GB748964A - An improved process of mechanically finishing sheet materials containing synthetic fibres - Google Patents

Abstract

Textile fabrics (including laminated and coated fabrics) consisting wholly or mainly of synthetic thermoplastic material are mechanically finished and subsequently treated with a swelling agent which may produce a shrinking of the thermo-plastic material. The mechanical finishing operation may comprise hot or cold calendering, embossing, friction calendering, application of rolling pressure or a combination of at least two of these operations, and the fabric may receive this treatment in a dry, moist or wet state. The fabric may be preheated for a cold mechanical treatment. The synthetic material may be a polyamide, polyacrylonitrile, polyester or polyvinyl compound and the fabric may be woven or knitted of yarns of these materials or of mixed yarns comprising more than one kind of fibre, e.g. a mixed nylon and cotton fabric. The swelling agent, according to the fibre treated, may be hydrochloric acid, sulphuric acid and hydrogen peroxide, acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide, formic acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, oxalic acid, phenol, caustic soda solution, hydrogen peroxide, permanganates, perborates, persulphates; calcium chloride or magnesium chloride in alcoholic solution; cresols, xylenols, thymol; carboxybenzene, nitrobenzene, acetophenone; benzylalcohol, cyclohexanol; diethyleneglycol; pyrogallol, catechin, resorcinol; mono - , di - or tri - ethanolamine, formamide or pyridine or mixtures of some of these compounds and may contain wetting agents or auxiliaries. The fabric may be impregnated with the swelling agent or the swelling agent may be compounded with a thickener and applied locally, as by printing, or may be spread or sprayed on to the material or may be applied through a stencil. Prior to the application of the swelling agent the fabric may be printed with a resist. During the application of the swelling agent the fabric may be tentered in one or both directions. The fabric treated may be in an unstabilized, stabilized, crude or bleached stage or may be dyed, printed or pretreated with finishing agents, solvents or swelling agents applied over the whole surface or in the form of a pattern. The process may be combined with dyeing, printing, bleaching, crease-proofing, shrink-proofing, water-repelling, matting or fire-proofing treatment. After removing the swelling agent by washing or neutralization the fabric may be dried, with or without tentering, or may be stretched after drying in one or both directions.