US1750430A - Process of treating crude fibers and textile fabrics - Google Patents

Description

Patented Mar. 11, 1930 RAINIER HERMANN POTT, F DRESDEN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO CHEMISCHE FABRIK POT'I & 00., OF DRESDENN., GERMANY PROCESS OF TREATING CRUDEIIBERS AND TEXTILE FABRICS No Drawing. Application filed January 22, 1923, Serial No. 614,308, and in Germany June 15, Q21

1 have filed application for Letters Patent in Germany June 15, 1921, and August 6 and 26, 1921; and in Czechoslovakia, June 13 and July 7, 1922.

This invention has reference to the treatment of crude fibers of vegetable or animal origin, and of the spun and woven or otherwise prepared products obtained therefrom, and it is intended among "other important 1 objects and advantages to provide means for more thoroughly degreasing, wetting and softening such fibers and of very thoroughly cleaning and purifying the same, and of better preparing them for the subsequent chem- 15 ical and mechanical treatments.

Vegetable crude fibers, particularly cotton or linen'are to be freed before the bleaching or dyeing stages from the pectins, the natural plant coloring agents, incrustation substances, husks, vegetable fats, greases and similar impurities. For this purpose the fibers are submitted 'to a so-called scouring process, that is to say, to the digestion under pressure for several hours in the presence of caustic alkalies or alkali metal carbonates, and, if necessary, by repeated stages. It has also been suggested already to add soaps, resin soaps, Turkey-red oil, saponified sulphonatedoils, oil or turpentine in a water-soluble form, benzine, various kinds of oils and equivalent agents to the liquor, so as to thereby produce a more-rapid wetting and more satisfactory emulsifying of the fats or greases.

In accordance with my invention it has been ascertained that by the addition of hydrogenated compounds, such as are obtained by. the hydrogenation of coal tar distillation products, of lignite distillates or distillation products from the carbonization of wood, and particularly by the addition of hydrogenated naphthalenesjo the digestion liquors, the said liquors during the scouring treatment he? come far niore readily adapted than without such additions to Wet, swell and penetrate the fibers, and to remove or dissolve husk fractions, ve etable coloring agents, fats and the like, and o emulsify the same. Moreover, the 'fibers when boiled with scouring liquors containing hydrogenated substances referred to, becomes considerably cleaner and assume naphthalene has a considerable a whiter colorthan by the treatment according to the previous scouring method.

These results are intensified by converting the hydro enated substances in a suitable manner an before the addition of the same to the treating liquor into a water soluble and water miscible condition. This may for instance be effected by mixing the said substances with saponified fats.

Byemploying for instance from 1 to one and a half kilograms of hydrogenated naphthalene for the scouring treatment of one thousand kilograms of crude fiber the duration required for the digestion process is reduced one third to one half. With several repeated boilings at least one digestion may be saved. Furthermore, the amount of alkali may be considerably reduced, to the amount of 30 per cent for instance. Notwithstanding this shortening of the digestion period and of the small amounts of alkali required, that is to say, in spite of an important saving in steam, time and chemicals the goods discharged from the digester have a considerably lighter color, and are more thoroughly freed from husks, fats and the like than in the previous processes, and the fiber is far better adapted and prepared for subsequent treatment than in such prior processes.

The water soluble, or water miscible naphthalene is added to the liquor shortly before it is allowed to operate upon the fiber. The action is the same when the di estion is effected with caustic alkalis or calcined sodiumcarbonate or lime or with calcined sodium carbonate combined with the treatment with lime. In consequence of the shortening of the alkaline digestion and the reduction of the amount of al ali employed, and in new of the fact that the hydrogenated naphthalenes do not attack the fiber the fiber is saved from attack as compared with the usual boiling method which results in greater strength and solidity of the fiber. The hydrogenated reserving and softening action upon the fi er. The same'process may also be employed for the degreasing of crude wool. The complete removal of the natural fats of the animal fiber either emulsified the fats or caused the removal of the mechanical impurities by the enveloping of the dirt particles. An unobjectionable degreasing by means of alkali metal carbonates and soap, however, was only possible on the one hand by the consumption of relatively large quantities of soap by which means the degreasing operation became very expensive, and on the other hand by the use of strong alkalis which inter fered with thesoftness and brightness of the wool. Also the extraction with solvents,

such as carbon-bisulfide, amyl-alcohol, carbon tetra-chloride and similar solvents for fat failed to insure the desired results, because in the first place the solvent'in the extracting process was imbibed in the capillaries of the wool, thereby also dissolving the capillary fat of the wool fiber which fat is necessary for the elasticity of the fiber, thereby detracting from the softness and elasticity of the wool. On the other hand, when using carbonbisulfide for instance, the sulphur compounds present in the wool were apparently attacked,

and the wool became yellow and unfit for use,

gartly by additional interior decompositions.

appeared from the industry of wool Washing.

By means 'of the process of this invention, however, it has become possible to degrease the wool in an advantageous manner by a chemical method and in aqueous solution and with great economy, and without in any way inj urin-g the Wool, in a very eflicierit and unobjecti'onable manner.

Hydrogenated compounds and in particular the hydrogenated naphthalenes, as dis- 3 tinguished from the ordinary naphthalenes when added in small amounts to the liquors for degreasing and treating wool, remove all the fats of the Wool as well as their very resisting and unsapon'ifiable compounds, even from wool that has been exposed to air' for a long time. Because ofthe high boiling point of these substances, there is no danger of the same evaporating. Furthermore, such sub stances do not attack the capillary fat at the expense of theelasticity of the wool. At the same time the possibility of the wool being rendered yellowish in color or of the solvent settling to the bottom of the degreasing tank is avoided. It has been found, on the conuch processes have therefore entirely dis-.

msaese trary, thatafter the treatment with the hy drogenated naphthalenes the wool is delivered to the drying machine, succeeding the degreasing bath, in a considerably whiter condition than heretofore,

The degreasing operation itself may be carried out with hydrogenated naphthalenes in aqueous solution, particularly in the case of wools very rich in fat, and possessing only little mechanicalimpurities. There is no need of any fear of hardening of the woolen fiber without the use of soaps, inasmuch as the hydrogenated naphthalenes apparently in View of their oil-like'nature, produce a softening action similar to'soap.

In the case of those kinds of wools which contain a,- large amount of mechanical impurities, such as dirt, burrs and the like, it is of advantage to assist the meehanical cleaning in this direction by the addition of some soap. But also with this kind of wool not more than, at the utmost, half of the amount of soap heretofore used, is necessary, and in this case also the amount of alkali may be considerably reduced, so as to better preserve the woolen fiber and to generally improve the condition-of the wool. It is of great advantage in the process according to my invention that the hydrogenatednaphthalenes, aside from their own great fat dissolving properties for all kinds of fats and greases, by being mixed with sapon ified fats become soluble in aqueous fat emulsions and soap solutions obtained from any kind of fats and greases. These solutions of fats and hydrogenated naphthalenes or of soaps and hydrogenated naphthalenes are likewise adapted to dissolve fats and oils of all kinds, saponifiable and unsaponifiable waxes andithe like in almost any desired quantities. Particularly wool. fat and bees-wax for instance are readily and permanently and most finely emulsified or kept in solution in the presence of small amount of alkali metal-carbonates'in these solutions from soaps and hydrogenated naphthalenes. It, therefore, appears from the general behavior of'hydrogenated naphthalenes that the dc- .greasing of the crude wool with these agents takes place considerably more quickly and more elliciently than according to the previous processes with alkali metal carbonates and soap. Nor is it necessary to provide for as slow a washing process as possible, as is the case with the soap processes, and one is, therefore, enabled to produce a far higher daily output with the continuous washing machines. Also in the case of finished tissues and textile fabrics the new process may be used to great advantage. small quantities of hydrogenated naphthalenes, which have been previqusly converted into water miscible condition by beingniixed with a quantity of saponified fats, in bleaching, dyeing and sizing opera- The use ofl "the vegetable fiber, so that the bleaching more liquor is adapted to permeate the goods d quickly than it was possible heretofore,

- in view thereof to produce a far more unlform and quicker action. On the other hand the, addition, or hydrogenated naphthalenes hasa fat dissolving action, so that any adhering particles of fat which would interfere with the operation of the bleaching liquor are dissolved, furthermore, the hydrogenated naphthalenes also operate as catalyzers and very efii'cient oxygen carriers, so that the bleaching action of the chloride of lime is, greatly intensified. As a result thereof the bleaching process is considerably shortened or the chloride of lime solution may be less concentrated. The duration of the bleaching process or the strength of the solution of chloride of lime may be reduced about 30 per cent on an average. Aside from this economy and better preservation of the fiber the bleaching action is rendered more uniform. The fiber thus treated possesses greater resistibility against tearing, and the dusting of the fiber is reduced.

In the dying of vegetable raw fibers and the like it has been found that the addition of hydrogenated naphthalenes in the different dyeing processes presents the following advantages. In consequence of the great advantages realized by the employment of the hydrogenated naphthalenes the dyeing agents may penetrate more quickly and umformly into the fiber, so that more brillant and deeper shades may be obtained. In the case of difiicultly soluble dyes it is also of advantage to add small amounts of hydrogenated naphthalenes to the dyeing liquor, in order to produce a more uniform solutionand disintegration of the dyeing agent. These advantages are of particular. importance in the dyeing of sized fabrics in which process the goods are treated inthe compressed condition and tightly packed in dyeing apparatuses with a circulating dyeing liquor, inasmuch as with the addition of hydrogenated naphthalenes uniform and, intimate impregnation of the fiber with the dyeing agent is insured and lack of uniformity in the colorations is avoided.

,Also in the case of the dyeing of delicate shades in whicln-as heretofore practiced, the dyeing was effected in the presence of soaps or oils or of sulphonated oils'and their soaps hydrogenated naphthalene is of advantage in view of the properties above referred to. On an average from 106 to 150 grammes of hydrogenated naphthalene are usually sufiicient for each 100 kilograms of the raw goods. In the dyeing of vegetable fibers with sulphurdyes it has been ascertained, moreover, that hydrogenated naphthalenes in the subsequent treatment of the dyed fabrics produce the effect of destroyingthe undesirable bronze tinge of the dyes and tints of the superposed shades, particularly in the case of sulphur black and sulphur blue, and to restore the natural brilliancy to the colors and the softness to the fibers.

In the employment of hydrogenated naphthalenes in connection with finishing processes it has been found that the finishing or si'zingmaterial in accordance with the new process is better adapted to uniformly permeate and impregnate the fiber, by which means uneven finishing of the goods is prevented. On the other hand the new process produces a dissolving and disintegrating action upon the finishing masses, and makes it possible, particularly in the case of fats, soaps, waxes and the like being contained in the finishing material for the production of certain special finishing effects, that such additions are also uniformly retained within the finishing material, and remain permanently mixed therewith. Thus, precipitation of these substances is prevented, and the formation of specky stripes, of undesirable stains and ofuneven finishing effects is avoided. An additional advantage is the softening action of the hydrogenated naphthalenes upon the vegetable fiber.

The hydrogenated compounds referred to are also particularly well adapted for the degreasing of yarns and of tissues from animal fibers, for instance woollen yarns and woollen fabrics of all kinds, so as to remove therefrom thegreases remaining from the spinning process, and they are well adapted for the removal of saponifiable and unsaponifiable matter, and even of mineral oils and waste products from the gas and tar manufacturing industries in aqueous solution and by chemical means. Also in this case the degreasing may be generally effected without the use of soaps. A further advantage of the employment of the hydrogenated naphthalenes for the degreasing of yarns, textile fabrics and the like from animal fibers consists in the fact that in view of the very considerable wetting action of their own produced by the hydrogenated naphthalencs the material may act directly upon the fats, as distinguished from the mechanical action of the soap, by which means degreasing is rapidly and efficiently effected, and it becomes possible thereby to shorten the degreasing procedure and to effect a saving in detergents, while the subsequent rinsing stage may, be commenced with greater strength and force' of liquid, so as to be able to shorten the rinsing period one half of the usual time. which in the case of the mechanical soap treatment, would entail the danger thatthe soap and the emulsified fats are again deposited With the dust in the material to.be treated. It has also been ascertained that the hydrogenated naphthalenes, as distinguished from other solvents, such as for instance hydro-carbons of the aromatic and of the aliphatic series or of chlorinated hydrocarbons and the like, aside from their peculiar wetting action, produce a particular action upon the aniline dyestuffs with which the yarns or textile fabrics or parts of the same have been stained. After the treatment with hydrogenated naphthalenes the substances and articles mentioned are greatly increased in clearness and brilliancy, and by this means multicolored effects for instance are brought out on the material with great brilliancy. Then, it has been found that hydrogenated naphthalenes in contradistinction to the grease solvents-above referred to, do not prevent the fulling action, that is to say, the curling of the small scales on the woollen capillary tube, and the felting of the wool, so that the degreasing may also be carried out upon the cylinder machine simultaneously with the fulling process with outdifiiculty. Any volatilization of the hydrogenated naphthalenes during the degreasing operation, even in case higher temperatures are produced in the fulling operation by the strong compression of the textile fabrics by the action of the fulling rollers, is obviated by the comparatively high boiling point of the hydro-naphthalenes, so that the hydrogenated naphthalenes remain fully active up to the final stages of the treatment.

The invention has been described herein in its broad aspects, and I wish it to be-understood that it is susceptible of various modes of application and modifications, so as to adapt the invention to varying local and other conditions and to the convenience of the operator, and without deviating from the spirit of the invention,- as defined by the scope of the claims. .Thus, the favorable action of the hydrogenated hydro-carbons may also be utilized in the making of reserves, printing of fabrics, and it is also applicable to mixtures of vegetable and animal fibers.

I claim 1. The process of treating textile material, which comprises treating such material with an emulsion comprised of a hydrogenated naphthalene and a quantity of saponified fatty substancessuflicient to render the hydrogenated-naphthalene Water miscible.

2. lhe process of treating textile material, which comprises treating such material with an emulsion comprised of tetrahydronapht-hal'ene and a quantity of saponified fatty substancessuflicient .to render the tetrahydronaphthalene water miscible.

3. The process of treating textile material, which comprises treating such material with used being from 0.1 to 0.15 percent of the weight of textile material.

RAINER POTT.