GB764088A - Textile finishing - Google Patents

Abstract

A process for producing mechanical effects or finishes on textile fabrics made wholly or substantially of thermoplastic material consists in impregnating the fabric with water and carrying out the mechanical treatment whilst the fabric is saturated or almost saturated therewith. The expression "saturated or almost saturated" means a moisture content substantially higher than the textile could acquire in an atmosphere of relative humidity approaching 100 per cent, which in the case of a nylon fabric is about 6.5 per cent. Preferably the moisture content is at least 20 per cent of the dry weight of the fabric. This saturation may be obtained by immersion and centrifuging or mangling. The water may contain, in solution or dispersion, not more than 10 per cent by weight of a substance having the property of increasing the ease of thermal deformation of the thermoplastic material. This substance may be a swelling agent or a potential swelling agent. The thermoplastic material may be a polyamide such as nylon, a polyurethane, a polyester such as polyethylene terephthalate, a polyvinyl compound or a copolymer, e.g. of polyvinylidene chloride with vinyl acetate or acrylonitrile. Several examples are given. In example (1) a nylon fabric is passed through a trough containing water and mangled so that the fabric retains 45 parts by weight of water for every 100 parts of nylon. The fabric is then embossed at a temperature of 177 DEG C. or 120 DEG C. In example 3, a fabric of polyvinyl chloride fibres is passed through a 5 per cent dispersion of a swelling agent, mangled as in example (1) and embossed at 95 DEG C. In example 4, a canvas fabric of polyethylene terephthalate is treated as in example (1) and embossed at 120 DEG C. In example 5 a nylon fabric is passed in a wet state between a heated metal cylinder at 115 DEG C. and a ribbed rubber belt, as described in Specification 752,192, to give a localized pressure and compressive shinkage. In example 6 a fabric of vinylidene chloride polymer fibres is padded in water and then embossed in a calender at 135 DEG C. In example 7 a nylon fabric is padded in a 5 per cent solution of trichloracetic acid and embossed at 140 DEG C. In example 8 nylon fabric is first treated in a 2 per cent solution of calcium chloride in methanol and then dried. It is then padded in water and embossed in a calender as in example 7. In example 9 nylon fabric is treated as in example 7 but using a 1 per cent phenol solution. Specification 761,548 also is referred to.