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
  • D06M15/39—Aldehyde resins; Ketone resins; Polyacetals
  • D06M15/423—Amino-aldehyde resins
• • 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
  • D06M11/51—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 sulfur, selenium, tellurium, polonium or compounds thereof
  • D06M11/55—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 sulfur, selenium, tellurium, polonium or compounds thereof with sulfur trioxide; with sulfuric acid or thiosulfuric acid or their salts
• • 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
  • D06M15/21—Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
  • D06M15/244—Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds of halogenated hydrocarbons
  • D06M15/256—Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds of halogenated hydrocarbons containing fluorine
• • 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
  • D06M15/564—Polyureas, polyurethanes or other polymers having ureide or urethane links; Precondensation products forming them
• • 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
  • D06M16/00—Biochemical treatment of fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics, or fibrous goods made from such materials, e.g. enzymatic
• • 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
  • D06M23/00—Treatment of fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, characterised by the process
• • 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

Definitions

• the subject-matter of the present invention is a process for preparing anti-crease fabrics, in particular highly crease-resistance fabrics.
• the subject-matter of the present invention are also the fabrics achieved by means of said process, which are optionally subjected to further processings such as anti-stain and/or antimicrobial treatments.
• Cotton is a generally poorly elastic, therefore highly creasable, fabric. This drawback is limited in those fabrics which undergo the anti-crease treatment.
• the anti-crease effect is generally evaluated by empirically measuring some parameters such as the so-called "angles". To the purpose of this evaluation, an edge of the fabric under examination is folded and kept compressed for a given period of time under a preset weight, then the reopening angle is evaluated. It is understood that the more the angle approximates 180°, the better the achieved anti-crease effect.
• Resins are commercially available which, by being suitably mixed with acids and other chemical components, can be used in the treatment of fabrics in order to achieve some anti-crease effect.
• the BASF company sells urea-based modified resins and provides guidelines for their use in the manufacturing of fabrics with anti-crease effect, according to various steps comprising: preparing an aqueous solution of said resins with acids and other chemicals; l - impregnating the fabric with said aqueous solution; partially drying the fabric, until achieving some residual moisture, about storing the fabric for a period of about 20-24 hours at 25-30°C; washing and neutralizing with sodium carbonate, and optionally carrying out a further processing with sizings.
• the subject-matter of the present invention is to provide an improved process for the anti-crease treatment of fabrics, in particular a process for preparing highly crease resistant fabrics.
• Another subject-matter of the present invention is to provide a highly crease resistant fabric, suitable for making items of clothing or household linen, which optionally also has anti-stain and/or antibacterial properties.
• the invention relates to a process for preparing anti-crease fabrics, comprising the steps of:
• any cotton or cotton blend fabric can be subjected to the anti-crease treatment of the present invention, although it is however preferable to start from a good quality and good strength fabric, advantageously having a strength higher than 40 kg, for example about 40-45 kg. Fabrics with these features are actually more suitable to undergo the anti-crease treatment which, due to the acids used in combination with the resins, inevitably weakens the structure of said fabric.
• the resins for use in the step (a) of the process of the invention can be selected from those commercially available. By way of example, one or more resins of the urea-, urea/formaldehyde-, melamine/formaldehyde-based type can be used; dimethylol- dihydroxyethylene-urea is a particularly preferred resin.
• Said resins must be mixed with acids, water, and optionally other chemicals in order to prepare the solution which the fabric to be treated has to be impregnated with.
• Any mineral or organic acid can be employed for the preparation of said solution, provided that it is suitably strong to lower the solution pH to about 1-2.
• sulfuric acid can be used, optionally in admixture with other acids.
• compositions of step (a) comprise, for example, wetting, cationic, or amphoteric agents; antifoaming agents, such as surfactants; softening agents, such as polyethylene dispersions; finishing agents, such as polyurethanes; etc.
• step (a) of the inventive process the fabric is impregnated with the solution prepared, for example by immersion in suitable tanks; then the excess liquid is removed by squeezing.
• the fabric is then evenly dried, during step (c) of the process, using machines suitable to the purpose and known in the art, to a residual moisture of 7-7.5%.
• the thus-prepared fabric is allowed to rest, according to step (d) of the inventive process, for about 34-36 hours at room temperature, i.e. about 25-3O 0 C.
• the applied resin becomes cured and permanently fixed to the fabric.
• the process of the present invention comprises drying the fabric to a residual moisture of about 7-7.5% and storing it at room temperature for about 36 hours. It has been found that it is not possible to generalize, for example by means of intervals, the residual moisture and storage time conditions; however, other specific combinations of the two parameters set forth above can provide as much valid results in terms of the anti-crease effect.
• the process of the invention provides a washing and optional acid neutralization step (e).
• This step can be carried out by simply washing with water, for example by dipping into one or, advantageously, more tanks filled with water and optionally alkali, according to the known methods.
• the fabric resulting from step (e) is a fabric having excellent anti-crease properties and is per se ready to be used to make items of clothing or linen, for example shirts.
• the thus-treated fabric can be subjected to other specific processings, for example to a finishing treatment in order to provide the fabric with a better final effect, for example to make it softer to the touch, which usually is carried out with sizings and a final "sanforization" treatment, that is a mechanical processing increasing the fabric stability. Both treatments are well known in the art.
• the inventive process as described in steps (a) to (e), or according to the alternative embodiments set forth above, provides an anti-crease fabric which has higher angles as compared with those achievable by the prior art processes; for example, it allows achieving angles above 130°, in some cases of about 140-150°.
• the process of the invention also comprises a further treatment for an anti-crease fabric, for example the fabric resulting from step (e), suitable to impart anti-stain properties to the same fabric.
• the subject-matter of the invention is also a process for preparing anti-crease and anti-stain fabrics, comprising subjecting an anti-crease fabric, for example a fabric achievable through the process of the steps (a) to (e) set forth above, to an anti-stain treatment.
• This treatment provides dipping the fabric in a bath containing suitable resins, for example fluorocarbon resins, and optionally softeners, drying the fabric and subjecting the latter to a thermal treatment by means of which the resins are cured.
• fluorocarbon resins are commercially available, those of the "repellent” type and those of the "stain release” type.
• the resins of the first type impart to the treated fabric the feature of not being soiled and not being wetted, while the second ones facilitate soil removal in the washing step.
• combinations of various resins, or resins of a single type can be used, according to the result desired to be achieved.
• the curing of resins having anti-stain effect is carried out by high temperature heating for some minutes, in average one minute, at a temperature for example of about 160°C, or even higher. Examples of anti-stain treatments combined with the anti-crease treatment will be described in the experimental section of the present description.
• the process of the invention also comprises a further treatment of an anti-crease fabric, for example the fabric resulting from step (e), suitable to impart antimicrobial properties to said fabric.
• antimicrobial properties is meant, according to the present specification, antifungal and/or antibacterial and/or bacteriostatic properties.
• the subject-matter of the invention is also a process for the preparation of anti-crease and antimicrobial fabrics that comprises subjecting an anti-crease fabric, for example a fabric achievable through the process of the steps (a) to (e) described above, to a processing with antimicrobial agents, such as suitable antifungal, antibacterial and/or bacteriostatic agents which preserve the fabric against microbial contamination and/or inhibit the proliferation of the microbial population.
• antimicrobial agents such as suitable antifungal, antibacterial and/or bacteriostatic agents which preserve the fabric against microbial contamination and/or inhibit the proliferation of the microbial population.
• antimicrobial agents suitable for the treatment described above are known in the art and are commercially available.
• the fabrics having anti-crease/anti-stain and anti-crease/antimicrobial properties are further subj ects-matter of the present invention.
• the subject-matter of the present invention is also a fabric which concurrently has all the three properties described above, i.e. an anti-crease fabric which at the same time is also anti-stain and antimicrobial.
• the two processings suitable to impart anti-stain and antimicrobial features can be carried out either individually or, preferably, in a one-step processing.
• the selection of the chemical agents to be used is particularly critical. hi fact, since the anti-stain treatment comprises a high temperature processing step, exceeding 150 0 C, sometimes exceeding 160°C, it is important that the antimicrobial agents selected are capable to withstand high temperatures without undergo degradations or alterations.
• Antimicrobial agents intended for this particular treatment on fabrics, which remain unaffected at very high temperatures, even as high as 180 0 C, are commercially available. Examples of the abovementioned treatments and the suitable agents employed will be provided in the experimental section of the present description.
• the anti-stain and/or antimicrobial treatments are carried out on anti-crease fabrics which have angles above 130°, even above 140°, for example of about 150°.
• the anti-crease and/or anti-stain and/or antimicrobial fabrics obtained by the process of the present invention can be used for making items of clothing, such as, for example, shirts, trousers, etc., as well as household linen items.
• the anti-crease and anti-crease and/or anti-stain and/or antimicrobial fabrics which are obtained by the process described above are a further subject-matter of the invention.
• the items of clothing and the household linen items obtained from the anti-crease and anti-crease and/or anti-stain and/or antimicrobial fabrics of the invention are a further subject-matter of the invention.
• shirts obtained from the anti-crease and anti-crease and/or anti-stain and/or antimicrobial fabrics of the invention are a preferred item of clothing of the invention.
• An aqueous solution is prepared by mixing dimethylol-dihydroxyethylene-urea (200 mL/L), cone, sulfuric acid (22 g/L), non-ionic surfactants (1 mL/L), wetting agents (1 mL/L), polyurethane (40 mL/L), and polyethylene as a non-ionic dispersion (20 mL/L).
• a cotton fabric of about 40 kg strength is immersed in the thus-obtained solution, it is left immersed, squeezed and dried in a field dryer, at temperatures ranging between 70 and 100°C to a residual moisture of about 7%.
• the fabric is left stored for about 36 hours at a temperature of about 25-30 0 C, then it is repeatedly washed with water.
• a sizing step is performed, followed by sanforization.
• An anti- crease fabric is thus obtained having angles of about 135°.
• An aqueous solution is prepared by mixing dimethylol-dihydroxyethylene-urea (220 mL/L), cone, sulfuric acid (25 g/L), non-ionic surfactants (3 mL/L), wetting agents (3 mL/L), and polyurethane (25 mL/L).
• a cotton fabric of about 45 kg strength is immersed in the thus obtained solution, it is left immersed, squeezed and dried in a field dryer, at temperatures ranging between 70 and 100 0 C to a residual moisture of about 10%.
• the fabric is left stored for about 42 hours at a temperature of about 25- 30°C, then washings with water are carried out alternately to a sodium carbonate aqueous solution.
• a sizing step is performed, followed by sanforization.
• An anti- crease fabric is thus obtained having angles of about 140°.
• EXAMPLE 3 Preparation of an anti-crease and anti-stain cotton fabric
• the preparation of the anti-crease fabric is carried out as in the Example 1 or 2.
• the fabric Before sizing, the fabric is immersed in an anti-stain agent mixture-based bath
• the fabric is dried and polymerized for
• the preparation of the anti-crease fabric is carried out as in the Example 1 or 2.
• fabric Before sizing step, fabric is immersed in a bath comprising 100 mL/L of a mixture of anti-stain agents of the Oleophobol® type, and 10 mL/L of an antimicrobial agent Sanitized® T99.19. Fabric is dried and polymerized for 1 minute at 16O 0 C. Then the sizing step and sanforization are carried out, thereby obtaining the fabric of the title.

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

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• 2006
  • 2006-04-14 IT ITMI20060760 patent/ITMI20060760A1/it unknown
• 2007
  • 2007-03-30 WO PCT/IB2007/000838 patent/WO2007119137A2/en active Application Filing
  • 2007-03-30 EP EP07734160A patent/EP2029805A2/en not_active Withdrawn

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