US1861927A - Preparation of emulsions for sizing textile fibers - Google Patents

Description

COMPOSITIONS, QOATING R PLASTIC.

2 Patented June 7, 1932 GEORGES LEFBANC,

PATENT OFFICE OF PARIS, FRANCE ,rt? PREPARATION OF EMULSIONS FOR SIZING TEXTILE FIBERS) "'5 7 No Drawing. Application filed February 21, 1930, Serial No. 480,461, and in France January 11, 1930.

It is known that for sizing textile fibers emulsions of fatty or resinous substances are usually employed. The most usual emulsi fying agents are sulphoricinoleates, or in most recent practice, other substances which like those above specified, are derived from the sulphonic acids group.

For sizing fibers of animal origin these emulsions do not present any disadvantage to but this is not the case when vegetable fibers able temperatures or other conditions that,

for example, it is not possible to export to tropical countries artificial silks sized by these processes, since the threads are found to be completely destroyed on arrival at their destination.

An example is hereinafter given which shows to what degree the resistance and tensile strength of vegetable fiber is changed by the action of these agents.

A specimen A of viscose silk has been treated with a size of ordinary composition. A specimen B of the same quality has been subjected to similar treatment but without the use of Turkey redoil.

These samples and a standard thread after being kept for three weeks at a temperature of C. showed the following resistances:

In a like experiment, commercial samples of sized artificial silk have been found to lose up to 80% of their resistance.

The objectof this invention is to obviate the employment, for sizing textile fibers and more particularly fibers of vegetable origin,

of any substance liable to attack these fibers, including artificial silk, with a view to enabling the sized fibers to be exported to and used in tropical countries.

In particular the invention absolutely avoids the use of sul horicinates and other u lphonatedwcompoun s "as emulsifying agts for the preparation of emulsions to be employed as sizes.

ccordmg to this invention emulsio f 011s, fats, resins or mixtures of these substances in a dispersion of case in, gelatin or shellac or a nnxture of these substances are employed for this treatment. As dispersion agents alkaline borat s are employed. In order to obtain a neutral sodium or ammonium mate it is necessary to a to borax some soda lye or alkali Qamm i m).

To the emu s1on thus obtained, there is added, according to requirements, a soluble silicate so as to set up a reaction with the BEER. By reason of the presence of protective colloids in the emulsion, the reaction product forms a colloids solution changed by desiccation to a gel which is irreversible in water at normal atmospheric temperatures. This gel presents in addition an electrification of the surface of the same sign, that is, positive if the gel is positive and negative if the gel is negative. By reason of this superficial ionic charge the fibers, being of the same sign, repel one another during drying and in this way sticking together of the fibers is avoided without detriment to the sizing.

The casein provides the strongest sizes. Borax may advantageously be used as the dispersion agent for avoiding adhesion of the threads. Casein swollen by steeging for several hours in wa er 1s ere ore a ed to. the borax solution. er a time (not exceeding two hours) the dispersion will have been completed. This solution is added gradually to fatty or resinous substances with regular agitation so as to obtain a thick homogeneous mass readily emulsifiable in an excess of water. The preservation of the flexibility, brilliance and colour of the fiber depends on the choice of the substances emulsified. Gum mastic dissolved in M gives excellent results from this point of View. The sizes tend to become rather sticky or tacky in the neighbourhood of C. but this objection is easily overcome by substituting a ve etable fat such as alm oil in place of part oi the ca stor oil. Alter standing for two hours a dilute solution of silicate of soda is added and the mixture is diluted with water and filtered twice through a filter of fine silk.

The emulsions thus prepared according to the invention are employed for sizing fibers from different sources, either in a single bath, or by passing the fibers from the sizing hath through a deglutinating bath particularly when very fine fibers are being treated.

In this case the second bath can be of low concentration and the time of treatment of short duration.

In the composition of the deglutinating bath no substance is employed which might detrimentally affect the resistance of the fibers either directly or by hydrolysis which can easily be set up in hot or humid climates.

The de lutingting baths employed in carrying out the process according to this invention are composed of formiates, acetates or sulphocyanides of metal'ssiich as calcium, zinc aluminium or lead.

By way of example and not by way of limitation the composition is hereinafter given of some emulsions complying with the characteristic above specified.

E mample 1 Palm oil grammes Casein 10 grammes Alkali (ammonia) 25 grammes Distilled water; 100 grammes Borax 5 grammes Commercial solution of silicate of soda 20 c.c.

This size gives the fiber a mat appearance.

- The weight is increased 10%.

E it'd 1724726 P2 ample 1 and increases the weight 10%.

The hanks are steeped in the bath which is stirred either by hand or mechanically during from one to three hours. After complete draining the hanks pass to a second path of one of the three compositions as folows.

E ma/mple 3 Aluminium acetate 1 gramme Acetate of lime 1 gramme Acetic acid 1 gramme Distilled water 100 grammes EmampZe 4 Aluminium sulphocyanide 10 grammes Acetic acid 1 gramme istilled water 100 grammes Example 5 Lead acetate 5 grammes Acetic acid 1 gramme Distilled water 100 grammes The fiber is left in the second bath for a period of from half an hour to one hour and then dried. The fibers are well sized and can be readily wound in skeins. They are resistant to the effects of high temperatures.

The soaked casein is added to the solution of borax and after standing for from two to four hours, the mixture is added little by little to the solution of the gum in the oils, the two ingredients of the emulsion beifig brought to the same temperature. After standing for two hours the dilute solution of silicate of soda is added, e mixture is made up with water to 2000 grammes and is filtered twice through a filter of fine silk.

This sizing product (Example 6) can be employed without a second bath particularly for sizing threads of good quality. After draining the threads are dried at a temperature of about 60 C. The threads fall apart during this operation. The deglutinating of the threads can be completely effected, be-

fore drying. by immersion for 5 to 30 minutes in a bath of one of the solutions as given in Examples 3, 4, and 5.

Example 7 Gum mastic 6O grammes Linseed oil 30 grammes Palm oil 30 grammes {Borax 20 grammes Water 300 grammes Casein 10 grammes Water 100 grammes {Silicate of soda 10 grammes Water 500 grammes Made up to a final volume of two litres.

106. COMPOSITIONS,

COATING 0R PLASTIC.

Example Gum mastic 30 grammes Castor oil 30 grammes Orange shellac 20 grammes Borax 4O grammes Water 400 grammes Silicate of soda 5 grammes Made up to two litres.

Example 9 Gum mastic 30 grammes Castor oil 30 grammes Japan wax 20 grammes Borax 40 grammes Water 400 grammes Soda lye 6 grammes Casein 26 grammes [Silicate of soda 20 grammes Water grammes Made up to two litres.

I claim 1. A size for sizing textile fibers, comprising a mixture of 24 to 60 parts gum resin, 24 to 60 parts drying oils, casein in quantity varying from 8 to 10 parts dispersed in suitable quantit-y of borax and water, and 5 to 10 parts water-glass diluted in 500 parts of water, the whole homogenized into a stable dispersion.

2. A size for sizing textile fibers, comprising a mixture of about 24 parts of gum resin, about 24 parts of drying oils, and about 8 parts of casein dispersed in a suitable quantity of borax and water, and about 5 parts of water-glass diluted in 500 parts of water, the whole homogenized into a stable dispersion.

3. A size for sizing textile fibers, comprising a mixture of about 60 parts of gum resin, about 60 parts of drying oils, about 10 parts of casein dispersed in a suitable quantity of borax and water and about 10 parts of waterglass diluted in 500 parts of water, the Whole homogenized into a stable dispersion.

The foregoing specification of my preparation of emulsions for sizing textile fibers; signed by me this 6th day of February, 1930.

GEORGES LEFRANC.