GB918632A - Improvements in the production of bonded textile materials - Google Patents

Abstract

In a process for bonding the fibres of a textile material comprising at least 25% by weight of organic, polymeric fibrous material capable of being bonded the material is treated with a mist of discrete liquid particles dispersed in an inert gaseous medium, each liquid particle having a diameter less than 0.012 inch and comprising 1-8% by weight of a latent fibre solvent, i.e. a liquid or solid material which is, in the form in which it exists in the mist, a non-solvent for the fibre but which is capable of bonding (i.e. at least rendering the fibre surface tacky) the fibre on being activated by heating, in a volatile liquid diluent, without significantly displacing or compressing the fibres, and then heated to activate the latent fibre solvent on the material to bond the material at the points where the fibres are in contact. 0.02-0.15 grams of latent fibre solvent are preferably deposited per square yard of fabric face, the treatment being carried out at room temperature or below the temperature at which the latent solvent is converted to an active solvent for the fibres and activation being effected by heating. The textile material may contain staple and/or continuous filaments to be bonded which may be crimped, drawn or bulked and may be in the form of yarns, slivers, tows, warps, batts, woven fabrics, e.g. blankets and carpets, knitted fabrics, e.g. sweaters, pile fabrics, hosiery, gloves and scarves, or non-woven fabrics, e.g. flannels, sweaters, felts and hats. Specified fibres are polyamides, polyesters and copoly esters, polyacrylonitrile and copolymers thereof with vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride, methyl acrylate, vinyl pyridine or sodium styrene sulphonate, vinyl and vinylidene polymers and copolymers, polycarbonates, polyurethanes, polyesteramides, polyethylenes, polypropylenes, fluorinated ethylene polymers and copolymers, cellulose derivatives, e.g. cellulose acetate and triacetate, regenerated cellulose, composite filaments, e.g. filaments comprising a sheath of polyamide around a core of poly ester or two acrylonitrile polymers differing in ionizable group content spun as a sheath and core, and wool. Specification latent fibre solvents for polyacrylonitrile fibres are lithium, sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium thiocyanates, lithium, sodium, cadmium and cobaltous iodides, lithium calcium and ferrous bromides, zinc, cupric, ferric magnesium and barium chlorides, ethylene and propylene carbonates, dimethyl sulphane, tetramethylene sulphone, dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, g -butyrolactane and trimethylene carbonate which may be dissolved in water, ethyl alcohol, ethylene glycol or benzene, for polyamides are the inorganic salts used for polyacrylonitrile, formic and nitric acids, phenol and m cresol which may be dissolved in water, methanol, ethanol or benzene, for polyesters are benzyl alcohol, benzoic acid, di- and trichloroacetic acids, trifluoroacetic acid, dichlorophenol and calcium and magnesium thiocyanates in aqueous solution, for wool are aqueous solutions of alkali metal salts of thioglycolic acid and sodium sulphide and for viscose rayon are aqueous solutions of ferric chloride. The volatile liquid diluent employed may be the same liquid as is used for dissolving the latent fibre solvent or it may be a different liquid which is preferably miscible with the liquid employed to dissolve the latent fibre solvent. The solution may also contain m polyethylene oxide softeners, antistatic agents, pigments or dyestuffs. Specification 869,301 is referred to.