US2191039A

US2191039A - Yarn conditioning process and composition therefor

Info

Publication number: US2191039A
Application number: US246199A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph B Dickey
Original assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
Current assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
Priority date: 1938-12-16
Filing date: 1938-12-16
Publication date: 1940-02-20
Anticipated expiration: 1957-02-20

Description

Patented Feb. 20, 1940 UNITED STATES YARN connmomrm rnocnss m COMPOSITION THEREFOR No Drawing. Application December 16, 1938, Serial N0. 248,199

18 Claims.

This invention relates to the conditioning of textile yarns and more particularly to the conditioning of filaments and yarns composed of organic derivatives of cellulose such as cellulose acetate, cellulose propionate, cellulose acetate propionate, and cellulose acetate butyrate, to render them more amenable to textile operations such as knitting and the like.

As is well known in the manufacture of yarns. particularly those composed of or containing cellulose organic derivatives, it is necessary to treat .the yarn in order to reduce the tendency toward breakage of the individual filaments or fibers when they are subjected to various mechanical strains and to lubricate the yarn in order to facilitate handling in such operations as spinning, twisting, winding, and reeling. It is also necessary to treat yarn to adapt it for use as warp or filling or for, the manufacture of various types of knitted fabrics. In knitting, it is particularly important that the yarn be soft and pliable in order that it may conform readily to the contour of the needles and thus produce a closely knit fabric free from such defects as stitch distortion, "pin holes, laddering, and the like.

Heretofore it has been 'proposed to employ softening agents such as ,polhydric alcohols and similar agents as ingredients of yarn conditioning or lubricatingformulas, generally in connection with mineral, animal or vegetable oils. It has been found, however, that most of the known softening agents and the various formulas containing them have certain drawbacks, one of themost serious of which is high vapor pressure, and -in some cases too drastic a solvent action on the yarn. Many of such agents possess slight or insufficient solvent power for the lubricants with which they are used, and it is accordingly necessary to employ blending agents or emulsifying agents in order to obtain operable yarn treating formulas. In addition, many of the known softening and lubricating agents are insufficiently soluble in water to permit satisfactory removal by aqueous scour baths.

This invention has as its principal object to provide an entirely new class of yarn conditioning agents which are particularly adapted for the treatment of yarns composed of or containing organic derivatives of cellulose and capable of lubricating, softening and rendering such yarns more amenable to knitting and other textile pperations. A further and specific object is to provide a class of conditioning agents which augment or assist the lubricating action of vari- PATENT. OFFICE ous lubricants when applied to such yarns. A still further object is to provide yarn softening and lubricating formulas which can be readily removed from theyarns by the usual scour baths. A still further object is to provide an improvedmethod for the conditioning of yarns,

particularly those composed of or containing or-, ganic derivatives of cellulose such as cellulose acetate, whereby the yarn is rendered soft and pliable and capable of employment in a variety of textile operations where complicated designsor Where R, R R, and R are substituents selected from the group consisting of aikyl, substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, and aryl groups, and wherein R and R may also be hydrogen.

may be used as yarn conditioning agents and particularly as softening agents, with or without the addition of animal, mineral, or vegetable oils, in the treatment of yarns composed of or containing organic derivatives of cellulose. I have found that these compounds when employed as described in the detailed examples set forth below have a slight solvent and/or softening action on cellulose organic derivative yarns which renders such yarns soft and'pliable without at the same time having too drastic an action thereon. These ethers are characterized by their exceptional solvent powers which enable them to dissolve minerals oils, blown and unblown drying and semi-drying vegetable and animal oils and at the same time be appreciably soluble in water. This last characteristic facilitates the removal of these compounds from textile materials lubricated with them and the removal of mixtures of these materials with one or more of the common lubricants previously mentioned in the soap scouring operation usually employed in the textile industry.

I have also found glyceryl ether esters of the type described when applied alone or in conjunction with other lubricating agents have a softening effect on filaments or threads composed of cellulose .acetate. Filaments or threads spinning solution itself. I have found that these compounds have exceptional solvent powers which enable them to dissolve mineral oils and blown and unblown, drying and semi-drying, vegetable and animal oils and accordingly they may be, and preferably are, employed as ingredients of yarn conditioning or lubricating formulas in conjunction with agents which function wholly or partially as lubricants.

In the following examples and description I have set forth several of the preferred embodiments of my invention, but they are included merely for purposes of illustration and not as a limitation thereof.

My invention will be more readily understood .by reference to the following examples in which typical applications of the invention are set forth.

Example 1 1-methoxy-2,3-diacetoxypropane is applied to textile materials (silk cotton, wool, cellulose acetate, viscose, etc.) by means of a bath, wick, roller, spray, etc. to facilitate their knitting, weaving, spinning, and the like. If the yarn is intended primarily for knitting, the amount of conditioning liquid applied may vary from 4-25% by weight of the yarn. If the yarn is intended primarily for weaving, the amount of conditioning liquid applied may vary between 1-5% by weight of yarn.

Example 2 A conditioning liquid is made up as follows:

I Per cent 2-methoxy-1,3-diacetoxy '70 Olive oil- 30 and applied to textile materials such as silk, wool, cellulose acetate, viscose, etc., as described in Example 1. If the yarn is intended primarily for knitting the amount of conditioning liquid applied may vary from 4-25% by weight of the yarn, and if for weaving between 1-5%. Cellulose acetate filaments or fibers treated as described above are quite soft and pliable and give improved results in various textile operations such as weaving, knitting, etc.

Other examples of yarn conditioning compositions which may be applied to various types of yarns, particularly those composed of or containing cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate propionate, cellulose acetate butyrate, and similar cellulose organic acid esters in accordance with my invention and which render such yarns soft and pliable and especially well adapted for various textile operations, particularly knitting, are as follows:

Example 3 A conditioning liquid is made up as follows:

1-ethoxy-2,3-diacetoxypropane 60 Blown olive oil 40 Example 4 1,2-dimethoxy-3-acetoxy propane 70 Light mineral oil 30 Example 5 1-3-dimethoxy-2-acetoxy propane 30 Neat's-foot oil 70 I Example 6 1,2-diethoxy-3-acetoxypropane Blown neats-foot oil Sulfonated olive oil 20 White mineral oil 10 Oleic acid 10 Ethanolamine 3 Water 7 Example 7 Glyceryl-a-methyl-fl- -dilactate or propionate 20 Sperm oil 60 Laurel 20 Example 8 I 1-fl-ethoxyethoxypropane-2,3-diacetate 50 Blown sperm oil 30 Sulfonated castor oil 20 Example 9 1,2-di-p ethoxy-p-ethoxy propane-3-oleate '70 Blown tea seed oil 30 Example 10 A 20% solution of cellulose acetate in acetone in which is incorporated 125% by weight of the cellulose acetate of is extruded through fine orifices into an evaporative atmosphere. The filaments thus produced are wound, or twisted and wound, Yarns produced from filaments thus prepared are pliable and suitable for knitting.

Example 11 Diglycolate of glycerol-a-benzyl ether 10 Sulfonated olive oil 5 Water 80 Gelatin 5 I Example 12 Dilevulinate of glyceryl-a-methyl ether 10 Diethylene glycol 5 Water sol. cellulose ester or ether 5 Water 80 Any of the above compositions may be applied to the yarn intended for use in circular knitting by means of a bath, wick,'spray, roller, pad or any suitable means. The amount of conditioning liquid applied may vary between 525% by weight of the yarn. Usually, however, the amount of conditioning liquid applied is about 10-15% by weight of the yarn. Yarn composed of cellulose acetate conditioned as described above gives excellent results when used in the circular knitting process.

As will be apparent from the above examples and description the conditioning agents of my invention may be applied by a wide variety of methods. For example, I may employ the agent as an ingredient of the spinning dope from which the filaments are formed, the amount of the agent so employed depending upon a number of factors, such as the particular cellulose derivative used in making the yarn, the solvent or solvent combination used in making up the spinning solution, and the degree of softness or pliability desired in the yarn, etc.

If the conditioning agent is to be applied to the yarn after spinning, this may be done by bringing the yarn in contact with a wick. roll. or felt wet therewith, or the liquid may be applied by immersion, spray, or otherwise. The particular point at which the liquid is applied may vary. It may, fbr example, be applied to the yarn inside or outside the spinning cabinet, between the guide and godet roll, between the godet or other roll or guide and the point of winding and/or twisting. In some cases, the liquid may even be applied to the yarn after winding onto cones, spools, bobbins, or the like or by the so-called "bobbin to bobbin method. In the case of staple fiber manufacture, the liquid may be applied to the yarn prior to, or after cutting into staple lengths.

The amount of the agent so employed will vary widely depending upon the results desired, the specific nature of the material towhich the agent is applied, the use to which the yarn is eventually to be put and other factors. For example, in a given case where a cellulose organic acid ester yarn such as yarn composed of cellulose acetate, is intended for knitting, about 4 to 25% or more by weight, based on the weight of the dry yam, may be satisfactory, while if the yarn is intended for weaving, the amount may vary between about 1 and 5%.

Although in the above examples I have referred primarily to yarn treating compositions containing only the conditioning agent and an oil, other ingredients such as solvents, non-solvents, emulsifying agents, blending agents and the like, may be added within the scope of my invention. Likewise, various dyes or other coloring matter may be included in case it is desired to permanently or fugitively tint or dye the material undergoing treatment.

Although I have found it convenient to illustrate my invention by reference to compositions containing specific percentages of the various ingredients, these percentages may vary widely depending upon the particular purpose for which the composition is intended. For example, if it is desired to control the solvent or softening action of the conditioning agent, the amount of the agent may be adjusted as, for example, by reducing the amount of the agent and correspondingly increasing the amount of oil or other ingredient.

While I have described my invention with particular reference to the treatment of yarns composed of organic derivatives of cellulose such as cellulose acetate, the conditioning agents and formulas described herein are applicable to the conditioning of many other types of cellulose derivative yarns such as those composed of or containing cellulose propionate, cellulose butyrate, cellulose acetate propionate, cellulose acetate butyrate, ethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, benzyl cellulose and others, as well as to the conditioning of silk, wool, cotton, viscose and other natural or artificial materials.

The term "yam as used herein and in the claims is to be understood as including a single filament, a plurality of filaments associated into the form of a thread, either of high or low twist, single or multiple threads associated or twisted together, composite threads composed of a. mixture of natural and artificial filaments or a composite thread formed by twisting together individual strands of natural or artificial materials, as well as cut staple nbers produced from natural and /or artificial filaments or threads and spun yarn produced from such staple fibers.

As indicated above, the yarn conditioning agents of my invention are exceptionally good solvents for a wide variety of mineral, blown and unbiown, drying and semi-drying animal and vegetable oils such as cottonseed, olive, castor, neatfs-foot, sperm and other oils. This enables them to be used with any of such oils in making up a variety of yarn treating formulas of varying composition.

The yarn conditioning method and compositions of my invention possess many outstanding advantages. The fundamental and outstanding characteristic of the agents employed in accordance with the invention is their ability to soften yarns, especially those composed of or containing organic derivatives of cellulose such as cellulose acetate and render them soft and pliable and amenable to various textile operations, especially operations such as those involved in weaving and knitting where complicated designs or stitches are employed, without too drastic an action on the yarn material. Another outstanding characteristic of these compounds is their exceptional solvent power for a wide variety of mineral, animal, and vegetable oils and their ability to act as lubricating assistants in conjunction with these oils when applied to such yarns. In addition, due to their solubility in water, they may be readily removed from yarns and fabrics by means of the usual aqueous scour baths. By employing the yarn conditioning agents and method of my invention as herein described, one is enabled to obtain highly satisfactory results in the manufacture of yarns and woven fabrics and especially the production from these yarns of closely knit fabrics free from defects such as pin holes, stitch distortion, laddering and the like.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The process of conditioning yarn to render it more amenable to textile operations including knitting, weaving, spinning and the like, which comprises applying thereto a lubricating and softening composition containing as its essential lubricating and softening component a glyceryl ether ester having the general formula:

rho-03 H:C0G o-m where R and R are substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, and aryl groups, and wherein R and R are substituents selected from .the group consisting of alkyl, substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, and aryl groups and hydrogen.

2. The process of conditioning yarn composed of or containing organic derivatives of cellulose to render it more amenable to textile operations including knitting, weaving, spinning and the like, which comprises applying thereto a lubricating and softening composition containing as its essential lubricating and softening component a glyceryl ether ester having the general formula:

HaC-OR 110-0 E (or -c 0R*) H2o-o-o O-R where R and R are substltuents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, substituted alkyl,

cycloalkyl, and aryl groups, and wherein R and R are substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, and aryl groups and hydrogen.

3. The process of conditioning yam composed of or containing cellulose acetate to render it more amenable to textile operations including knitting, weaving, spinning, and the like, which comprises applying thereto. a lubricating and softening composition containing as its essential lubricating and softening component a glyceryl .ether ester having the general formula:

where R and R are substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, and aryl groups, and wherein 1'1. and R are substituents selected from. the group consiting of alkyl, substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, and aryl groups and hydrogen.

4. The process of conditioning yarn composed of or containing cellulose acetate to render it more amenable to textile operations including knitting, weaving, spinning, and the like, which comprises applying thereto a lubricating and softening composition containing as its essential lubricating and softening component a glyceryl ether ester having the general formula:

where R and R are substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, and aryl groups, and wherein R and R are substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, and aryl groups and hydrogen, and a textile lubricant.

5. The process of conditioning yarn composed of or containing cellulose acetate to render it more amenable to textile operations including knitting, weaving, spinning, and the like, which comprises applying thereto a lubricating and softening composition containing as its essential lubricating and softening component l-methoxy- 2,3-diacetoxypropane.

6. The process of conditioning yarn composed of or containing cellulose acetate to render it more amenable to textile operations including knitting, weaving, spinning, and the like which comprises applying thereto a lubricating and softening composition containing as its essential lubricating and softening component 1,3-dimethoxy-2-acetoxy propane.

7. The process of conditioning yarn composed of or containing cellulose acetate to render it more amenable to textile operations including knitting, weaving, spinning, and the like, which comprises applying thereto a lubricating and. softening composition containing as its essential lubricating and softening component diglycolate of glycerol-u-benzyl ether.

8. A conditioning agent for rendering yarns more amenable to textile operations including knitting, weaving, spinning, and the like,-which comprises a glyceryl ether ester having the general formula:

Inc-on HO-OR (or --o -4:)

H|O0-C0-R where R and R are substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, and aryl groups, and wherein R. and R are substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, and aryl groups and hydrogen.

9. A conditioning agent for rendering textile yarns composed of or containing organic derivatives of cellulose more amenable to textile operations including knitting, weaving, spinning, and

the like which comprises a glyceryl ether ester having the'general formula:

the group consisting of alkyl, substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, and aryl groups, and wherein R? and R are substituents selected from the group con sisting of alkyl, substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, and arylt groups and hydrogen, and a textile lubrican 10. A conditioning agent forrendering yarns composed of or containing cellulose acetate more amenable to textile operations including knitting, weaving, spinning, and the like, containing 1-methoxy-2,3-diacetoxy propane.

11. A conditioning agent for rendering yarns composed of or containing cellulose acetate more amenable to textile operations including knitting, weaving, spinning, and the like, containing 1,3-dimethoxy-2-acetoxy propane.

12. A conditioning agent for rendering yarns composed of or containing cellulose acetate more amenable to textile operations including knitting, weaving, spinning, and the like, containing diglycolate of glycerol-m-benzyl ether.

13. Textile yarns amenable to textile operations including knitting, weaving, spinning, and the like impregnated with a lubricant containing as its essential lubricating and softening component a glyceryl ether ester having the general formula:

where R and R are substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, and aryl groups, and wherein R and R are substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, and aryl groups and hydrogen.

14. Textile yarns composed of or containing organic derivatives of cellulose amenable to textile operations including knitting, weaving, spinning, and the like impregnated with a conditioning agent comprising a glyceryl ether ester having the general formula:

15. Textile yarns composed of or containing organic derivatives of cellulose amenable to textile operations including knitting, weaving, spinning, and the like impregnated with a conditioning agent comprising a glyceryl ether ester having the general formula:

H|O-0R HO-OR (or -o 0-3) -where R and R are substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, and aryl groups and wherein R and 10 R are substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, and aryl groups and hydrogen, and a textile lubricant.

16. Textile yarns composed of or containing 15 cellulose acetate amenable to textile operations including knitting, weaving. spinning, and the like, impregnated with a lubricant comprising 1-methoxy-2,3-diacetoxy propane.

17. Textile yarns composed of or containing cellulose acetate amenable to textile operations 5 including knitting, weaving, spinning, and the like, impregnated with a lubricant comprising 1,3-dimethoxy-2-acetoxy propane.

18. Textile yarns composed of or containing cellulose acetate amenable to textile operations 10 including knitting, weaving, spinning, and the like, impregnated with a lubricant comprising diglycolate o! glycerol-a-benzyl ether.

JOSEPH B. DICKEY. I