the total amount of water which is absorbed by the fabric, i.e., the load, and which must be removed to dry the fabric.
  • the reduction in a fabric's drying time is a result of a reduction in the amount of water the fabric absorbs.
  • This reduction in the amount of water which the fabric absorbs is to be contrasted with the rate at which a fabric will absorb surface water.
  • the rate at which a fabric absorbs surface water is a measure of its hydrophilic/hydrophobic qualities, with high absorption rates indicating hydrophilic fabric and low absortion rates indicating hydrophobic fabric.
  • the methods of the present invention provide fabrics with reduced drying time, for example as a result of reduced water retention, while maintaining or providing good hydrophilic characteristics, i.e., high rates of water absorbency.
  • the fabrics employed in the present invention preferably comprise natural fibers.
  • individual fiber refers to a short and/or thin filament, such as short filaments of cotton as obtained from the cotton boll, short filaments of wool as sheared from the sheep, filaments of cellulose or rayon, or the thin filaments of silk obtained from a silkworm cocoon.
  • fibers is intended to include filaments in any form, including individual filaments, and the filaments present in formed yams, fabrics and garments.
  • yam refers to a product obtained when fibers are aligned. Yams are products of substantial length and relatively small cross-section. Yams may be single ply yams, that is having one yam strand, or multiple ply yams, such as 2-ply yam which comprises two single yams twisted together or 3-ply yam which comprises three yam strands twisted together.
  • fabrics generally refer to knitted fabrics, woven fabrics, or non-woven fabrics prepared from yams or individual fibers, while “garments” generally refer to wearable articles comprising fabrics, including, but not limited to, shirts, blouses, dresses, pants, sweaters and coats.
  • Non-woven fabrics include fabrics such as felt and are composed of a web or batt of fibers bonded by the application of heat and/or pressure and/or entanglement.
  • “Textiles” includes fabrics, yams, and articles comprising fabrics and/or yams, such as garments, home goods, including, but not limited to, bed and table linens, draperies and curtains, and upholsteries, and the like.
  • natural fibers refer to fibers which are obtained from natural sources, such as cellulosic fibers and protein fibers, or which are formed by the regeneration of or processing of natural occurring fibers and/or products. Natural fibers are not intended to include fibers formed from petroleum products.
  • Natural fibers include fibers formed from cellulose, such as cotton fiber and regenerated cellulose fiber, commonly referred to as rayon, or acetate fiber derived by reacting cellulose with acetic acid and acetic anhydride in the presence of sulfuric acid.
  • natural fibers are intended to include natural fibers in any form, including individual filaments, and fibers present in yams, fabrics and other textiles, while “individual natural fibers” is intended to refer to individual natural filaments.
  • “cellulosic fibers” are intended to refer to fibers comprising cellulose, and include, but are not limited to, cotton, linen, flax, rayon, cellulose acetate, cellulose triacetate, hemp and ramie fibers.
  • Rayon fibers is intended to include, but is not limited to, fibers comprising viscose rayon, high wet modulus rayon, cuprammonium rayon, saponified rayon, modal rayon and lyocell rayon.
  • Protein fibers are intended to refer to fibers comprising proteins, and include, but are not limited to, wools, such as sheep wool, alpaca, vicuna, mohair, cashmere, guanaco, camel and llama, as well as furs, suedes, and silks.
  • synthetic fibers refer to those fibers which are not prepared from naturally occurring filaments and include, but are not limited to, fibers formed of synthetic materials such as polyesters, polyamides such as nylons, polyacrylics, and polyurethanes such as spandex. Synthetic fibers include fibers formed from petroleum products.
  • Fabrics for use in the present invention preferably comprise natural fibers, which natural fibers may be included in any form, including, but not limited to, in the form of individual fibers (for example in nonwoven fabrics), or in the form of yams comprising natural fibers, woven or knitted to provide the fabrics. Additionally, the fabrics may be in the form of garments or other textiles comprising natural fibers. The fabrics may further comprise synthetic fibers. Preferably, the fabrics comprise at least about 20% natural fibers. In one embodiment, the fabrics comprise at least about 50% natural fibers such as cotton fibers, rayon fibers or the like. In another embodiment, the fabrics comprise at least about 80% natural fibers such as cotton fibers, rayon fibers or the like, and in a further embodiment, the fibers comprise 100% natural fibers. Fabrics comprising cellulose fibers such as cotton and/or rayon are preferred for use in the present invention.
  • the fabric is typically treated with a treatment composition comprising formaldehyde, a catalyst and a silicone elastomer or precursor thereof, followed by drying and/or curing of the treated fabric.
  • a treatment composition comprising formaldehyde, a catalyst and a silicone elastomer or precursor thereof, followed by drying and/or curing of the treated fabric.
  • Formaldehyde is generally available in an aqueous solution, referred to as formalin, comprising water, about 37% by weight formaldehyde, and generally about 10% to 15% by weight methanol.
  • the amount of formaldehyde in the treatment composition is preferably sufficient to impart a durable press property and/or shrinkage resistance to the fabric.
  • the fabric is treated with at least about 3% by weight formalin, and preferably with from about 3% to about 35% by weight formalin, based on the weight of the fabric.
  • the fabric comprises cotton fibers
  • the fabric is treated with about 3% to about 8% formalin, based on the weight of the fabric.
  • the fabric comprises rayon fibers
  • the fabric is treated with from about 10% to about 20% by weight formalin, based on the weight of the fabric.
  • the fabric comprises a 50/50 blend of rayon and polyester fibers
  • the fabric is treated with from about 5% to about 10%, more preferably about 8%, by weight formalin, based on the weight of the fabric.
  • formalin refers to an aqueous solution comprising 37%, by weight, formaldehyde.
  • formaldehyde solutions comprising levels of formaldehyde other than 37%, by weight, may also be used.
  • the fabric is treated with actual formaldehyde, as opposed to formalin, at a level of from about 1% to about 13%, preferably from about 1% to about 12%, based on the weight of the fabric.
  • the fabric comprises cotton fibers
  • the fabric is treated with about 1% to about 3% formaldehyde, as opposed to formalin, based on the weight of the fabric.
  • the fabric comprises rayon fibers
  • the fabric is treated with from about 4% to about 8% by weight formaldehyde, as opposed to formalin, based on the weight of the fabric.
  • the fabric comprises a 50/50 blend of rayon and polyester fibers
  • the fabric is treated with from about 2% to about 4%, preferably about 3%, by weight formaldehyde, as opposed to formalin, based on the weight of the fabric.
  • Suitable catalysts are those capable of catalyzing a cross-linking reaction between formaldehyde and a natural fiber, and preferably are catalysts capable of catalyzing the cross-linking of formaldehyde with a natural fiber comprising hydroxy groups, such as cellulosic fibers.
  • Catalysts which may be used include mineral acids, organic acids, salts of strong acids, ammonium salts, alkylamine salts, metallic salts and combinations thereof.
  • the catalyst is other than a mineral acid.
  • Suitable mineral acid catalysts include hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid and boric acid.
  • Suitable organic acids include oxalic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, malic acid, glycolic acid, methoxyacetic acid, chloroacetic acid, lactic acid, 3-hydroxybutyric acid, methane sulfonic acid, ethane sulfonic acid, hydroxymethane sulfonic acid, benzene sulfonic acid, p-toluene sulfonic acid, cyclopentane tetracarboxylic acid, butane tetracarboxylic acid, tetrahydrofuran-tetracarboxylic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid.
  • Suitable salts of strong acids include sodium bisulfate, sodium dihydrogen phosphate and disodium hydrogen phosphate.
  • Suitable ammonium salts include ammonium chloride, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium bisulfate, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate and diammonium hydrogen phosphate.
  • Suitable alkanolamine salts include the hydrochloride, nitrate, sulfate, phosphate and sulfamate salts of 2-amino-2-methyl-l-propanol, tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane and 2-amino-2-ethyl-l-3-propanediol.
  • Suitable metal salts include aluminum chlorohydroxide, aluminum chloride, aluminum nitrate, aluminum sulfate, magnesium chloride, magnesium nitrate, magnesium sulfate, zinc chloride, zinc nitrate and zinc sulfate, and mixtures thereof.
  • the catalyst is a halide or nitrate salt of zinc or magnesium, and preferably the catalyst is magnesium chloride.
  • An organic acid such as citric acid, may be used in combination with the halide or nitrate salt of zinc or magnesium.
  • the molar ratio of metal salt to organic acid is from about 5:1 to about 20:1.
  • the catalyst comprises magnesium chloride and citric acid, while in another embodiment the catalyst comprises magnesium chloride and aluminum chloride.
  • the fabric is typically treated with an amount of catalyst sufficient to catalyze cross-linking of the natural fibers by the formaldehyde.
  • the catalyst may be employed in an amount sufficient to provide a formaldehyde atalyst weight ratio of from about 10:1 to about 1 : 10, and preferably from about 5: 1 to about 1 :5.
  • the formaldehyde treatment composition may comprise, by weight, up to about 12% of a catalyst solution, and preferably from about 1% to about 9% of a catalyst solution.
  • the catalyst solution comprises from about 20% to about 50%, by weight catalyst.
  • the treatment solution comprises from about 2 to about 4% by weight of a catalyst solution comprising about 30% by weight catalyst, and in another embodiment, for example wherein the fabric comprises rayon fibers, the treatment solution comprises from about 6% to about 8% by weight of a catalyst solution comprising about 30% by weight catalyst.
  • the catalyst solution comprises about 40%, by weight, magnesium chloride, for a final magnesium chloride level of up to about 5%, by weight of the treatment solution.
  • Suitable catalyst solutions include FREECAT® LF (magnesium chloride and citric acid) and FREECAT® No. 9 (aluminum chloride and magnesium chloride), commercially available from B. F. Goodrich.
  • the formaldehyde treatment composition typically comprises a liquid carrier, preferably water, although, as noted above, the formalin used to prepare the treatment composition may comprise small amounts of organic solvents such as methanol or the like. In one embodiment, the treatment composition is free of any organic solvents other than that present in the formalin or the catalyst solution. In another embodiment, the carrier may comprise pentamethylcyclosiloxane.
  • a silicone elastomer or precursor thereof is included in the formaldehyde-containing treatment composition with which the fabric is treated.
  • the formaldehyde treatment composition comprises formaldehyde, catalyst and silicone elastomer or a precursor thereof. It has been surprisingly discovered that the combination of a silicone elastomer or precursor thereof and the formaldehyde-containing treatment composition provides the fabric with reduced ability to retain water and therefore with reduced drying times. The reduced drying times may also be provided in combination with one or more of good water absorbency, good durable press and/or shrinkage resistance properties. This is surprising in that many conventional treatments which improve one of these properties actually degrade other of these desirable properties.
  • the methods and fabrics of the invention are not only advantageous in providing fabrics with reduced drying times, but also in providing fabrics with reduced drying times in combination with good water absorbency, good durable press and/or shrinkage resistance properties.
  • the silicone elastomer may also be effective to reduce the loss in tear strength that typically occurs during formaldehyde cross-linking of fibers.
  • the silicone elastomer is a polysiloxane.
  • the silicone elastomer precursor which forms an elastomer upon curing, typically by self curing may be a polysiloxane.
  • Elastomers are polymers which are capable of being stretched with relatively little applied force, and which return to the unstretched length when the force is released.
  • Silicone elastomers have a backbone made of silicon and oxygen with organic substituents attached to silicon atoms, with a number n of repeating units of the general formula: Ry y y - Si - O - y n y
  • the groups R and Ry are each independently selected from lower alkyls, preferably Ci .C3 alkyls, phenyl, or lower alkyls or phenyls comprising a group reactive to cellulose, such as hydroxy groups, halogen atoms, for example, fluoride, or amino groups.
  • Suitable elastomers include those disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 5,885,303, incorporated herein by reference.
  • a preferred silicone elastomer or precursor composition comprises up to about 60%, by weight, silicone solids.
  • the silicone elastomer or precursor composition comprises from about 20% to about 60%, preferably from about 30% to about 60%, by weight of silicone solids, while in another embodiment the silicone elastomer or precursor composition comprises from about 20% to about 30% by weight of silicone solids.
  • Suitable silicone elastomer precursors include a dimethyl silicone emulsion containing from about 30% to about 60%, by weight, silicone solids, commercially available as SM2112 from General Electric.
  • Another suitable commercially available elastomer precursor is Sedgesoft ELS from Sedgefield Specialties, containing from about 24% to about 26%, by weight, silicone solids.
  • the liquid treatment composition may comprise up to about 10%, preferably from about 1% to about 5%, more preferably from about 1% to about 3%, by weight of the elastomer or precursor solids.
  • the treatment composition comprises from about 1% to about 3%, preferably from about 1.5% to 3%, by weight silicone solids, while in another embodiment, the composition comprises from about 1% to about 1.5% by weight silicone solids.
  • the formaldehyde treatment composition may be applied to the fabric in accordance with any of the conventional techniques known in the art.
  • the treatment composition may be applied to the fabric by saturating the fabric in a trough and squeezing the saturated fabric through pressure rollers to achieve a uniform application (padding process).
  • wet pick-up refers to the amount of treatment composition applied to and/or absorbed into the fabric based on the original weight of the fabric.
  • "Original weight of the fabric” or simply “weight of the fabric” refers to the weight of the fabric prior to its contact with the treatment composition.
  • 50% pick-up means that the fabric picks up an amount of treatment solution equal to 50% of the fabric's original weight.
  • the wet pick-up is at least 20%, preferably from about 50% to 100%, more preferably from about 65% to about 80%, by weight of the fabric.
  • the formaldehyde treatment composition is applied in an amount to insure a moisture content of more than 20% by weight, preferably more than 30% by weight, on the fabric before curing.
  • a wetting agent may be included in the treatment composition to facilitate obtaining the desired moisture content. Nonionic wetting agents are preferred.
  • the fabric is typically heated for a time and at a temperature sufficient for the cross-linking of the natural fibers with the formaldehyde.
  • the fabric may be heated at a temperature greater than about 250yF, preferably from about 250yF to about 350yF, in an oven for a period of from about 15 seconds to about 15 minutes, preferably from about 45 seconds to about 3 minutes, to react the formaldehyde with the natural fibers in the fabric and affect crosslinking of the formaldehyde and natural fibers to provide durable press and/or shrinkage resistance effects.
  • curing temperature and curing time that is, the higher the temperature of curing, the shorter the dwell time in the oven; conversely, the lower the curing temperature, the longer the dwell time in the oven.
  • the present invention comprises methods for reducing the drying time of fabric, wherein the silicone elastomer may be included in the treated fabric by means of a separate treatment step before or after the formaldehyde crosslinking treatment.
  • the silicone elastomer or precursor thereof may be applied prior to or subsequent to the heating step which is employed to affect curing of the formaldehyde with the natural fibers of the fabric, although application prior to heating is preferred.
  • the applied silicone elastomer or precursor thereof may be dried, with self curing of the precursor being affected thereby.
  • the fabrics according to the present invention also exhibit good water absorbency.
  • the water absorbency of a fabric indicates the ability of the fabric to absorb moisture, particularly surface moisture, and more specifically, the rate at which surface water is absorbed.
  • good water absorbency indicates that the fabric absorbs a drop of water placed thereon, in accord with the methods described in AATCC Method 79-1995, in less than about 100 seconds, even after the fabric has been aqueous laundered at least once.
  • the fabrics according to the present invention exhibit a water absorbency time, in accord with the methods described in AATCC Method 79-1995, of less than about 80 seconds, even after the fabric has been aqueous laundered at least once.
  • the fabrics according to the present invention exhibit a water absorbency time, in accord with the methods described in AATCC Method 79-1995, of less than about 60 seconds, even after the fabric has been aqueous laundered at least once.
  • various fabric preparation processes may involve application of a wetting agent to the fabric.
  • the water absorbency properties as disclosed herein are exhibited by the fabric after any such wetting agent has been removed, for example by laundering or the like.
  • the good water absorbency properties are maintained after one or more washings or launderings of the fabrics.
  • the good water absorbency properties are particularly advantageous when the fabric is used in garment manufacture, as garments which absorb moisture are generally more comfortable for wear and therefore are preferred by consumers over garments which are formed of hydrophobic, non-moisture absorbing fabrics.
  • the fabrics according to the invention exhibit good durable press properties and/or good shrink resistance.
  • the fabric exhibit good durable press, for example a DP (durable press) rating of at least about 3.0, preferably at least about 3.25, and more preferably at least about 3.5, as measured according to AATCC Test Method 124-1996, after one aqueous washing, and preferably after five aqueous washings, and/or good shrinkage resistance, for example a length shrinkage and a width shrinkage of less than about 10% each, preferably less than about 5% each, more preferably less than about 4% each, and even more preferably less than about 2% each, and in specific embodiments less than about 1%, as measured according to AATCC Test Method 135-1995, after one aqueous washing, and preferably after five aqueous washings.
  • DP durable press
  • Shrinkage may also be measured according to AATCC Test Method 150-1995.
  • the fabrics exhibit good filling tensile and tear strengths, for example of at least about 25 pounds and at least about 24 ounces, respectively, as measured according to ASTM D-5035-95 for tensile strength, and ASTM D-2261-96 for tear strength.
  • cellulose fabrics having a crosslinked formaldehyde treatment and exhibiting reduced drying times are obtained, provided that the fabric does not comprise 100% cotton.
  • These fabrics may comprise greater than about 20% cotton fibers, greater than about 50% cotton fibers, greater than about 80% cotton fibers, greater than about 20% rayon fibers, greater than about 50% rayon fibers, greater than about 80% rayon fibers, or about 100% rayon fibers.
  • unreacted formaldehyde remaining on the fabric is removed during subsequent processing of the fabric.
  • the final substrate will comprise less than about 300 ppm formaldehyde, preferably less than about 200 ppm formaldehyde, more preferably less than about 100 ppm formaldehyde, and even more preferably less than about 50 ppm formaldehyde, as measured according to AATCC Test Method 112-1993.
  • Some polysiloxanes, generally referred to as silicone oils have a liquid form, are not elastomeric and do not self-crosslink.
  • Silicone oils include, for example, non-reactive linear polydimethyl siloxanes, that is, siloxanes which are not capable of further reaction with other silicones and are not capable of a self curing reaction. Silicone oils have a tendency to produce non-removable spots on fabrics. In contrast, the silicone elastomers used in the present invention generally do not produce such spots.
  • the fabrics or treatment compositions may comprise silicone oil, in one embodiment, the fabrics and treatment compositions are substantially free of, and preferably are free of, silicone oil. As used herein, substantially free of silicone oils means the treatment compositions and fabrics comprise less than 1%, by weight, silicone oil.
  • Thermosetting resins used to impart durable press properties to fabrics are generally aminoplast resins which are the products of the reaction of formaldehyde with compounds such as urea, thiourea, ethylene urea, dihydroxyethylene urea and melamines.
  • aminoplast resins is intended to include N-methylolamide cross-linking agents such as dimethylol dihydroxyethylene urea, dimethylol urea, dimethylolethylene urea, dimethylol propylene urea, dimethylol methyl carbamate, dimethylol n-propylcarbamate, dimethylol isopropylcarbamate trimethylolated melamine, and tris(methoxymethol) melamine.
  • the fabrics, methods and formaldehyde treatment compositions of the invention are substantially free of, and more preferably are free of, aminoplast resins, including those aminoplast resins containing or formed from N-methylol cross-linking agents.
  • substantially free of aminoplast resins is intended to mean the fabrics and treatment solutions comprise less than about 0.5%, by weight, aminoplast resin or methylol cross-linking agent.
  • the fabric Prior to treatment with the formaldehyde composition and silicone elastomer or precursor thereof, the fabric may optionally be prepared using any fiber, yam, or textile pre-treatment preparation techniques known in the art. Suitable preparation techniques include brushing, singeing, desizing, scouring, mercerizing, and bleaching.
  • fabric may be treated by brushing which refers to the use of mechanical means for raising surface fibers which will be removed during singeing. The fabric may be then be singed using a flame to bum away fibers and fuzz protruding from the fabric surface.
  • Textiles may be desized, which refers to the removal of sizing chemicals such as starch and/or polyvinyl alcohol, that are put on yams prior to weaving to protect individual yams.
  • the fabrics may be scoured, which refers to the process of removing natural impurities such as oils, fats and waxes and synthetic impurities such as mill grease from fabrics.
  • Mercerization refers to the application of high concentrations of sodium hydroxide to a fabric to alter the morphology of fibers, particularly cotton fibers. Fabrics may be mercerized to improve fabric stability and luster.
  • bleaching refers to the process of destroying any natural color bodies within the natural fiber.
  • a typical bleaching agent is hydrogen peroxide.
  • the various preparation techniques are optional and dependent upon the desired final product. For example, when the final fabric is to be dyed a dark color, there may be no need to bleach the substrate. Similarly, there may be no need to desize a knit which was prepared without using any sizing agents, and no need to separately scour knits and woven textiles as the scouring may be done during bleaching.
  • men's shirts are formed of a fabric which comprises an 85/15 blend of rayon/flax provided with a formaldehyde crosslinking treatment in accordance with the invention.
  • each fabric is contacted with an aqueous solution comprising about 10% to 20% formalin, a weight ratio of formalin to catalyst solution of about 18:5, and about 3% (solids) of a silicone elastomer commercially available from General Electric under the designation GE SM2112.
  • the aqueous solution is padded on the fabric to provide a moisture content of greater than about 30% and the treated fabric is heated at a temperature greater than about 300°F for a period of time sufficient to effect crosslinking of the formaldehyde with the cellulose in the rayon and flax fibers.
  • the resulting fabric samples and untreated control samples of the fabric are ran through a conventromal home laundry cycle. Both treated and untreated wet fabric samples are subjected to drying in a dryer. The treated fabric samples dry in about 20 minutes while the untreated samples dry in about 50 minutes. Additionally, garments formed of the treated and untreated fabric, respectively, are subjected to conventional line drying. The treated garments dry in about 3 hours while the untreated garments dry in about 5 hours. For further comparison, conventional aminoplast resin-treated samples and garments of the fabric are similarly run through a conventional home laundry cycle and subjected to machine drying and line drying, respectively. The resin-treated samples dry in about 30 minutes in the machine dryer while the resin-treated garments dry in about 4 hours on the line. Thus, the fabrics and garments according to the present invention exhibit reduced drying times as compared with untreated fabrics and garments and as compared with conventional aminoplast resin treated fabrics and garments. EXAMPLE 2
  • fabric swatches are provided with a formaldehyde crosslinking treatment in accordance with the invention.
  • a first type of fabric swatch samples fabric 1 comprising an 85/15 rayon/flax blend, are treated in accordance with the general process described in Example 1.
  • a second set of fabric swatch samples, fabric 2 comprising 100% cotton shirting fabric, are treated in a similar manner wherein the aqueous solution comprises about 3% to about 8% formalin, based on the weight of the fabric.
  • the fabric swatch samples treated according to the invention untreated fabric swatch samples of the same fabrics and fabric swatch samples of the fabrics which are treated with a conventional aminoplast resin treatment are washed in a home washer of the type typically found in the United States and then subjected to tumble drying in a home dryer. During the drying processes, the processes are interrupted and the various fabric samples are weighed to determine their weight relative to the respective fabric sample swatches prior to washing.
  • the fabric swatch samples are washed with a combination of liquid Tide® Free and Downy® Premium Care (wash 1).
  • fabric swatch samples are washed with a combination of liquid Tide® Free and Downy® Regular-Unscented (wash 2). At least three swatches of each fabric sample are tested, with the average weight of the fabric samples as a percentage of the original weight 1) after washing but before any drying, 2) after 10 minutes of drying, and 3) after 20 minutes of drying, being set forth in Table 1.
  • Fabric samples 2A-2C are also evaluated to determine their water retention according to ASTM 2402-94, Water Retention of Textile Fibers (Centrifuge Method). Samples 2A, 2B and 2C exhibited water retention of 113%, 90% and 53%, respectively. Thus, the fabric treated according to the invention desirably exhibited the lowest water retention. Fabrics treated according to the methods of the invention typically exhibit reductions in water retention of greater than about 20%, more specifically greater than about 30%, and in some cases greater than about 40%, as compared with untreated fabrics and/or conventional resin-treated fabrics.
  • fabric swatch samples as described in Example 2 are subjected to washing in a Miele washer of the type typically employed in Europe, followed by line drying in order to evaluate the line drying times of the respective fabrics. At least three swatches of each fabric are tested, with the average weight of the fabric swatches during drying being set forth as a percentage of prewash weight in Table 2. The weight percentage values in Table 2 are normalized based on the final weight of the fabric after 60 minutes of drying.
  • the fabric samples 3C and 3F of this invention exhibit reduced drying times as compared with the untreated fabric samples 3A and 3D.
  • the reductions in drying times exhibited by the fabric samples according to the present invention are particularly evident in the rayon/flax samples.
  • a fabric swatch comprising 100% cotton jersy knit is provided with a formaldehyde crosslinking treatment in accordance with the invention and the general process described in Example 1 wherein the aqueous solution comprises about 5% formalin, based on the weight of the fabric.
  • the fabric swatch sample, an untreated control fabric swatch sample and an untreated, mechanically finished fabric swatch sample are washed in a home washer of the type typically found in the United States and then subjected to tumble drying in a home dryer. During the drying processes, the processes are interrupted and the fabric samples are weighed to determine their weight relative to the respective fabric sample swatches prior to washing. The results are set forth in Table 3.
  • the results set forth in Table 3 demonstrate that the treated fabric sample 4A according to the invention contains less water prior to any drying and dries more quickly as compared with the untreated fabric sample 4B or the untreated mechanically finished sample 4C.
  • the treated fabric sample 4A and untreated control fabric sample 4B are also evaluated for water retention according to ASTM 2402-94.
  • the treated fabric sample 4A exhibits a water retention of 67.4% while the untreated control fabric sample 4B exhibits a water retention of 96.5%.
  • various fabrics are provided with a formaldehyde crosslinking treatment in accordance with the invention and the general process described in Example 1 wherein the aqueous solution comprises an amount of formalin as set forth in Table 4, based on the weight of the fabric.
  • the fabric samples and conventional resin-treated samples of the fabrics are washed in a home washer of the type typically found in the United States and then subjected to tumble drying in a home dryer. During the drying processes, the processes are interrupted and the various fabric samples are weighed to determine their weight relative to the respective fabric sample swatches prior to washing.
  • the fabric samples are also evaluated for water retention according to ASTM 2402-94. The results are set forth in Table 4.
  • 51, 5K and 5M according to the invention retain less water and/or contain less water prior to any drying and dry more quickly as compared with the resin-treated fabric samples 5B, 5D, 5F, 5H,

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Treatments For Attaching Organic Compounds To Fibrous Goods (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne des procédés destinés à réduire le temps de séchage de textiles consistant à traiter le textile au moyen d'une composition de traitement contenant des formaldéhydes et un catalyseur destiné à réticuler les formaldéhydes avec des fibres naturelles du textile, et d'élastomère de silicone ou un précurseur de celui-ci, et à chauffer le textile traité afin d'effectuer la réticulation des formaldéhydes. L'invention concerne également des textiles présentant des temps de séchage réduits, en particulier en combinaison avec d'autres propriétés avantageuses.
EP01922880A 2000-03-29 2001-03-29 Procedes de reduction du temps de sechage de textiles et textiles ayant des proprietes ameliorees Withdrawn EP1268920A2 (fr)

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US19290200P 2000-03-29 2000-03-29
US192902P 2000-03-29
PCT/US2001/010207 WO2001073187A2 (fr) 2000-03-29 2001-03-29 Procedes de reduction du temps de sechage de textiles et textiles ayant des proprietes ameliorees

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US5885303A (en) * 1997-05-13 1999-03-23 American Laundry Machinery Incorporated Durable press/wrinkle-free process
FR2821865B1 (fr) * 2001-03-08 2003-08-15 Ferrari S Tissage & Enduct Sa Cable elastique tendeur
GB0212157D0 (en) 2002-05-27 2002-07-03 Unilever Plc Fabric conditioning composition
US7190318B2 (en) * 2003-03-29 2007-03-13 Nathan Cohen Wide-band fractal antenna
US7954190B2 (en) * 2003-06-19 2011-06-07 The Procter & Gamble Company Process for increasing liquid extraction from fabrics
US6878681B1 (en) 2004-03-25 2005-04-12 Ecolab, Inc. Laundry rinse aids comprising a propoxylated quaternary ammonium salt
US11098444B2 (en) 2016-01-07 2021-08-24 Tommie Copper Ip, Inc. Cotton performance products and methods of their manufacture
CN113277770B (zh) * 2021-05-27 2022-07-01 金陵科技学院 一种具有增强效果的改性亚麻纤维的制备方法及应用

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US5885303A (en) * 1997-05-13 1999-03-23 American Laundry Machinery Incorporated Durable press/wrinkle-free process

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US20010049247A1 (en) 2001-12-06

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