GB1047618A - Improvements in or relating to the treatment of cellulosic textile materials - Google Patents

Abstract

Permanent configurations e.g. bulk, crimp, stretch or flat structures, creases and pleats, are imparted to cellulosic textile materials e.g. cotton, linen and regenerated cellulose fibres, yarns and fabrics, by treating them in a first step with a polyfunctional cross linking agent in which the functional groups reactive towards the hydroxyl groups of the cellulose are the same thereby attaching the polyfunctional agent to the textile material by the formation of chemical bonds, the attached reagent being capable of further reaction with the hydroxyl groups of the cellulose, and subsequently in a second step curing the textile materials which have been arranged in a desired configuration by exposing them to an elevated temperature to complete the reaction and effect permanent set of the desired configurations. The cross linking agent may be one applied with an alkaline catalyst e.g. an acetate, carbonate, bicarbonate or hydroxide of an alkali metal, and having the formula:- <FORM:1047618/D1-D2/1> in which R, R1, R2 and R3 are hydrogen atoms or lower alkyl groups, Q is a divalent organic radical containing more than 2 carbon atoms, n is 0 or 1 and Y is a polar residue derived from a reagent of weak nucleophilic character such as the cation of a weak base, e.g. pyridinium or isoquinolinium, and the anion of a strong acid, e.g. SSO3M or -SO3M in which M is an alkali metal; (2) CH2-CHSO2RSO2CH = CH2 in which R is -CnH2n wherein n is 3-10, -(CaH2aY)bCaH2a-wherein a is 2-4, b is 1-4 and Y is an oxygen or sulphur atom, SO2 or -NR1-, R1 being a hydrogen atom or lower alkyl radical, or <FORM:1047618/D1-D2/2> wherein x and y are 1 or 2; (3) CH2 = CHSO2CH = CH2; (4) <FORM:1047618/D1-D2/3> wherein R is an alkyl or substituted alkyl group or -CH2CH2Z and Z is a polar residue derived from a poly basic acid; (5) <FORM:1047618/D1-D2/4> in which R and R1 are hydrogen atoms or lower alkyl groups, Q is a divalent organic radical which is an aliphatic radical containing at least 3 carbon atoms, an aromatic radical or an alkyl aromatic radical and n is 0 or 1 or (6) <FORM:1047618/D1-D2/5> in which R1, R2 and R3 are hydrogen atoms or lower alkyl groups, Q is a divalent organic radical, W is an activating group, e.g. -CO-, -CONH or -CONR-, and n is 0 or 1. These cross linking agents may also be applied together with a swelling agent, e.g. water, a polyalkylene glycol or ether thereof or dimethylformamide. Alternatively the cross linking agent may be one applied with an acid catalyst, e.g. N, N1 bis methoxy methyl uron, dimethylol ethyl carbamate, urea-formaldehyde and melamine-formaldehyde condensates, dimethylol ethylene urea, dimethylol dihydroxyethylene urea and tris-1-aziridinyl phosphine oxide, suitable acid catalysts being magnesium chloride, zinc fluoro borate and zinc nitrate. The amount of heat energy supplied in the first step of the process may be between 20% and 50% of the amount required to effect complete cross linkage of the cellulosic material. Between the first and second steps the materials may be dyed with direct, vat or reactive dyes. After the first step yarns may be made up into fabrics and the second step then carried out.