GB1565353A - Treatment of textile materials - Google Patents

Description

(54) TREATMENT OF TEXTILE MATERIALS (71) We, I.W.S. NOMINEE COMPANY LIMITED, a British Company of Wool House, Carlton Gardens, London, S.W.1., and DIAMOND SHAMROCK EUROPE LIMITED, formerly known as Lankro Chemicals Group Limited, a British Company, of Emerson House, Albert Street, Eccles, Manchester, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a process of treating textile materials to impart to the materials certain desirable effects such as resistance to shrinking.

It is already known, or has already been proposed, to treat textiles with polymers containing thiol or thiosulphate groups. Examples of such thiol polymers are to be found in British Specification 1,278,934, 1,311,090, 1,316,579, 1,327,395, 1,345,165, 1,358,840, 1,379,203 and 1,463,581 and in Belgian Patent 804,300.

Thiosulphate polymers are disclosed, for example, in Belgian Patents 792,534, 792,535 and 818,153.

It has now been found that if textile materials are treated by applying thereto in a single liquor a polymer containing at least two thiosulphate groups per molecule and a further polymer of at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer, the finish given by this combination of treating agents is superior to that of the equivalent amount of either used alone.

The invention is especially useful with keratinous fibres and materials made therefrom but its applications are not limited to such fibres. For example, it may be applied to cotton or synthetic textiles during finishing to improve their handle or their resistance to wear. With keratinous materials the invention provides an improved process for the prevention or reduction of felting shrinkage.

Most suitable thiosulphate polymers comprise molecules having at least 3 thiosulphate groups per molecule, and contain poly(oxyalkylene) chains.

The preferred class of thiosulphate polymers may be prepared from the condensation of an alkylene oxide with glycerol by reacting the resulting poly(oxyalkylene) triol with monochloroacetic acid and subsequently replacing the chlorine atoms with SSQ groups by treatment with a soluble thiosulphate such as sodium thiosulphate. The alkylene oxide may be, for example, propylene oxide or tetramethylene oxide.

The polymers or prepolymers derived from ethylenically unsaturated monomers may come from olefins, esters or ethers of vinyl alcohol, an acrylic compound such as methacrylic and acrylic acids or their salts or derivatives, halogenated olefins such as vinyl chloride, maleic acid, or allyl alcohol or esters thereof. Examples of suitable commercially available polymers include: from Rohm and Haas - E 269, E 833, and Primal (Trade Mark) TR 485, TR 653, HA 4, B 15 and HA 24; from Revertex -- TW 589 PR 2365, TW 586, A 274, PR 2354, A 272, TW 512 and PR 2313.

We have found that the process of the invention will give satisfactory shrinkresistance to wool fabrics using lower polymer dosages and/or milder curing conditions than hitherto employed. A further advantage of the process is that there is often no need for a separate washing-off step after application of the polymers.

Additionally, the handle of the fabric when acrylates are used is improved in comparison with treatments not employing acrylates.

The preferred polymers used in the process of the invention are water soluble or dispersible and are applied from aqueous systems. Curing may be carried out using any of the known methods used in connection with these classes of polymer, but treatment in an alkaline or reducing solution and/or heating, for example, for some minutes at temperatures in the range 80--120"C may be advantageously used.

A particular advantage of the polymer system employed in this invention is that it is very effective in bonding pigments to textile materials in the production of fast "pigment-dyed" shades on all fibres. Pigments are generally classified as water insoluble colours and their current use on textile materials is limited by the following restrictions: i) pale depths can only be achieved owing to the poor rub fastness of deeper shades ii) a pigment dyeing or print always appears 'glassy' to the trained observer iii) usually up to 10% polymer binder on the weight of fibre (o.w.f.) is employed which has a very great effect on harshening the handle of the material.

The use of the polymer combination of the present invention overcomes the above problems to a considerable extent and permits the production of a wide range of satisfactory shades on all fibres by printing or dyeing. Printing or dyeing is carried out with a mixture of the polymers, the pigment and thickener, followed by a curing step which may be a simple cold rinse in a solution of reducing agent or an organic base such as an aliphatic amine or, preferably, a diamine, or which may be a heat curing step carried out for example for 5 minutes at 1200 C. Washing in cold water may be employed afterwards, but owing to the small amount of polymer needed, and the soft handle of the material so-treated, the wash-off can usually be omitted.

One great advantage of the pigment dyeing procedure employing this invention is that solid shades can be achieved on wool/synthetic fibre blends. Other advantages include the shrink proofing effect imparted to wool and the antistatic effects and wrinkle resistance imparted to such materials as polyester/cotton blends.

The invention may be illustrated further by reference to the following Examples.

Wash Test The wash test employed in these Examples consisted of 1 hour or 3 hour agitation in a 'Cubex' (Trade Mark) washing machine in 15 1. of pH 7 buffer at 40"C with a 1 kg. load. All samples were spin dried for + minute and then hung in the air until dry.

Area Shrinkage Area shrinkage was determined by measuring the change in spacing of previously applied bench marks.

Light Fastness Stability to light was tested by exposing 14 x 3.5 cm strips of treated fabric to light from a Philips MBTF lamp (Giles et al, J.S.D.C., 85, 410 (1969)), to the appropriate standard on the bluescale, assessed at greyscale 3. The exposed samples were then subjected to the wash tests described.

Examples I to 13 Samples of wool serge (205 gm/m2, 2 x 1 twill worsted, pH 7 were padded with liquors made up as follows: Thiosulphate polymer (Lankro 16) x g solids/litre Wetting agent (Tinovetin (Registered Trade Mark) JU Ciba-Geigy) 5 litre Ammonia solution (.880) 10 litre Sodium carbonate 2 g/litre Acrylic polymer (TR 485, Rohm and Haas) y g/litre Lankro 16 is a trifunctional thiosulphate prepolymer based on glycerol and poly(propylene oxide). The quantities x and y are such as will deposit on the material the amounts of polymer shown in Table I, based on the weight of fibre (o.w.f.).

After being padded the fabric was dried at 1200C for 10 minutes, pressed and tested. The results are given in Table 1.

TABLE I Effect of washing on Ecru Serge treated with Lankro 16/TR 485

Linear Shrinkage (%) after light exposure Polymers (% o.w.f.) Area Shrinkage (NO) 1 hr 3 hr 1 hr 3 hr Example Lankro 16 TR 485 1 hr wash 3 hr wash wash wash wash wash 1 1.6 0 0(0) 14(9) (XX) (xX) 2 1.6 0.2 0(0) 12(3) (XX) (XX) 3 1.6 0.4 2(0) 13(2) (XX) (XX) 4 1.6 0.8 0(0) 6(0) (XX) (XX) 5 1.6 1.6 0(0) 0(0) (O) (X) (0) (X) 6 0.4 1.6 4(2) 20(16) (XX) (XX) 7 0.8 1.6 0(0) 8(3) (XX) (XX) 8 1.2 1.6 0(0) 0(0) (X) (xX) 9 1.6 1.6 0(0) Q(o) (0) (x) 0(0) X(X) P 2.0 1.6 0(0) 0(0) 0(0) X(0) 1 2.5 1.6 0(0) 0(0) 0(0) 0(0) 2 3.0 1.6 0(0) 0(0) 0(0) 0(0) 3 4.0 1.6 0(0) 0(0) 0(0) 0(0) Figures in parentheses refer to finishes cured at 1400 for 10 minutes Remaining figures refer to finishes cured at 1100 for 10 minutes Example 14 Serge fabric was printed with the following paste:: Helizarin Orange S 10 g/litre

Bunte salt polymer (Lankro 16) 3 Table III) Acrylic polymer (TR 485) Thickener (Viscolex EM 15) 60 g/litre Ammonia to pH 8.5 The printed fabric was cured at 1200C for 5 minutes and then subjected to the appropriate ISO test, as indicated in Table III.

TABLE II

Polymers used (5!c o.w.f.) 1.6% Bunte polymer 1.6% Bunte 4% Bunte Iso Test 1.65 Acrylic polymer alone polymer alone 1503 Colour change 5 1 5 1503 Staining on wool 5 5 5 1503 Staining on cotton 5 5 5 Wet rub fastness 4 2 3 Dry rub fastness 5 3 4-5 It can be seen that the mixture gives improved rub fastness (both wet and dry) with only 3.2% total polymer.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A process of treating textile materials which comprises applying thereto in a single liquor a polymer containing at least two thiosulphate groups per molecule and a further polymer of at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer.

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the polymer chains of the thiosulphate polymer comprise polyoxyalkylene chains.

3. A process according to claim 2, wherein the thiosulphate polymer comprises three polyoxyalkylene chains connected by a glycerol residue.

4. A process according to claim 3, wherein a thiosulphate polymer is employed that is formed by the reaction of a triol composed of three polyoxyalkylene chains and glycerol residue with monochloroacetic acid, followed by reaction of the resulting chloride with a soluble thiosulphate.

5. A process according to any preceding claim, wherein the further polymer is an acrylic polymer.

6. A process according to any preceding claim, wherein the textile material comprises keratin fibres.

7. A process according to any preceding claim wherein the polymers are applied in conjunction with pigments in the pigment dyeing or printing of the textile material.

8. A process according to any of claims I to 7 wherein the thiosulphate polymer is cured by washing the treated material in an alkaline or reducing solution.

9. A process according to any of claims 1 to 7 wherein the thiosulphate polymer is cured by heat.

10. A process of treating textile material with thiol or thiosulphate polymers according to claim 1 and substantially as severally described in any of Examples I to 14 herein.

I I. Textile material treated by a process according to any preceding claim.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (10)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. TABLE II Polymers used (5!c o.w.f.) 1.6% Bunte polymer 1.6% Bunte 4% Bunte Iso Test 1.65 Acrylic polymer alone polymer alone 1503 Colour change 5 1 5 1503 Staining on wool 5 5 5 1503 Staining on cotton 5 5 5 Wet rub fastness 4 2 3 Dry rub fastness 5 3 4-5 It can be seen that the mixture gives improved rub fastness (both wet and dry) with only 3.2% total polymer. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A process of treating textile materials which comprises applying thereto in a single liquor a polymer containing at least two thiosulphate groups per molecule and a further polymer of at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer.

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the polymer chains of the thiosulphate polymer comprise polyoxyalkylene chains.

3. A process according to claim 2, wherein the thiosulphate polymer comprises three polyoxyalkylene chains connected by a glycerol residue.

4. A process according to claim 3, wherein a thiosulphate polymer is employed that is formed by the reaction of a triol composed of three polyoxyalkylene chains and glycerol residue with monochloroacetic acid, followed by reaction of the resulting chloride with a soluble thiosulphate.

5. A process according to any preceding claim, wherein the further polymer is an acrylic polymer.

6. A process according to any preceding claim, wherein the textile material comprises keratin fibres.

7. A process according to any preceding claim wherein the polymers are applied in conjunction with pigments in the pigment dyeing or printing of the textile material.

8. A process according to any of claims I to 7 wherein the thiosulphate polymer is cured by washing the treated material in an alkaline or reducing solution.

9. A process according to any of claims 1 to 7 wherein the thiosulphate polymer is cured by heat.

10. A process of treating textile material with thiol or thiosulphate polymers according to claim 1 and substantially as severally described in any of Examples I to 14 herein.

I I. Textile material treated by a process according to any preceding claim.