GB542173A - Process for imparting a soft handle to textile materials - Google Patents

Abstract

542,173. Treating textiles with liquids; waterproofing. COURTAULDS, Ltd., and MACGREGOR, J. H. June 27, 1940, No. 10963. [Class 15 (ii)] [Also in Group VIII] A soft, full, silky handle is imparted to textile materials by treating them with a solution in acid of a water-insoluble product obtained by the interaction of cyanamide and formaldehyde under alkaline conditions and simultaneously or thereafter treating the materials with a solution of a soap or soap-like product. The soap or like product is an ionizable surfaceactive substance containing at least one alkyl radical with 8 or more carbon atoms, e.g. an alkali salt of a fatty or sulphonated fatty acid, or of a sulphonated or sulphated fatty alcohol, or of a sulphonated fatty acid amide such as oleyl methyl tauride, or of a sulphonated alkyl benzimidazole, or it may be an alkyl oxymethyl pyridinium salt, an alkyl pyridinium salt, or an alkyl quaternary ammonium compound. The materials may be treated with a solution of an electrolyte, e.g. ammonium sulphate, sodium acetate, potassium tetroxalate, or aluminium thiocyanate, followed by a drying treatment before the treatment with the soap-like product. Treatment with electrolyte may be effected at the same time as or subsequently to the cyanamide-formaldehyde treatment. The process may be combined with anti-crease, delustring, water-proofing, and other treatments. In an example, viscose warp satin fabric is padded with a solution in dilute acetic acid of a cyanamide-formaldehyde compound. It is then squeezed, passed through ammonium sulphate solution, dried, and heated at 140‹C. It is washed with dilute ammonia and then treated with a solution of soap containing a wetting agent. The treated fabric has a soft handle and is of reduced lustre. Viscose warp fabric is soaked in an acetic acid solution of cyanamide-formaldehyde, rinsed in soft water, and treated with a solution of cetyl pyridinium chloride, rinsed, and dried. Viscose fabric is treated with cyanamide-formaldehyde and then with an aqueous dispersion containing octadecyloxymethyl pyridinium chloride and sodium acetate. It is dried and then heated at 140‹C. It is washed, treated with soap solution, rinsed, and dried. The fabric is water-repellent, and of reduced lustre, and it has a soft handle. Viscose fabric is treated with cyanamide-formaldehyde and then with urea-formaldehyde. It is squeezed, dried, and heated, and then soaped, rinsed, and dried. It has a soft handle, reduced lustre, and good resistance to creasing. The process may also be applied to cellulose acetate fabrics. Specification 515,847 is referred to.