JPS6224547B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

Treatment of textiles with various chemicals, dyes, resins, etc. has long been carried out using aqueous baths in these methods. In these methods, the fabric is substantially saturated by immersing it in a water bath containing treatment chemicals, and finally the moisture is removed to continue the operation or to dry the fabric. It has to be. Among the many methods traditionally employed in textile processing, the most commonly employed is pad drying (Pad-drying).
dry) method. In this process, the fabric is soaked in an aqueous treatment solution until saturated, pressed between rollers to a predetermined wet pick-up, and then placed in a greenhouse or heated drying roll before being taken up again into rolls. Then, drying or drying and curing (curing in this specification means so-called curing) is carried out. The amount of moisture retained in the fabric is normally regulated by the pressure of the press rolls, but in conventional methods a lower limit of about 50 to 70% moisture based on the weight of the fabric is used, depending on the particular fabric used. Still retained. This large amount of moisture requires an enormous amount of energy in the form of heat to dry the fabric. The amount of energy required to remove moisture and dry the fabric can be used to carry out the desired chemical treatment steps, such as in the application and curing of wash and wear finishes on fabrics or in the continuous dyeing of fabrics. It has been calculated that this amount of energy is many times greater than the amount of energy required to heat the cloth. In addition to the pad drying method described above, in which water is removed by squeezing between rollers, other methods have recently been developed for more effective water removal. In one of the above methods, the wet fabric is conveyed to a jet press which utilizes a stream of compressed air ejected at the point of contact between the fabric and a nip roll to reduce the moisture content of the fabric. This substantially reduces the amount. Adoption of this technique results in the amount of moisture remaining in the fabric being reduced to approximately half of the amount of moisture that would normally remain if the above-mentioned squeeze roll method were employed. In another method, a vacuum extractor roll is used. This method conveys the wet fabric onto perforated plate rolls as it emerges from the treatment bath. A vacuum is created within the perforated plate roll, thereby extracting moisture from the fabric. In some cases a roller coating method can be employed. This method involves continuously applying an aqueous treatment composition to the fabric with an add-on controlled by the speed of the fabric and the rate of application of the treatment composition by the coating roller. In this method, the treatment composition generally remains primarily on or near the surface of the fabric (especially when low add-ons are involved). During the past few years, several new studies have been conducted to obtain uniform application of compositions to porous substrates. Recently, these studies have led to the development of methods using different forms of foam. However, methods for applying foam to treat textiles or yarns leave much to be desired. One of the above disclosures is found in US Pat. No. 3,697,314, published October 10, 1972. This patent describes a method of manufacturing a foam, then threading a thread through the foam, and coating the external surface of the thread with a foamed treatment agent. This method requires that the yarn must pass through the foam conglomerate in order to ensure uniform distribution of the treatment agent over the entire circumferential surface of the yarn as it passes through the foam. Emphasized. This document does not indicate any means by which the foam can be applied to only one side of the fabric or fabric material and yet a uniform distribution or uniform percolation inside the yarn or fabric can be obtained. An early attempt to use foam to treat textile materials is found in U.S. Pat. No. 1,948,568, published February 27, 1934.
In this disclosure, a textile material is suspended in a closed container, a foam is pumped into the container, and the textile material is uniformly impregnated and saturated with a textile treatment agent in foam form from all sides of its substrate structure. It is forced to permeate the textile material until it becomes saturated.
In the batch method disclosed in this patent, the textile material is in a stationary or fixed position. Although there are disclosures of the use of foams in the treatment of textile materials, virtually all industries use aqueous treatment baths and the fabric is generally immersed in the bath in order to apply the treatment material and the fabric. method is still in use. As mentioned above, this method then requires the expenditure of large amounts of energy to remove moisture from the fabric. Furthermore, no literature exists that discloses foam compositions that have the adequate stability and permeability required for processing textiles without depositing large amounts of water into the textiles. The present invention relates to foam compositions useful for treating porous substrates such as textiles or textile materials or paper products by applying thereto a foamed textile treatment composition. The present invention encompasses foams having specific foam densities and cell sizes and specific foam stability half-lives. The foam of the present invention continuously transports the foam textile treatment composition to an applicator nozzle, and the substantially dry treated textile material is transferred to the foam textile treatment composition of the invention and the applicator nozzle. It is applied by successive passes across the applicator nozzle in simultaneous contact. In this method, a predetermined and controlled amount of the foam textile treatment composition is absorbed into the textile material at the applicator nozzle. This amount is generally such that the surface of the textile material leaves a substantially dry feel. The textile material is then collected and optionally further processed. The foam of the present invention can be made of woven or non-woven material.
Any porous substrate, such as paper or wood veneer, can be utilized to be treated with any of the textile treatment compounds commonly used to treat them. The foam composition is therefore a flame retardant composition, a waterproofing or water-repellent composition, a latex, a fabric softener, a lubricant, a hand builder, a dye or pigment for coloring fabrics, a sizing agent, a whitening agent or a fluorescent gloss. agents, bleaching agents, nonwoven binders, scouring agents, the application of radiation-curable or radiation-polymerizable monomers or polymers or oligomers, or any other materials commonly used or applied to textiles or similar substrates. Can be used for coating. As previously mentioned, the foam compositions of the present invention allow textile treatment compounds or treatment chemicals to be applied in the form of foams or bubbles to material surfaces without the use of unnecessarily large amounts of water. It is something to do. This is an obvious use in view of rising energy costs and shortages of natural gas and other fuels. Furthermore, the subsequent and subsequent processing of the treated substrate requires little energy. In the present invention, a formulation or composition containing a textile treatment compound to be added to textiles is converted into a form having certain physical properties. The term "textile treatment composition or formulation" or variations thereof is used herein to treat porous substrates such as textiles or paper to impart desired physical or chemical properties thereto. Used to define a formulated composition containing a reactive or functional reagent to be used. These textile treatment compositions or formulations are used to produce the foams of the present invention and contain the blowing agents, functional chemicals, wetting agents, water and other additives identified below. Contains agents at the concentrations indicated below. Equipment that can be used to manufacture the foams of the invention is well known and
And many different types are commercially available.
After foaming the formulation, the foam is transported to a foam applicator nozzle where it is transferred to the surface of the textile material to be treated. The manner in which the foam is transferred to the textile material is critical to uniform distribution into the textile. It has been found that the specific density and bubble size and foam stability are important in the manner in which the transfer is carried out. If all operations of the method are carried out properly, a uniformly processed and generally substantially dry feel fabric is obtained. The use of the foam of the present invention provides a number of advantages over the conventional conventional method of completely immersing the fabric in the aqueous treatment solution. For example, the use of the method of the invention results in lower energy consumption during drying, reduced water consumption and water pollution due to the lower water pick-up, which reduces the amount of water deposited on the fabric during the drying operation. the possibility of treating one side of the fabric without affecting the other side of the fabric, if desired, the more effective utilization of the fabric treatment compound;
Higher treatment rates are obtained over continuous addition of various textile treatment compounds without intermediate drying steps, as well as many other advantages that will be revealed below. The foams of the present invention enable processing of substrates that deposits significantly less water on the substrate than has been previously practiced. Even if the amount of water applied is low, uniform distribution and percolation of the reactants into the substrate can still be achieved. This was a completely unexpected and non-obvious discovery. This is because in the past it was believed that substrates such as textiles or textiles must be completely saturated with an aqueous treatment bath to achieve uniform and average distribution and penetration. It is quite surprising and unexpected that this could be accomplished by applying foam or bubbles to the surface of the fabric, and that it could be done at such high speeds as we have found. It was hot outside. The foam is usually generated by commercially available foaming equipment. The device typically mixes a metered amount of a gas, such as air, with a liquid chemical composition containing a textile treatment compound or sensory treatment chemical to be applied to the fabric, and forms the mixture. It consists of a mechanical agitator that can be converted into Foam density, foam bubble average size and foam stability or foam half-life were found to be important factors. Form density is 1 c.c.
0.005 to 0.3 g per c.c., preferably 0.01 per c.c.
It can vary from 0.2g to 0.2g. Generally the foam has an average bubble size of about 0.05 to 0.5 mm in diameter, preferably 0.08 to 0.5 mm in diameter.
Has 0.45mm. The half-life of the form is between 1 and
60 minutes, preferably 3 to 40 minutes. Foam density and foam half-life are determined by measuring a specific volume of the foam in a laboratory graduated cylinder of known weight (100 c.c.
Or you can use a 1000c.c. cylinder. ), measuring the weight of the foam in the cylinder, and then calculating the density from the known volume and weight of the foam in the cylinder. From the measured foam density and volume and the known density of the pre-dried mass liquid (processing liquid before foaming),
1/2 of the total weight of the foam in the cylinder
The solution volume equal to is calculated. The foam half-life is the time for this volume of liquid to collect at the bottom of the cylinder. Foam bubble size was measured on foam samples taken at the applicator nozzle and by coating the foam on the underside of a microscope slide, placing the slide on the microscope, and supporting each end of the slide with two slides. , and then immediately, preferably within 10 seconds, by taking a picture with a Polaroid(TM) camera at a magnification of 32. Microphotogrammetry 73mm x 95mm, corresponding to an actual slide area of 6.77 mm2
Count the number of bubbles in the area. The size of the average diameter of the bubbles in mm is thus determined by the equation below.

[Table] √π〓 Number of bubbles 〓
The formulations used to make the foams of the present invention contain a foaming or blowing agent at a concentration of about 0.2 to 5%, preferably 0.4 to 2% by weight, and a textile treatment compound of about 5 to 75% by weight. % by weight, preferably at a concentration of 10 to 60% by weight (this concentration depends on the particular textile treatment compound used), with water making up the remaining weight of the total composition. A wetting agent may be present as an optional ingredient, and when used, it is present at a concentration of about 0.001 to 5% or more, preferably about 0.01 to 1.0% by weight of the total composition. I can do it. However, a wetting agent need not always be present, and in some cases may be absent altogether if the foaming agent provides sufficient wetting action. As the foaming agent any surfactant that produces a foam with the properties described herein above can be used. The formulated composition comprises:
The novel foams of the present invention are foamed in conventional foaming equipment using air or any other inert gas. The amount of gas used to foam the composition is generally about 5 times the volume of the liquid formulation composition to be foamed, and
Large amounts may be used, such as 200 times or more. In this way a foam with the desired density and bubble size is obtained. The individual components used to produce the foam are important in order to obtain a foam that is readily absorbed in a uniform manner by the substrate material and to enable application of the desired amount of textile treatment compound to the substrate. It is. Examples of suitable blowing or foaming agents include ethylene oxide adducts of mixed _C11 - _C15 linear secondary alcohols having about 10 to 50, preferably about 12 to 20, ethyleneoxy units in the molecule. can be mentioned. Also, ethylene oxide adducts of linear primary alcohols having 10 to 16 carbon atoms in the alcohol moiety, or ethylene oxide adducts of alkylphenols having 8 to 12 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, in which case the adduct Those having about 10 to about 50, preferably about 12 to 20, ethyleneoxy units in the molecule can also be used. Also useful are fatty acid alkanolamides such as coconut fatty acid monoethanolamide. Other suitable classes of blowing agents are disodium N-octadecyl sulfosuccinate, tetrasodium N-(1,2-dicarboxyethyl)-N-octadecyl sulfosuccinate, diamyl ester of sodium sulfosuccinate. , dihexyl ester of sodium sulfosuccinic acid,
A group of sulfosuccinate ester salts, such as the dioctyl ester of sodium sulfosuccinate. In addition to the above nonionic surfactants and anionic surfactants, distearylpyridinium chloride, N-coco-β-aminopropionic acid (N-talo- or N-lauryl derivative) or its sodium salt, stearyldimethylammonium chloride Cationic or amphoteric surfactants such as tertiary alkyl amines quaternized with benzenesulfonic acid, betaine, or benzenesulfonic acid can also be used. These are well known and any similar surfactants can be used in addition to those specified above. Formulations of one or more surfactants are often advantageously used. In selecting the blowing agent for each formulation, care must be taken to use one that does not unduly react with other reactants present or interfere with the blowing or processing step. Where the presence of a wetting agent is required to produce a foam with the desired fast breaking and wetting properties, as well as sufficient stability to be pumped from the foaming device to the applicator nozzle. Optionally, a wetting agent may also be present, as previously mentioned. The foams of the present invention are semistable and rapidly wettable, and are prepared from formulated compositions containing relatively high concentrations of certain components compared to previously used aqueous treatment compositions. . The foam produced must be sufficiently stable to allow it to be pumped from the foam generator to the applicator head, but must not break easily when it reaches the substrate surface. , and must be absorbed quickly. This form breaking property is important. This is because retaining foam or bubble structures on the treated substrate surface can result in pockmarks, blemishes, or other aspects of non-uniform distribution on the substrate. Additionally, foam breakage properties are important to facilitate recirculation. The recirculation process can also be performed using any known physical technique, i.e. heating, mechanical shearing,
etc. can be used. With respect to foam breakage, a foam composition with a specified foam half-life provides stability that facilitates pumping and dispensing to the substrate, facilitates rapid wetting upon contact with the substrate, and facilitates recirculation. It was found to have a desirable combination of stability and instability. The foaming agent used produces a stable foam but is a relatively weak wetting agent so that the foam has sufficient front-to-back uniformity or penetration ability for continuous high speed application to the substrate. If not, the presence of the optional wetting agent is important. In such cases, a combination of foaming agents and wetting agents is used. Examples of suitable wetting agents include adducts of 6 moles of ethylene oxide and trimethylnonanol, about 7 or 9 moles of ethylene oxide, and mixed C ₁₁ to _{C 15} linear secondary alcohols or C ₁₀ to C ₁₆ primary alcohols. appendages with,
Adduct of 9 moles of ethylene oxide and nonylphenol, the following structural formula: (In the formula, n has a value of 5 to 25, m has a value of 3 to
p has a value of 10, p has a value of 6 to 20, and R is alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon atoms. )
commercially available fluorocarbon wetting agents, such as the known perfluoro-alkylated surfactants, are also useful. The amount of wetting agent to be added to provide rapid breakage and rapid absorption will vary depending on the respective wetting agent selected, but this amount is readily ascertained by small scale preliminary evaluation. be able to. The concentration of fluorocarbon wetting agent is thus preferably in the range 0.001 to 0.5% by weight;
Silicone wetting agent ranges from 0.01 to 0.3% by weight
was observed to be preferable. Excessive amounts of silicone or fluorocarbon wetting agents can also interfere with foam formation or reduce the stability of the foam to the extent that pumping and delivery of the foam to the substrate is no longer possible. It was also observed that this is possible. Therefore, when problems such as those described above exist in any respective case, small-scale preliminary screening tests are carried out. As previously mentioned, some foaming agents have sufficient wetting properties and do not require the use of any supplemental or optional wetting agents. However, in most cases, better back-to-back uniformity of substrate treatment is obtained by using a mixture or combination of foaming agents and wetting agents. The addition of known foam stabilizers such as hydroxyethyl cellulose or hydrolyzed guar gum may also be beneficial as long as it does not adversely affect the desired properties of the foam and the application of the foam to the substrate. observed. The stability of the foam before it comes into contact with the substrate is an important property of the foam. The foam is thus easily transported from the foaming means to the applicator head, yet does not break down until it comes into contact with the substrate to be treated (eg, a textile). The foam immediately breaks down upon contact and its components are absorbed into the substrate structure in a uniform and average distribution and percolation. This is accomplished, as indicated herein, by appropriate selection of the components used, the foam manufacturing method employed, and the application of the foam to the substrate. In some cases, simple preliminary laboratory evaluation is required to confirm appropriate conditions. According to the knowledge of the inventors, the foam composition of the present invention is the first successful report of the use of a permanent press or wash and wear composition in foam or foam form on textiles or fabrics. Any of a number of textile treatment compounds can be applied to the substrate to provide special properties or treatments according to the foams of the present invention. Accordingly, the foam compositions of the present invention can be used as flame retardants, waterproofing or water-repellent agents, fungicides, bacteriostatic agents, antistats, permanent press compositions or wash and wear agents. and
wear) compositions, softeners, lubricants, hand builders, dyes, pigments, sizes, whitening agents, fluorescent brighteners,
Bleach, binders for non-woven fabrics, latex, scouring agents,
thermosetting or radiation-curing monomers, oligomers or polymers, mud or stain removers,
or any other material known for use in the treatment of textiles or paper and can be used in their application. An important requirement for the selected textile treatment compound or treatment chemical is that it does not interfere with foam generation and that the foam composition cannot be adequately transported to the applicator nozzle, or It does not interfere with the properties of the foam to such an extent that it cannot be properly applied to a substrate in such a manner and shape that it breaks down quickly and penetrates uniformly into the substrate. The method is not limited to any individual textile treatment compound or treatment agent or combination of agents. Examples of typical textile treatment compounds include dimethylol dihydroxyethylene urea, dimethylol ethylene urea, dimethylol propylene urea, urea formaldehyde resin, dimethylol uron, methylolated melamine, methylolated triazone, ethyl carbamate or methoxyethyl carbamate. or methylolated carbamates such as isopropyl carbamate or butyl carbamate; vinylcyclohexene dioxide, 2,3-diallyoxy-1,4-dioxane, 2,3-bis(2,3-epoxypropoxy)-1,4-dioxane, Epoxides such as diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A, bis(3,4-epoxybutyl) ether; such as tetrakishydroxymethylphosphonium chloride, polyvinyl chloride latex, (N-hydroxymethyl-3-dimethylphosphono)propionamide flame retardants; waterproofing or water repellent agents such as aluminum formate, sodium formoacetate, methylene bis-stearamide; copper-8-
Antifungal agents or bacteriostatic agents such as quinolinolate, dihydroxydichlorodiphenylmethane, zinc salts of dimethyldithiocarbamic acid, dihydroxymethylundecylenamide; latexes such as polyvinyl acetate latex, acrylic latex, styrene-butadiene latex; Emulsifying polyethylene, softening agents such as ammonium dimethyl stearate; lubricants such as butyl stearate, diethylene glycol stearate, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol; polyvinyl acetate latex, acrylic latex, styrene-butadiene latex Hand builder like; acid blue-25 (color index 62055), acid red
151 (color index 26900), direct red 39 (color index 23630), zipper red 4 (color index 60755), phthalocyanine blue 15 (color index 74160)
dyes or pigments such as; sizes such as polyvinyl alcohol, cornstarch; whitening agents such as 4-methyl-7-diethylaminocoumarin;
Bleaching agents such as sodium hypochlorite, chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, dichlorodimethylhydantoin, and sodium perborate; for nonwoven fabrics such as ethylene-vinyl acetate emulsion polymers, acrylic emulsion polymers, and vinyl-acrylic copolymers. Binding agent: sodium lauryl sulfate, triethanolamine lauryl sulfate, sodium N-methyl-N
- Scouring agents such as oleoyl taurate, primary or secondary alcohol ethoxylate; 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate, neopentyl glycol diacrylate, pentaerythritol acrylate, isodecyl acrylate, acrylated epoxidized soybean oil or radiation-curable monomers or oligomers such as linseed oil; antistatic agents such as ethoxylated stearylamine;
Mention may be made of dirt and stain removers such as emulsions of acrylic polymers and fluorocarbons. The foam compositions of the present invention are prepared by admixing selected textile treatment compounds, foaming agents, wetting agents and water with other conventional chemicals normally present in the indicated amounts. do. The formulation has a Bruckfield viscosity of 0.5 at 25°C.
from 1 to 75 centipoise, preferably from 1 to 50 centipoise. The manner in which the formulation used to make the foam is manufactured depends on the particular textile treatment compound or agent present. Also, methods commonly used to make compositions containing the selected textile treatment compounds are commonly used to make the formulations of the present invention. The formulation is then foamed and the foam is conveyed to the foam applicator head or nozzle where it is applied to the surface of the substrate. To produce a foam composition, a measured amount of the formulation is introduced into a foaming device and foamed. This foaming process is controlled by adjusting the amount of air introduced into the foaming device and the rotational speed in rpm of the foaming device rotor. The rotational speed of the rotor plays an important role in producing foams with the bubble size and half-life defined above. The relative feed rate of the formulation and gas determines the density of the foam. These matters are known to those skilled in the art. The nozzle used to apply the foam of the present invention to a substrate and the manner in which the substrate contacts the nozzle play an important role in successfully applying the foam of the present invention to the substrate. The applicator nozzle is designed to have sufficient side-to-side width to be able to apply foam across the width of the fabric. The spacing or width between the front and rear lips of the nozzle orifice varies from 10 mils to about 6 inches or more, preferably from 20 mils to 4 inches. The width or spacing of the nozzle orifices is determined by the formula MCT〓ECT for each form and substrate combination implemented.
The dimensions are such that the mechanical contact time is equal to or less than the equilibrium contact time, as defined in . The mechanical contact time (MCT) is the amount of time that any given point on a substrate spends on the nozzle hole during foam application to the substrate. That is, machine contact time in seconds is equal to the spacing or orifice width in inches divided by the speed of the fabric in inches per second. Equilibrium contact time (abbreviated ECT) is the rate at which the foam is delivered to the applicator nozzle.
It is the time required for the substrate to absorb the foam. Even more foam is absorbed by the substrate when the foam is under pressure. It is preferred to maintain a slight uniform pressure of 2 to 20 inches of water column to control uniformity of application. It was observed that non-uniform application was obtained when MCT was larger than ECT. In other words, uniform application can no longer be achieved if the absorption rate is greater than the foam delivery rate. However, in some cases it may be desirable to have an MCT greater than the ECT when applying the foam to a substrate. It has been observed that in such cases non-uniform streaks or irregular patterns are obtained across the width of the substrate. This is of interest, for example, when uniform dyeing is not desired and a striped pattern is desired. The nozzle orifice used to apply the foam of the present invention to a substrate preferably consists of two lips with spaced apart edges or surfaces and having a length substantially equal to the width of the substrate. The substrate seals the zone between the two lips with sufficient pressure to confine the foam to the zone.
The edges of the two lips (which may be of any selected shape, for example pointed, tapered, flat, beveled, arcuate or other shape) are contacted. Varying the angle between the substrate and the coating zone and lip surface over a wide range as the substrate makes initial contact with the lip and as the substrate exits the lip to ensure a seal between the substrate and the lip. do. The side tips of the orifice must be sealed to prevent foam from escaping. In some cases when MCT=ECT, it is possible to operate only with the outlet or downstream lip in contact with the substrate. A diagrammatic description of an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying FIG. This figure shows the typical relationship that exists between foam absorption by the substrate and hydrostatic pressure on the foam. This curve is nominally 4 oz/sq yd.
Figure 3 shows the absorption of foam (measured as total composition including water) at a mechanical contact time (MCT) of 0.025 seconds by a 65/35 polyester/cotton coarse fabric. It is remarkable and unexpected that such a large volume of foam was absorbed by the fabric within a very short contact time of 0.025 seconds at atmospheric pressure. This figure shows that foam corresponding to 8% of the substrate weight, or about 35% of the unoccupied volume of the fabric, is absorbed into the fabric within this short mechanical contact time at atmospheric pressure.
It is also clear from the slope of this curve that the absorption of foam by the substrate can be substantially increased at lower hydrostatic pressures or alternatively at longer equilibrium contact times. It has been found that the above absorption is relatively independent of fabric speed, as long as the width of the nozzle orifice is adjusted to maintain the same machine contact time. On the other hand, as explained below, the absorption is influenced by the properties of the fabric and foam. Low absorption level (less than 8% by weight in Figure 1)
A non-steady state is encountered which results in non-uniform application of the processing chemicals, i.e. the MCT is greater than the ECT. Steady state can be achieved when MCT=ECT, as shown by dividing the curve and abscissa in the figure. The uniformity of absorption is controlled by positive hydrostatic pressure. Therefore, the mechanical contact time is adjusted to be equal to, or preferably less than, the equilibrium contact time of the textile-foam system. Preferred operating conditions are achieved when the mechanical contact time provides a hydrostatic pressure of between 2 and 10 inches of water pressure on the foam in the nozzle. The foams of the present invention can be used to apply a monofunctional or multifunctional treatment to a substrate using multiple foaming and coating methods, and then drying or drying and curing the substrate treated with the foam of the present invention before winding. It can be used to Furthermore, since the amount of foam formulation added onto the substrate is generally less than the water holding capacity of the substrate, the substrate can be rolled up without drying and stored for subsequent use or processing. Or you can move to another location. The substrate to which the foam is applied may be dried, but this is not necessary. The ability to apply a desired amount of foam formulation regardless of the initial drying state of the substrate, but provided that the substrate is not completely saturated, is a unique, unexpected, and unobvious feature of the method of the present invention. , which is a desirable feature. Multiple application of two or more foam compositions sequentially, each using a separate textile treatment composition or formulation and applicator nozzle, and with or without intermediate drying, curing or winding steps. is possible using the foam of the present invention. This multiple application method is used in cases where the separate treatment agents or fabric treatment compounds present in the foam are incompatible with each other or too reactive with the other one to be present in the single formulation or foam. This is particularly advantageous in cases where The substrate coated with the foam composition can then be treated thermally or with radiation, depending on the respective coated foam formulation and the purpose sought. That is, the treated substrate can be heat treated to dry or harden the applied foam composition, or alternatively the substrate can be exposed to non-ionizing or ionizing radiation. In any case, any known thermal or radiation treatment suitable for the respective formulation and substrate can be employed.
Thus, infrared lamps, hot gas, ovens, heated rollers or similar conventional heating means can be used for drying or heat curing. For radiation curing, ultraviolet radiation, gamma radiation, electron beam radiation or similar conventional means can be utilized, whether or not it is inactivated. The rate of absorption of a foam formulation by a substrate is influenced by the nature of the foam, the weight and structure of the substrate, the initial dryness of the substrate and the hydrophilicity of the substrate. That is, natural fibers such as wool, cotton or linen are
It is known that certain synthetic fibers, such as polyester, are even more hydrophilic than they are hydrophilic. These natural fibers are therefore able to absorb greater amounts of the foam composition and still maintain a substantially dry feel. Selective pre-wetting or post-wetting of localized areas of the substrate causes the treating foam formulation to move outwardly towards the edges of the pre-wet or post-wetted areas. It was also observed that the areas that were not wetted dried uniformly without any movement. By using a dye-containing foam, the technique produces a washed-out effect similar to that achieved by tie-dyeing methods without tying the fabric.
out) produce a pattern. It was a particularly unexpected and non-obvious discovery that the foam was absorbed into the substrate at a rapid rate and in large quantities. In most cases, the desired amount of foam formulation was applied and absorbed within a fraction of a second, generally less than 0.05 seconds. It was an equally unexpected discovery that the foam could be applied uniformly or in selected patterns over the entire substrate. In a typical embodiment for applying a foam to a substrate, the apparatus used includes an apparatus means for transporting the fabric from a delivery roll to an applicator nozzle and a reservoir for preparing and storing the fabric treatment composition or formulation. and foaming device means for foaming said composition to produce the foam of the present invention.
It comprises a foam circulation means, a means for transporting the foam to the applicator nozzle, a foam applicator head and a foam applicator nozzle, and a winding means. Optionally, processing means can be included for treating or curing the foamed fabric, such as a heating furnace or a radiation source. For purposes of applying the invention, the foam applicator nozzle can be manufactured using a sheet of plexiglass to maintain visual observation. However, any other suitable construction material can be used. In a typical operation, the fabric is transferred from the delivery roll to various guide rolls and nips.
Transported over the rolls, the foam treatment composition of the present invention is applied to one surface of the fabric where the fabric contacts the nozzle of the foam applicator head. The fabric is then collected on a take-up roll. As the fabric is transported across the foam applicator nozzle, the foamed fabric treatment composition or formulation comes into contact with the fabric and is then absorbed into the fabric. The foam enters the chamber via the bottom foam entry point and exits the foam applicator head via the applicator nozzle slot where it is deposited on the fabric. The foams of the present invention are produced by foaming a metered amount of the textile treatment composition or formulation in a commercially available foaming device, and then transferring the resulting foam to the chamber of the applicator head by suitable transport means. Transfer by wheel. As the foam enters the chamber through the foam entry point and fills the chamber, the velocity of the foam decreases before it enters the slot or orifice of the applicator nozzle. It has been observed that uniform coverage of the foam onto the textile substrate is achieved when both lips of the applicator nozzle are preferably in contact with the textile. If the first or upstream lip did not come into contact with the fabric, foam would tend to build up behind the applicator nozzle lip and form a foam bank, and uneven application and see-through would occur. It will happen often. If the second or downstream lip of the applicator nozzle does not come into contact with the fabric, the curtain of foam will be ripped away from the nozzle slot and areas of the fabric will jump and uneven application of the foam composition will occur. will also be guided. In view of these observations, it has been determined that uniform application of the foam to the textile substrate is best achieved when both lips of the applicator nozzle are in suitable contact with the textile substrate. However, in some cases, especially when ECT=MCT, it was possible to achieve good application with the fabric only in contact with the downstream lip. The equations below are useful in determining the amount of formulated composition to be metered into the foaming device and the amount of foam to be applied to the substrate. The equation indicates the volume of liquid formulation composition to be metered in cubic feet per minute. V _l =(C _s )(v _s )(w _s )(λ)/c _l ρ
_{The l} equation indicates the volume of foam to be applied to the substrate in cubic feet per minute. V _f =(C _s )(v _s )(w _s )(λ)/(c _l
)(ρ _f ) The symbols have the following meanings: v _s = Linear velocity of the substrate, feet/minute V _l = Volumetric liquid flow rate, cubic feet/minute V _f = Form volumetric flow rate, cubic feet/minute ρ _f = Density of the foam, pounds per cubic foot C _l = Concentration of liquid (solids), % ows w _s = Fabric substrate weight, pounds per cubic foot C _s = Solids added to the fabric, % owf λ = Substrate or nozzle being treated Width across orifice, feet ρ _l = Density of liquid, pounds per cubic foot The test procedure employed was as follows. durable press rating
AATCC124−1967T; Cleaning method (140
〓); Drying methods A and B [tumble and line drying] Dry hoe recovery AATCC66-1959T tear strength [Elmendorf]
ASTM D-1424-59 Tensile strength [Grab] ASTM D-
1862 Washware AATCC124-1967T Washing method; Drying method A and B Yellowness index Hunterlab model D-40 reflectance meter used Yellowness = Green reflectance - Blue reflectance / 100 The following definitions were used in this example. Apply to the various ingredients used. DMDHEU: 1,3-dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxy-2-imidazolidone, 45
% aqueous solution. Softener: 30% by weight aqueous emulsion of low density, low molecular weight modified polyethylene. Softener: 30% by weight emulsion of low density, low molecular weight polyethylene. Hand builder: Ethyl acrylate/N-methylol acrylamide/acrylic acid latex, 48% total solids. Foaming agent: adduct of mixed _C11 - _C15 linear secondary alcohol with 20 mol of ethylene oxide. Foaming agent: dioctyl ester of sodium sulfosuccinate. Foaming agent: mixed C ₁₁ ~ C ₁₅ linear secondary alcohol;
Adduct with 12 moles of ethylene oxide. Wetting agent: mixed C ₁₁ to C ₁₅ linear secondary alcohol,
Adduct with 9 moles of ethylene oxide. Wetting agent: Siloxane with the following average structure: Wetting agent: Siloxane with the following average structure: Wetting agent: adduct of mixed _C11 - _C15 linear secondary alcohol with 12 moles of ethylene oxide. Next, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to Examples. Example 1 Two formulations were prepared by mixing the following ingredients in the given weight % amounts.

[Table] Total solids content of formulations A and B is 12.6 each.
% by weight and 39.0% by weight. In a Kitchen Aid Model 4C blender,
200 ml of each was foamed separately at maximum speed of the mixer. The foam density and foam stability or half-life after various mixing times are shown below.

Table: The above data demonstrate that durable press resin formulations with total solids content ranging from 12.6 to 39% by weight can be used in the laboratory to produce foams with desired foam densities and foam half-lives. It shows. The resulting foam was applied with a doctor blade to one side of a 50/50 polyester/cotton sheet weighing approximately 4.5 ounces per square yard. Approximately 5% by weight (owf)
of solid chemical add-on was obtained in Formulation A with a foam thickness of 62 mils, approximately 7.9
Weight percent was obtained at a foam thickness of 24 mils. Formulation B
was applied at an average solids ad-on of about 22% by weight to a 24 mil foam thickness. The fabric thus treated was cured by heating in an oven at 300°C for 1.5 minutes. The fabric treated with Formulation A was flexible, whereas the fabric treated with Formulation B had a higher solids content.
The treated fabric was stiff and yellow in color. This experiment illustrates that either low solids or high solids formulations can be provided, but it is not appropriate for the solids add-on to be too high. EXAMPLE 2 The desirability of preferred blowing agents in the textile treatment formulations used to make the foams is as shown in the following series of formulations. As shown below, Formulation A produced a foam with a foam density of 0.06 g/cc. Note that this formulation contained foaming agent A. Although Formulation B produced a usable foam with a foam density of 0.11 g/cc due to the presence of a wetting agent (which is chemically related to the foaming agent),
The stability of this foam was not good. Formulation C did not produce foam; Formulation D, E and F
produced a foam that still contained some liquid, non-foaming formulation in the mixture. Comparative experiments were conducted for 5 minutes at maximum speed in a KitchenAid Model 4C mixer and an Ease-E-Foamar Model No. E1000 with the rotor rotating at a speed of 410 rpm. This was done by foaming the formulation during the process. Similar results were obtained in both cases. In the following table, concentrations are given in % by weight.

EXAMPLE 3 In this example, various wash-wears applied as foam compositions and by the conventional pad bath method were tested.
The performance properties of the formulations were compared using DMDHEU from four different sources. Part: Formulation to make foams and their application and curing Four formulations were made using four batches of DMDHEU from various sources.
Each of these formulations contains the following components in weight percent. These are designated as formulations A, B, C and D in this example. DMDHEU 73.8 Zinc Nitrate, 30% 16.4 Softener 8.2 Foaming Agent 1.1 Wetting Agent 0.5 Each of the four formulations was foamed as described in Example 1. This foam or foam has an initial density of 0.083, 0.083, 0.090 and 0.086 g/cc, respectively.
The foam half-lives were 30, 25, 30, and 35 minutes, respectively. These foams were applied to cotton fabric using the roll-down method. This method involved rolling the foam mixture across the fabric using a 2 inch diameter glass rod to wash the foam across the face of the fabric. The fabric treated in this way was essentially dry to the touch. 1.5 for 300〓 of these fabrics
heat for 1.5 minutes and then 1.5 minutes at 340°C to apply wash-wear to the fabric.
The formulation was completely cured. Part: Pad bath formulations and their application and curing Pad baths were prepared using the same four samples of DMDHEU. These baths contained the following components in weight percent: These are treated as formulations E, F, G and H in this example. DMDEUH 18 Zinc Nitrate, 30% 4 Softener 2 Wetting Agent 0.1 Water 75.9 Each of the four formulations was applied to the same fabric by conventional padding means. The padded fabric was moist to the touch. These fabrics were heated and dried in the same manner as described in part above. Formulations A to D have a total solids content of 41.3% by weight.
and a water content of 58.7% by weight, whereas formulations E to H had a total solids content of 9.8% and a water content of 90.2% by weight. The properties of the wet pick-up and solid add-on, as well as the treated fabric samples, both based on the weight of the fabric, are as follows: The properties of the untreated cotton fabric used are also listed here. This result shows that formulation A
The fabric samples treated with foams of formulations E through D can be cured without pre-drying the fabric and the wet pick up is only about that of the fabric samples treated with formulations E through H. 1/
This indicates that the number is 4. On an industrial scale, the ability to eliminate such large amounts of water means that the drying step can be omitted with attendant savings in fuel, energy expenditure and time.

TABLE EXAMPLE 4 A series of formulations were prepared to illustrate the compatibility of wetting agents and foaming agent mixtures in formulations used to produce foams. All of these formulations foamed immediately. This foam was applied to a fabric and cured to impart wash wear properties to the fabric.
The formulations and foam densities are shown below in weight percentages.

[Table] Example 5 The effectiveness of hydroxyethyl cellulose as a foam stabilizer was evaluated. It has been observed that the form half-life can be easily increased by adding small amounts thereof to the formulation. In this example, adding 1.2% by weight of hydroxyethylcellulose to the formulation essentially doubled the half-life of the foam. That is, it also served to increase their density. In the following table, the amounts are given in % concentration of each component and the % of hydroxyethylcellulose added is based on the total weight of the other premixed components.

Table: The above formulation was foamed using the equipment described in Example 1. By reducing the amount of hydroxyethylcellulose used, a shorter half-life period is obtained. Example 6 A formulation was prepared by mixing the following ingredients in the predetermined weight percent amounts. DMDHEU 81.2 Zinc nitrate, 30% 17.9 Foaming agent 0.3 Wetting agent 0.6 Visual examination of uniformity of application may be determined.
A trace amount of red acid dye sufficient to color the formulation was also included in the formulation. Ease-E-
The formulation was foamed in a Foamer, Model No. E1000 foamer using a sufficient volume of air at a rotor speed of 410 rpm to achieve a density of 0.078.
A foam with g/cc was produced. The liquid formulation was fed into the frother at a rate of 564 c.c. per minute. The frother head pressure was 16 psig. The foam was transferred to an applicator nozzle and applied uniformly over a 50/50 polyester/cotton sackcloth approximately 9 inches wide, weighing approximately 8 ounces per square yard. The fabric was moved over the applicator nozzle at a speed of 300 feet per minute. The attachment of the foam formulation to the fabric was 4.5% by weight. This foam was applied evenly and uniformly to the fabric. When the foam composition contacted the fabric, the foam burst, the composition was absorbed into the fabric, and the fabric was immediately substantially dry to the touch. The treated fabric was then cured at 340°C for 3 minutes. This is dry wrinkle recovery.
recovery) 292°, and tear strength 2997g. Each of these properties for untreated fabrics is
It was 215° and 3541g. The equipment used to produce and apply the foam included the same foaming machine as described above, suitable feeding, winding and guide roll means for the fabric, means for transporting the foam from the foaming machine to the foam applicator head, and It was a foam applicator nozzle.
The foam applicator head comprises a lower foam distribution chamber, a foam application chamber and a nozzle located in the lower foam distribution chamber on a foam distribution plate. The internal dimensions of the lower foam distribution chamber were 9 inches long, 2 inches wide, and 2 inches high. The base of this lower distribution chamber has a diameter in the center.
It had a 0.75 inch form entry. At the top of the foam distribution chamber was a foam distribution plate having a row of 15 holes, each 3/16 inch in diameter. The foam distribution plate has a foam applicator chamber that extends the entire 9 inch length of the foam applicator head, has a height of 2 inches above the foam distribution plate, and has two nozzles. It had a 13/16 inch wide nozzle orifice groove between the lips. The space between these lips is the nozzle orifice. The upstream lip of the foam applicator nozzle was 0.5 inch wide and had an external taper of 45°. The width of the downstream lip of the foam applicator nozzle is 1.25 inches, tapering outwardly at a 45° angle 0.5 inches outward and tapering inwardly at a 5° angle toward the orifice. Inside is 0.75 inch. In operation, foam is produced in the foamer and enters the lower foam distribution chamber via a foam inlet at the base of the lower foam distribution chamber;
It passes through holes in the foam distribution plate into the foam application chamber and is then applied to the fabric at the nozzle orifice between the lips of the applicator nozzle. The fabric first contacts the upstream lip and then the downstream lip of the applicator nozzle at a specified speed, and the fabric that is removed across the orifice and lip of the applicator nozzle passes through the nozzle orifice or groove aperture and the applicator nozzle. The foam was applied to the surface of the fabric under slight positive pressure as it moved across the nozzle lip. The foam was evenly absorbed by the cotton fibers as confirmed by x-ray radiation studies and scanning electron microscopy tests on treated and cured fabrics. Example 7 A formulation was prepared containing ingredients for the properties of washwear and to impart softness or richness of hand in the same formulation. For comparison purposes, one formulation (Formulation A) was prepared according to the invention, while another formulation for conventional pad bath application (Formulation B) was prepared. Concentrations are expressed in weight percent.

[Table] Polyester/
Formulation A was foamed and applied to cotton fabric 65/34. This was cured by first heating at 300° for 90 seconds and then at 340° for another 90 seconds. The same fabric was treated with Formulation B by conventional pad bath coating and dried and cured under the same conditions. In each case three textile specimens were treated with each formulation. These specimens were then evaluated against each other and compared to the untreated fabric. Softness, or texture, is a subjective test measured by a panel of experienced people. The evaluation is graded on a scale of 1 to 6, with higher numbers indicating improved softness. It has been found that fabrics treated with the foam compositions of the present invention are generally softer to the touch than those treated by the pad bath method. These results are shown in the table below.

Table: Example 8 A series of foam formulations containing softeners as a single fabric treatment compound were prepared. The concentrations of the components are shown here in weight %.

Table: By the method described in Example 1, formulations A and B produced good foam. Formulations C and D were foamed in an Oakes Mixer Model No. 4 MHA. and each is 0.035
Foams with densities in the range ˜0.086 and 0.068-0.079 were produced, respectively. Attempts to produce foams from formulations containing the oleate-based softener, a mixture of polyethylene glycol 200 dioleate and glyceryl trioleate, were unsuccessful. This means that
Whenever there is a question about the influence of a particular compound on the foaming properties of a formulation, it points to the need to perform small-scale evaluations or trials prior to any facility operation. EXAMPLE 9 Thickeners (thickeners, thickeners), where desired, are used to provide a formulation that can be foamed into a form of suitable stability and rapid penetration. It is important to know how much you can do. In this example, formulations with Brookfield viscosities lower than 75 cps at 25°C produced satisfactory foams, whereas formulations with higher viscosities did not support rapid, uniform penetration. It has been observed that pairs generally yield forms that are too stable. However, if rapid penetration is not desired, foams produced from formulations with higher viscosities can be used. It has also been observed that the thickening agent should be uniformly dissolved in the formulation to achieve those objectives. Carboxymethyl cellulose and alginate thickeners were not effective because they did not dissolve uniformly in this formulation. These appear to be suitable in formulations containing functional textile treatment compounds other than those specified in this example, and in which the thickening agent is soluble. The basic formulation contains the following weight percent concentrations of the ingredients: DMDHEU 73.8 Zinc nitrate, 30% 16.4 Foaming agent 1.1 Softener 8.2 Wetting agent 0.4 Wetting agent 0.1 To portions of this formulation, various amounts of hydroxyethyl cellulose or hydrolyzed guar gum thickening agent were added; The viscosity, foam density and foam half-life were then determined for each of the modified formulations. The formulation was foamed as described in Example 1 by mixing at high speed for 5 minutes. Bruckfield viscosities of 10, 20, 50 and
Measured at 100 rpm. The permeability of the foam through the fabric was measured using the wicking test. In this test, multiple layers of 50/50 polyester/cotton fabric were placed on the surface of the foam and the length of time required for initial penetration of the foam through all of these layers was recorded. It was noted that thickener concentrations up to 0.25% by weight could be used with good penetration and foam breakdown, but even better results were achieved at concentrations below 0.25% by weight. At higher concentrations, the wetting agent or permeability of the foam was too slow for industrial use. View these results.

Table: Example 10 A washware formulation containing the following ingredients was prepared. DMDHEU 2.210g Zinc nitrate, 30% 492g Softener 246g Foaming agent 32.4g Wetting agent 12.4g Wetting agent 3g Direct Red 37 (Color Index)
22240) 3.5 g of the above textile treatment formulation was weighed into a commercially available Oakes Mixer Model No. 4 MHA.
Foamed. The resulting foam is transferred to a foam applicator head (described below) and applied to cotton fibers passing over a nozzle orifice or slit in the foam applicator chamber at a rate of approximately 25 feet per minute, resulting in a mass of approximately 9 lbs. % chemical add-on. The width of the orifice in the foam applicator chamber was changed. Details of this series of experiments are explained in Table A below.

[Table] The foam applicator head used in this example consists of a foam application chamber and a nozzle orifice. This chamber is approximately 12 inches long and 1.5 inches wide.
and has a height of about 1 to 1.5 inches. At the center of the base of this chamber is a foam entry point through which the foam treatment composition of the present invention enters the chamber. At the top of the foam application chamber is a nozzle having an extended slit or orifice that runs the length of the chamber. This slit can be adjusted in width. In this particular case, the width of the slit is approximately
1.5 inches and its width in inches. The top edge of the nozzle lip tapers outward and downward at an approximately 45° angle. Two types of foam applicator heads are used that differ in the size and shape of the foam application chamber (to which the nozzle is attached). The first form applicator head has a rectangular configuration when viewed from beyond the front, has a chamber volume of 390 c.c., and is approximately 12 x 1.5 x
It measures 1.5 inches. The second foam applicator head had a triangular configuration when viewed from the front and had a chamber volume of approximately 84 c.c. In this example, the base of the applicator head tapers angularly from the center at a depth of 1 inch at the form entrance means to the zero (0) height at the two side edges of the chamber. It's getting old. Example 11 A wash ware fabric treatment composition was prepared as described in Example 10, but omitting the silicone wetting agent. This textile composition has a solids content of 39.8% by weight. This composition was whipped as described in Example 10 to give a foaming rate of 0.05 c.c.
Foams with foam densities between g and 0.06 g were produced. This form is passed over the nozzle at 25 min.
The fabric was moved at a speed of feet and applied to a cotton broadcloth that had been mercerized in the manner described in Example 10. The nozzle slit was 25 mils wide and the chamber volume was 390 c.c. The solid addition to the fabric of the foam composition of the present invention was 6-7% by weight. After applying the foam composition to the woven fabric,
The woven fabric was dry to the touch. Fabric samples treated with the foam of the invention were stored in plastic bags until the samples were removed for curing. At this point, the foam-treated fabric swatches were dried at temperatures of 10, 30 and 60 degrees at temperatures of 320〓 and 360〓 without any intermediate drying step in a pin frame.
and cured for 90 seconds. Furthermore, at each temperature,
One sample was first dried separately at 300 °C for 90 seconds,
Next, it was heated for 90 seconds at a predetermined curing temperature treatment. The samples thus obtained were subjected to flash curing, i.e. curing at various times and temperatures without intermediate drying steps, and a series of treatments in which the applied foam was first dried in a conventional manner and then cured. compared with the sample. Table B shows those results.
summarized in. These results demonstrate that good washwear properties are obtained with the foam of the present invention in which the washwear treatment formulation is applied continuously as a foam over one side of the fabric. It is also noted that intermediate drying is not necessary to obtain good washwear performance properties using the foams of the present invention, and that such properties can be obtained by drying at a suitably high temperature of about 360°C for about 30-60 seconds. It can also be observed that it can be obtained with a short curing process. The washwear properties of fabrics treated with the foams of the present invention demonstrated the excellent durability of the applied reactants, as evidenced by the properties of the fabrics measured after 20 washes.

Table: Example 12 A washwear formulation was prepared containing the following ingredients in weight percent: DMDHEU 80.4% Zinc nitrate, 30% 17.9% Foaming agent 1.2% Wetting agent 0.4% Wetting agent 0.1% This liquid formulation contains trace amounts of industrial tracer dye, which
The total solids content was 1.18 g/cc and 43.5% by weight. This formulation was foamed in a commercially available EZ Foamer, Model No. E1000, at a rate of 16 volumes of air per volume of liquid, and the resulting thick foam had a density of 0.073 g/cc. foamer
In contrast, foam was produced at a feed rate of 564 c.c./min for the liquid formulation. The former head pressure was 20 psig. Form this form.
It was fed to an applicator head and applied uniformly over a 50/50 polyester/cotton sheet approximately 9 inches wide weighing approximately 4 ounces per square yard. The fabric was transferred over the applicator nozzle orifice at a speed of 300 feet per minute with an MCT of 0.0011 seconds. Under these application conditions, the foam pressure drop at the nozzle is approximately 80% of the formulation against the fabric.
% Beyond Fabrics with Chemicals Add-on
The water pressure drop was 16.5 inches. The apparatus used in the method of the invention comprises suitable supply, winding and guiding rolls for the fabric, means for transferring the foam to a foaming device and an applicator head, and a foam applicator head. It consists of The foam applicator head consists of a chamber having a foam entry point centrally located at the base of the foam applicator nozzle mounted on top. The chamber size, measured at the inner edge of the applicator head, is approx.
It was 9.5 inches long, approximately 1.75 inches wide, and approximately 2 inches high, with a total volume of approximately 33 cubic inches. The applicator nozzle consists of a two-piece slotted head defining a nozzle orifice or slot extending along the length of the chamber. A grooved head attached to the chamber body had a 45° taper with each lip exiting the chamber. The lips here had a groove width of 0.064 inches, each lip had a height of 1.5 inches, and the outer edges of the lips had an external taper of 45 degrees. The foam enters the chamber through an entry point at the base, fills the chamber with positive pressure, exits the chamber through a slot in the foam applicator nozzle, contacts the fabric, and fills the chamber with positive pressure. Absorbed into the fabric at the lip. The fabric was moved over and into contact with both outer lips of the foam applicator nozzle at a predetermined speed of 300 feet per minute. Thus, uniform application of foam to the fabric was observed. Example 13 A washwear formulation was prepared containing the following ingredients in weight percent, plus a tracer dye. DMDHEU 76.0% Zinc Nitrate, 30% 15.1% Softener 7.6% Wetting Agent 0.3% Foaming Agent 0.9% Wetting Agent 0.1% This liquid formulation has a density of 1.18 g/cc, total solids content of 43.5% by weight, tracer dye It also contained. The foam was prepared using the same equipment as described in the previous example (Example 12) at a ratio of 25 volumes of air per volume of liquid formulation. The foam thus produced had a density of 0.048 g/cc. foamer・
The line pressure to the head and applicator head was 18 psig. form,
Using a modified commercially available tenter frame and feeder, the foam application was applied to one side of a 65/35 polyester/cotton sheet 48 inches wide and weighing approximately 4 ounces/parallel yard. The fabric was conveyed past the nozzle and the formulation was then cured. Weaving speed per minute for MCT of 0.011 seconds
I kept it at 30 feet. Speed limiting was provided by this equipment to ensure proper curing in the Pilot Scale pin upholstery dryer. The contact time in the fabric frame dryer was 42 seconds at 360°. Tension on the fabric was maintained by a nip roll and idler roll system. Improved results in this experiment were obtained when idler rolls were placed on each side of the applicator nozzle slot approximately 6 inches below the head of the applicator nozzle lip and approximately 12 inches from the center of the nozzle orifice. was seen. Foamed chemical formulations
On was 8%. The equipment used to apply the foam was similar in size to that described in Example 12 and contained a foam distribution plate in the interior chamber. Overall inner chamber dimensions are 60 inches long and 2.25 inches wide;
The height was 7 inches at the foam entrance and 5 inches at the opposite end. This form distribution plate spans the entire width and length of the chamber and extends from the top of the chamber four
Inch points. The foam distribution plate has 61 openings, each 0.07 inch in diameter, uniformly distributed over its surface and dividing the applicator head into a lower foam distribution chamber and an upper foam application chamber. It was hot.
The foam enters the foam distribution chamber at the end with the greatest height, passes through an opening in the foam distribution plate, enters the foam application chamber and raises the foam evenly into the foam application chamber, and then passes through the nozzle orifice. Then I reached the woven fabric surface. The slot in the nozzle orifice is 0.032 inches wide and 2 inches high.
It was an inch. Under the above conditions, the foam pressure drop across the foam distribution plate was 4 inches of water pressure. It was observed that a uniform application of the foam to the fabric was obtained. Example 14 A formulation containing the following ingredients in weight percent was prepared. DMDHEU 80.4% Zinc nitrate, 30% 17.9% Foaming agent 1.2% Wetting agent 0.4% Wetting agent 0.1% The liquid formulation contains the tracer dye, its density is 1.18 g/cc, and the total solids content is 43.5% by weight. It was hot. Foams were generated by several different methods using different commercially available foam generators. An Oaks Mixer Model 4MHA was used with the rotor operating at 1740 rpm and 30 psig pressure, followed by 740 rpm and 16 psig pressure to produce a foam having a density of 0.09 g/cc. 564 c.c./liquid formulation
minutes, and the air:liquid ratio was approximately 13:1 by volume. It was observed that the bubbles produced when the Oakes mixer was operated at 740 rpm were larger than those produced when the Oakes mixer was also operated at 1740 rpm. The commercially available second foamer used was Ease-E-Foamer M1000 type.
Operating at 410 rpm and 20 psig pressure, a foam with a density of 0.092 g/cc was produced. The foam bubbles produced in this case were slightly larger than those produced using the Oaks mixer. The foam was applied to one surface of a 65/35 polyester/cotton coarse woven fabric using the method described in Example 12 and the same application equipment described therein. The slit width of the nozzle was 1 inch. 300 for MCT of 0.0167 seconds for woven fabric
It was passed over the applicator nozzle at a rate of feet per minute. Coating uniformity was excellent for the foam produced using the Easy-E-former and the foam produced using the Oakes mixer operating at 740 rpm. 1740rpm with oaks mixer
Some non-uniformity was observed when applying the bubbles obtained from the run, and this non-uniformity was due to the smaller bubble size obtained. Example 15 A formulation containing the following ingredients in weight percent was prepared. DMDHEU 81.2% Zinc Nitrate, 30% 17.9% Wetting agent 0.6% Foaming agent 0.3% The liquid formulation had a density of 1.18 g/cc and a total solids content of 43.5% by weight. Commercially available ease
Using an Ease-E-Foamer, 10, 13 and 20 air per liquid volume at 410 rpm.
Forms were generated in proportion to their capacity. The foams produced had the densities shown in the table. This foam is fed into the applicator nozzle and is applied to three different woven fabrics: 65/35 polyester/cotton (woven fabric A), 50/50 polyester/cotton (woven fabric B) and
6% by weight of Atsudon on the surface of 100% cotton (Woven Fabric C)
It was applied evenly when turned on. In this series, the feed rate of the fabric is
100, 200 and 300 feet/min were varied on the applicator nozzle to determine the point of balance between ECT and MCT. Additionally, the width of the applicator nozzle slit was varied to 1 inch, 3 inches, and 4 inches using a modified form applicator nozzle head. It has been found that these applicator nozzle slit widths provide good application under these special conditions. It was also observed that the foam begins to roll at high speeds and wide nozzle openings, the rolling bank becomes larger, and the foam structure changes. The applicator head used in this example was constructed so that the width of the applicator nozzle could be varied over a wide range. The basic structure was similar to that described in Example 13, consisting of a distribution chamber and a foam application chamber separated by a foam distribution plate 1 inch above the base. Applicator head A is 9 inches long, 1 inch high, and 3 inches wide with a foam distribution chamber that is 9 inches long, 1 inch high, and 3 inches wide, and has a nozzle orifice width of 0.25 to 3 inches.
It had a foam application chamber that could be adjusted in inches. The foam distribution plate had 17 holes, each 3/8 inch in diameter. The foam distribution chamber in applicator head B was 6 inches wide, and the foam application chamber was adjustable to nozzle orifices up to 6 inches wide, and the head had holes of the same number and size. The width of the nozzle orifice is equal to the width of the selected adjusted foam application chamber, and the selection is based on the position of one of the nozzle lips (the two nozzle lips form the two longitudinal sides of the foam application chamber). This was done by adjusting the . Applicator head
B was used when the nozzle orifice width was greater than 3 inches. The fabric was in contact with both lip nozzles while the foam was being applied to the fabric. The conditions for fabric processing are summarized in the table below. This table shows the nozzle orifice width and water pressure.

Table: Example 16 A wash-wear formulation was prepared containing the following ingredients in weight percentages: DMDHEU 81.2% Zinc Nitrate, 30% 17.9% Wetting Agent 0.6% Wetting Agent 0.3% This liquid formulation had a density of 1.18 g/cc and a total solids content of 43.5% by weight. In commercially available Ease-E-Foamer
Foams were produced with the former operating at 410 rpm at a ratio of approximately 13 and 6 volumes of air per volume of liquid. The wetting agent combination served the dual function of foaming agent and wetting agent. Half-life of approximately 15 minutes and each
Satisfactory foams with densities of 0.089 g/cc and 0.2 g/cc were obtained. The foam was painted using a 9 inch long by 2.5 inch high applicator head. The two sides were placed 1 inch apart and the top tapered at a 45° angle. The vertical space between the sides defined the nozzle orifice or nozzle gap. Introduce the foam into the nozzle applicator through the base and apply the woven fabric to an MCT of 0.011 seconds.
The nozzle was moved across the orifice at a speed of 100 feet per minute. Excellent coating uniformity was observed. Example 17 A formulation containing the following ingredients in weight percent was prepared. DMDHEU 81.2% Zinc nitrate, 30% 17.9% Wetting agent 1.2% A foam was attempted to be produced by the method of the previous example (Example 16) and a foam having a density of 0.48 g/cc was obtained.
This foam was unsatisfactory and dense and could not be uniformly coated using the method of the present invention. The wetting agent itself was not shown to be a suitable foaming agent in this example. Example 18 The following two formulations were prepared.

Table: These formulations were foamed in a manner similar to Example 16. Formulation A did not produce a satisfactory foam;
Its foam density was 0.41 g/cc. Formulation B is 0.243 with the former running at 210 rpm.
A satisfactory foam was produced with a cell size of mm and a density of 0.04 g/cc. Using the method and foam coating head described in Example 16, the foam from Formulation B was heated to 9% hot on at a rate of 300 feet/minute.
Painted on 50/50 polyester/cotton coarse woven fabric.
Uniform coating on polyester/cotton was achieved. When the foamer was operated at 485 rpm, the resulting foam had the same density, but
The bubble size was 0.043mm and the coating was not uniform. Example 19 Two formulations were made containing the following ingredients:

Table: These formulations were foamed in a manner similar to Example 16. In both cases a satisfactory foam was produced with a density of 0.09 g/cc. The formulation containing the humectant produced a foam with a foam half-life of 14 minutes, while the formulation without silicone had a foam half-life of 10 minutes. Example 20 Two formulations were made containing the following ingredients in weight percent:

[Table] The foam was made in a manner similar to that described in Example 16. The foam made with Formulation A was 0.09g/
cc density, and a half-life of 5.5 minutes. The foam made with Formulation B had a density of 0.09 g/cc and a half-life of 21 minutes. The two foams produced are 50/50 polyester/cotton and
When applied to a 100% cotton coarse woven fabric, a good and uniform composition distribution was obtained. The foam was painted using the method and equipment described in Example 16. Example 21 A series of formulations were created with varying amounts of thickener added. Certain ingredients in the formulation were: DMDHEU 81.2% Zinc Nitrate, 30% 17.9% Wetting agent 0.6% Foaming agent 0.3% Formulation A does not contain any thickeners, 23
Brook field in °C
The viscosity was 5.2 cps. Formulation B is 0.1% hydroxyethylcellulose (a 1% solution of which
No. 3 with an LVT Bruckfield viscosity of approximately 3000 cps at 25°C and 15.7 cps at 23°C.
It had a Bruckfield viscosity of . Formulation C contained the same 0.2% hydroxyethyl cellulose and had a Bruckfield viscosity of 30.4 cps at 23°C. Formulation D contains the same 0.3% hydroxyethylcellulose and is
It had a Bruckfield viscosity of 83.1 cps. These formulations were foamed as described in Example 16 to obtain a foam having a density of 0.045 g/cc, and the foams were expanded to 4 oz.
Painted on polyester/cotton and 100% cotton coarse woven fabrics. The foam applicator head used was similar to that described in Example 15, with a 9x
2 x 2 inch foam distribution chamber and 9 x 2 x
It had a 0.75 inch foam coating chamber. Therefore, the width of the nozzle orifice was 0.75 inch. The foam distribution plate had 15 holes, each 3/16 inch in diameter, with a 5° inward taper on the lip downstream of the nozzle orifice. The add-on at a weaving speed of 300 feet/minute was 6% by weight. Coating uniformity is good for formulations A to C.
and Formulation D was fair. Example 22 A formulation containing the following ingredients was created. DMDHEU 81.2% Zinc Nitrate, 30% 17.9% Wetting agent 0.6% Foaming agent 0.3% This liquid formulation had a density of 1.18 g/cc and a total solids content of 43.5% by weight. This can be converted to a former using the Ease-E former.
188 with enough air to create a foam with a density of 0.02 g/cc while operating at 410 rpm.
The foam was made by feeding cc/min of the formulation into the foamer. Using the equipment described in Example 21, the foam was applied to a 50/50 polyester/cotton coarse woven surface at a nozzle orifice opening width of 13/16 inches and a 3% add-on. The inner taper at the downstream lip is 5
It was warm at ゜. For painting on woven fabric, increase the speed of the woven fabric to 300
feet per minute and a pressure drop of 0.25 inches of water across the fabric. Good uniform coating was achieved. Example 23 The effectiveness of prewetting a woven fabric with 60% water and then using the foam of the present invention was evaluated in this example. A formulation was made containing the following ingredients in weight percent: DMDHEU 80.9% Zinc Nitrate, 30% 17.9% Wetting agent 0.6% Foaming agent 0.6% The formulation was foamed using an E-former operating at 410 rpm and a feed rate of 125 c.c./min. Ta. The obtained foam is 0.06g/cc
It had a form density of . This was applied to a pre-wetted cotton sheet using the equipment described in Example 21 and a 0.5 inch opening width nozzle orifice at a weave speed of 300 feet/minute. A uniform form of coating was achieved on the pre-wetted fabric and the pressure drop across the fabric was 0.5 inch of water pressure.
If the same foam is applied to the same fabric without prewetting, the pressure drop across the fabric will be 25/
There was 8 inches of water pressure. Example 24 A formulation containing the following ingredients in weight percent was prepared. DMDHEU 81.2% Zinc Nitrate, 30% 17.9% Wetting agent 0.6% Foaming agent 0.3% This formulation is
Operating the rotor at 410rpm, 564c.c./
minutes of formulation feed and foaming at a rate of about 15 volumes of air per volume of formulation. The obtained form is
It had a density of 0.078 g/cc. This form was woven under the same conditions as Example 22 using a nozzle orifice with an opening width of 13/16 inches at a weave speed of 300 feet/min and a hot-on ratio of 8 oz/yd of 50/50 polyester. / Painted on a cotton woven sheet. Excellent uniformity was observed.
The pressure drop across the fabric was 27/8 inches of water pressure. Example 25 A dye formulation was made containing the following ingredients: Latyl Orange 2GFS (CI44)
6.8 lbs water 36.4 lbs wetting agent 0.4 lbs foaming agent 0.4 lbs The pH was adjusted to 5-6 with acetic acid and two foams with different foam densities were created using an E-former with a rotor running at 340 rpm. .

[Table] Body supply, cc/min
Foam was applied to 100% polyester and 65/35 polyester/cotton coarse woven fabrics using the applicator head described in Example 21 with nozzle orifices adjusted to 0.5 inch gap width between each nozzle lip. The speed across the hole orifice is 100
The fabric was moved in contact with both lips of the nozzle at a rate of feet per minute. Total moisture content is 14% by weight.
It was hot. When Form A was coated with 100% polyester, multiple sections of the nozzle opening were covered with tape to obtain a striped pattern on the coating. The foam was evenly applied to the fabric as in the other examples, and the fabric remained substantially dry to the touch. After standing for a while, the striped woven fabric was heated at 420°C for 3 minutes to fix the dye. A pattern with clear sharpness was obtained. In a similar manner, the entire fabric surface was dyed by removing the tape from the nozzle. Patterns were painted on 65/35 polyester/cotton using the same equipment using Form A. A pattern effect was obtained by placing a stencil between the nozzle and the fabric and moving the stencil at the same speed as the fabric as the foam exited the nozzle orifice. The dyed area of the woven fabric was uniform, with uniform, well-defined dyed areas. Form B was applied to 100% polyester in a similar manner to fully dye the woven fabric. Uniform coating and uniform staining were observed. After the foam is painted, a section of the fabric is sprinkled with water, the fabric is picked up on a roll and stored for approximately 48 hours, and then dyed at 420°C.
It was fixed for 3 minutes with 〓. An irregular pattern was observed indicating pale areas where water droplets had settled. In all instances, scour is recommended after dye fixation. Example 26 A combined washwear and dye formulation was created containing the following ingredients: DMDHEU 24270g Zinc nitrate, 30% 5370g Wetting agent 180g Foaming agent 180g Latile Orange 2GFS 3540g Part of the above formulation was diluted to 25% with water and the pH was adjusted to 5.
~6 and feeding the formulation to the former at 376 c.c./min, and the air-to-liquid ratio of ca.
25:1 and 0.046 as described in Example 25.
A foam was created with a density of g/cc and a foam half-life of approximately 9.4 minutes. The apparatus nozzle orifice opening described in Example 25 was used to coat a form 65/35 polyester/cotton fabric. For an MCT of 0.008 seconds
The fabric was moved at a speed of 300 feet/minute. The addition of DMDHEU to the woven fabric was 4.5% by weight and that of the dye was 1.5% by weight. When the woven fabric was dyed as a whole, uniform coating and uniform dyeing were observed. The foam treated woven fabric was then cured at 420°C for 3 minutes. The same foam was used to print a pattern on fabric by the method described in Example 25. Clear definition was obtained. The data show that several treatments (in this case both washwear and dyeing) can be carried out simultaneously and without intermediate drying steps. Scouring after dye fixation is recommended to improve crocking and wet fastness properties and to completely eliminate dye extraction from the fabric. Example 27 A dye formulation was made containing the following ingredients: Latile Orange 2GFS 5.6 lbs. water 36.4 lbs. wetting agent 2.1 lbs. foaming agent 0.4 lbs. wetting agent 0.04 lbs. The foam was made using the same Ease Former as in Example 26. This form is 0.075
It had a density of g/cc. It was added 65/35 using the same method and equipment used in Example 26 to give a dye weight of 1.5% by weight.
Painted on polyester/cotton. The coating uniformity was excellent, and by heating at 420°C for 3 minutes, a uniformly dyed woven fabric was obtained both before and after dye fixation. A portion of this dyeing formulation was diluted with 5 times its weight of water. Pad this material into woven cloth,
Dye migration was evaluated according to AATCC test method 140-1974. For comparison purposes, swatches of foam treated woven fabrics taken immediately after application of the foamed dye formulations were also evaluated for dye transfer. Woven fabrics treated with concentrated dye formulations in accordance with the foams of the present invention exhibit virtually no dye transfer, whereas fabrics treated with diluted and padded formulations show significant and sharp dye transfer. It was observed that there was dye migration. The values obtained from this test method were 4% and 48.8%, respectively. Control example 1 The following ingredients: Carbopol K-934 (solid content 5
%) 10.5 parts Hycar 1561 (40% solids) 10.5 parts Kelzan Sodium Alginate (2% solids) 10.5 parts Duponol ME (25% solids)
4.2 parts ammonium hydroxide (solid content 28%) 0.47 parts dodecyl alcohol 0.95 parts Make the total amount to 100 parts with water. (Carbopol K-934: Copolymer of ethylene sucrose and acrylic acid manufactured by BFGoodrich, USA; Hycal 1561: Elastomer latex manufactured by the same company; Duponol ME: Commercially available sodium lauryl sulfate). The foamed base formulation was mixed in a high speed mixer and foamed to approximately double the volume. The product is a very viscous paste;
It was difficult to pump. Foam density was 0.44 g/cc and cell size was not measurable. The half-life of the foam was 4 weeks or more, and there was no change in the state of the foam when it was left at room temperature for 4 weeks after preparation. The foam composition does not have the physical properties of the foam composition of the present invention, has a permanent foam half-life, does not break down immediately when applied to a substrate at room temperature, and is easily absorbed. Nothing happened. Control Example 2 Ingredients below: Monosodium phosphate 21/4g/ Compatibilizer (highly branched ethoxylated alcohol) 21/4g/ Carboxymethyl Locust Bean Gum
A known foam dye formulation having 3 g/71/4 g Phosphate Coester Blowing Agent/30 g Trichlorobenzene Carrier/10 g Dysperse Blue 73/10 g Dysperse Yellow 54/ was mixed. This is a thick viscous paste, so add enough water to bring the total volume to 1 liter.
Foamed in a high speed mixer. Water was added to facilitate foam formation. The resulting product has a foam density of 0.185 g/cc and a foam half-life of 3 hours.
I had a minute. This foam composition does not have the physical properties of the foam composition of the present invention, is very stable when applied to the surface of textiles, does not disintegrate at room temperature, and does not disintegrate after 4 minutes in a hot air oven at 120°C. Only, it finally collapsed.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The accompanying drawing is a graph showing the relationship between the amount of foam absorbed by the substrate and the hydrostatic pressure of the foam.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A foam composition for treating a textile or paper substrate, wherein the composition has a foam density.
0.005 to 0.3g/cc, average cell size is 0.05 in diameter
0.5 mm and a foam half-life of 1 to 60 minutes, said foam composition comprising 5 to 75% by weight of a textile treatment compound, 0.2 to 5% of a foaming agent.
% by weight, 0 to 5% by weight of a wetting agent, and the remainder of the composition being water, wherein said 100 parts are based on the weight of said foam composition, and said foam composition is A foam composition as described above that breaks down immediately upon contact with a treated substrate and is readily absorbed by the substrate to provide a substantially dry feel to the surface of the substrate. 2 The foam density is 0.01 to 0.2 g/cc, the average cell size is 0.08 to 0.45 mm, the foam half-life is 3 to 40 minutes, the textile treatment compound is present in a concentration of 10 to 60% by weight, and the foaming The concentration of the agent is 0.4
A foam composition according to claim 1, wherein the foam composition is present in an amount of from 2% to 2% by weight. 3 The textile treatment compound is 1,3-dimethylol-
The foam composition according to claim 1, which is 4,5-dihydroxy-2-imidazolidone. 4. The foam composition of claim 1, wherein the textile treatment compound is a dye. 5 The foaming agent is about 10 to 50 moles of ethylene oxide,
A foam composition according to claim 1 which is an adduct with 1 mole of a mixed _C11 - _C15 linear secondary alcohol.