US2203375A - Process for mercerizing fabric - Google Patents

Process for mercerizing fabric Download PDF

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US2203375A
US2203375A US275478A US27547839A US2203375A US 2203375 A US2203375 A US 2203375A US 275478 A US275478 A US 275478A US 27547839 A US27547839 A US 27547839A US 2203375 A US2203375 A US 2203375A
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Prior art keywords
fabric
mercerization
swelling
rollers
fiber
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Expired - Lifetime
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US275478A
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English (en)
Inventor
Weiss Ernst
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Heberlein Patent Corp
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Heberlein Patent Corp
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    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06B—TREATING TEXTILE MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS, GASES OR VAPOURS
    • D06B7/00—Mercerising, e.g. lustring by mercerising
    • D06B7/08—Mercerising, e.g. lustring by mercerising of fabrics of indefinite length
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06C—FINISHING, DRESSING, TENTERING OR STRETCHING TEXTILE FABRICS
    • D06C29/00—Finishing or dressing, of textile fabrics, not provided for in the preceding groups
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06M—TREATMENT, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE IN CLASS D06, OF FIBRES, THREADS, YARNS, FABRICS, FEATHERS OR FIBROUS GOODS MADE FROM SUCH MATERIALS
    • D06M11/00—Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, with inorganic substances or complexes thereof; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment, e.g. mercerising
    • D06M11/32—Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, with inorganic substances or complexes thereof; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment, e.g. mercerising with oxygen, ozone, ozonides, oxides, hydroxides or percompounds; Salts derived from anions with an amphoteric element-oxygen bond
    • D06M11/36—Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, with inorganic substances or complexes thereof; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment, e.g. mercerising with oxygen, ozone, ozonides, oxides, hydroxides or percompounds; Salts derived from anions with an amphoteric element-oxygen bond with oxides, hydroxides or mixed oxides; with salts derived from anions with an amphoteric element-oxygen bond
    • D06M11/38—Oxides or hydroxides of elements of Groups 1 or 11 of the Periodic Table
    • D06M11/40—Oxides or hydroxides of elements of Groups 1 or 11 of the Periodic Table combined with, or in absence of, mechanical tension, e.g. slack mercerising

Definitions

  • the invention relates to the production of improved fabrics-piece goodscontaining vegetable fibers and having the following characteristics, i. e., a good quality of sheen or lustre; the finished fabric having, at least in one direction, that is either along the warp or weft, an increased dimension as compared with the corresponding dimension of the original fabric before treatment, the character of the mercerized fabric being such that even with the increased dimension the fabric has substantially improved stability against shrinkage.
  • such dimension is increased sufliciently and the finished fabric is of such character that even if, subsequent to the mercerizing process, the fabric is subjected to several washing tests or to mechanical shrinkproofing treatments such as the Sanforizing treatment, it will still maintain an increased dimension in the stretched direction greater than the original dimension of the fabric before treatment, while maintaining the other good qualities of mercerized fabric such for example as tensile strength.
  • the fabrics treated according to this process are effectively stabilized in their dimensions and therefore shrink only to a comparatively slight or negligible degree upon being subsequently subjected to repeated washing.
  • Such fabric when produced according to the preferred manner of carrying out the process, has in addition to the above set 3 forth characteristics, a strikingly high mercerizetion sheen and softness.
  • one dimension for example, the warp
  • the weft dimension may be retained at least as large as is possible with former mercerization processes; and such reduction as occurs in the weft dimension may in general be compensated for or substantially offset by the enlarged warp dimension.
  • This is .ofsubstantial conmiercial importance in that with the usual mercerization processes as heretofore practiced, the area of the finished fabric, after the mercerization, is substantially less than thatof the original untreated material, and furthermore, when the usual mercerized fabric is washed or subjected to a shrinkproofing treatment, its area is even further substantially reduced.
  • the drawing schematically illustrates one form of apparatus by way of example, which may be used for carrying out the process of the invention.
  • the original material to be treated according to this invention may be a fabric comprising or containing vegetable fibers, such as fabrics made of cotton, hemp, flax, linen, jute, or ramie, as well as mixed fabricsmade of these materials,
  • the material to be treated preferably while in the dry state, is first subjected to a penetrating impregnation with a caustic solution of men'- cerizing strength, such penetration being forcefully effected, preferably mechanically, with sufficient rapidity and thoroughness was to enable subsequent substantially complete homogeneous swelling of the fiber.
  • a penetrating impregnation with a caustic solution of men'- cerizing strength such penetration being forcefully effected, preferably mechanically, with sufficient rapidity and thoroughness was to enable subsequent substantially complete homogeneous swelling of the fiber.
  • Such penetration should be effected while the fabric is not under substantial tension, more particularly at least longitudinally of the yarn which is -to mainly impart the mercerization sheen.
  • the fiber of the fabric is permitted to homogeneously swell to substantially the maximum extent possible from such impregnation and subsequent application of the caustic and is allowed to shrink during the swelling, and when the fiber has reached such.
  • the fabric is overstretched by the application of tension, preferably beyond the elastic limits of the fiber and greatly in excess thereof, and preponderantly in the direction of the yarn which is to mainly impart the sheen; the overstretching usually being from 3 or 4 to 7%.
  • the fabric is freed from the caustic solution tentered and finished in the usual manner.
  • the fiber of the fabric be thoroughly, completely and homogeneously swelled, that is, thoroughly mercerized.
  • the impregnation precede any substantial swelling. Otherwise,-if the swelling begins in the outer layers of the yarn to any substantial degree before the complete impregnation, a deeper impregnation will thereby be checked or made impossible, due to the fact that the yarns are made less permeable to the caustic. Accordingly the impregnation should be efiected extremely rapidly and uniformly, since this will subsequently permit a. completely homo geneous swelling, difiicult or impossible to otherwise achieve.
  • the forcefully efiected impregnation may therefore preferably be aided before the commencement of the swelling by the addition to the caustic solution of suitable wetting agents or mercerization adjuvants such as a material known in the trade as mercerol (a mixture of crude cresol with fat solvents such for instance as cyclohexanol) but the wetting agents alone are not sufficient to give the necessary quick and thorough penetration, it being necessary to use for this purpose an effective forceful impregnation preferably by mechanical means such for example as by a pair of squeezing rollers between which the fabric is pressed through in the presence of the mercerizing agent.
  • the impregnation process may also be. promoted by subjecting the goods to a vacuum followed by wetting the fabric with a mercerizing caustic solution under pressure.
  • the material is permitted to shrink during the swelling stage of the process. While in prior known mercerization processes such a shrinking step in the procedure is left optional and is therefore not required, this mode of operation has been found to be important with the present invention in order to obtain the desired effects in the finished fabric.
  • the specific composition of the caustic solution may be determined according to the particular properties of the goods being treated and in accordance with the known procedure for mercerizing the same.
  • the over-stretching of the fabric take place at a time when the fiber is swelled to substantially the maximum amount, as distinguished for example from prior processes in which the stretching may be done during reduction of the swelling, and as for instance during the removal of the caustic solution.
  • the stretching may take place before, during or after the mercerizing, that is, prior to the removal of the caustic solution or else during the removal thereof, the stretching during the removal of the caustic solution is frequently preferred because less power is required therefor at this stage.
  • Both the preliminary shrinking and the tensioning of the fabric are effected preponderantly in a direction lengthwise of the yarn which is mainly to impart the sheen. That is, the direction is determined by the nature of the fabric, or whether the yarn which is to impart the sheen is located in the warp or in the weft (for example warp satin or weft satin). In the ease of muslin, where the warp and weft yarns are almost equivalent, and linen binding is present, the direction of the shrinking and overstretching is optional.
  • the fabric is stretched at least in one direction, or preponderantly in one direction, beyond the corresponding original dimension of the fabric, i. e., overstretched.
  • the fabric is stretched at least in one direction, or preponderantly in one direction, beyond the corresponding original dimension of the fabric, i. e., overstretched.
  • a more recent disclosure describes a process for the mercerization of cotton, wherein yarn is permitted to shrink and is subsequently temporarily stretched to about 4% I the tensions applied washed, even along the direction of the predombeyond its original length. In this case, also, no stabilization of the yarn length is effected, since the caustic is washed out during the stretching, and the strteched dimensions are not maintainable for various reasons, and the completed product is specified as having its original dimensions.
  • thestretching is effected by applying to the fabric, tension sufficient to exceed the fiow limits or elastic limit of the swelled fibers, but below the breaking limits thereof.
  • the flow limits or elasticity limits may be defined as the limits reached when the tension applied causes the elastic deformation (reversible elongation) .of the fibers to pass over into permanent deformation (irreversible elongation) that is, limits at which the deformation no longer substantially disappears after discontinuance of all imposed tensions.
  • the breaking limits may be defined as the limits at which are such as to cause tearing of the fabric or substantial damage to the fibers thereof..
  • the fabric may for example be conveyed to the pincer chains in a previously tensed state, by stretching it for example by means of two pairs of squeezing rollers having respectively different speeds, i. e., the second pair having a more rapid drive.
  • the requirement of retaining the dimensions during the removal of the caustic solution may be also fulfilled by using machines, if for example, the spreading rollers of the apparatus for removal of the caustic solution may be individually drivenv in such way that during a given interval of time substantially identical fabric areas will run over all of the rollers.
  • the rollers of course should be arranged in such a way that slipping of the fabric thereon is precluded. Accordingly, in case the rollers are all of the same dimensions, for example, they should be driven at equal speeds.
  • Fabrics which have been ennobled or finished according to the preferred execution of this invention are distinguishable by the strikingly high sheen or light reflection given in the direction of and by thev over-stretched yarns of the fabric, and by the soft pleasant feel of the fabric, whereas certain of their other important textile properties, as for instance their tensile strength,
  • the drawing schematically illustrates one suitable form of apparatus by way of example only, with which the process may be .carried out with a chainless mercerizing type of machine, but invention is not to be limited by or to such machine.
  • the fabric Ill may pass over suitable guide or idler rollers ll into a vat l2 containing the mercerizing solution including the wetting agents or mercerization adjuvants. As shown the fabric in passing over a roller l3 becomes immersed in the solution and wetted, the fabric being preferably dry when it enters the solution.
  • the fabric substantially dry when it enters the bath is desirable in producing the full- Almost immediately thereafter it is fed through a pair of squeezing rollers as at l4 for promoting intensive mechanical impregnation before the swelling action has opportunity to take place and while being free of any substantial tension.
  • the fabric After leaving the squeezing rollers M, the fabric may pass over an assembly of rollers l5 within the vat I2, and it is upon these rollers that the homogeneous swelling of the fiber takes place. 'In passing from the rollers M to the rollers Hi the fabric is allowed to shrink.
  • the rollers It will be driven with a surface speed slightly faster than those of the subsequent rollers in the vat l2, and so that the fabric is advanced without any substantial lengthwise tension.
  • the fabric Upon leaving the vat l2, the fabric is suitably guided to and between a pair of driven sque zing rollers H5, at which time the condition of maxi-' mum swelling has been reached.
  • the fabric From the squeezing rollers IS, the fabric is subjected to a powerful lengthwise tension as it-passes over guide roller I1, and spreader rollers l8.
  • the fabric On the way from the rollers I5 to the squeezing rollers l6 and thence over the guide roller H, the fabric, in this particular machine, has opportunity to shrink in the direction of the weft.
  • the material passes over the spreader rollers I8, it is also subjected to transverse tensioning as well as the lengthwise tensioning.
  • the speed' of the fabric is such in any case as to allow the caustic to This gain becomes particularly the * and form as act for a sumcient time to bring about the desired thorough swelling.
  • the degree of stretching may be regulated to some extent.
  • the caustic solution may be removed from the fabric in any desired well-known way asfor example by sprayto effect the least 80 C.
  • the spreader rollers it may be so formed as to transversely tension the fabric to the desired extent while permitting of the desired length-
  • the rollers I9 may be of such dimensions, shape to maintain constant, the lengthwise and transverse dimensions of the fabric, substantially the same as when it leaves the rollrollers E9 are accordingly preferably all alike and driven at the same speed.
  • caustic solution dium hydroxide of 1520 0. to which is a mercerization adjuvant amounting, for example, to 2% of the solution, if mercerol is used.
  • the solution is allowed to act for from 15 to 25 seconds between rollers I3 anddfi, which is the time required in this example for complete swellcomprising s0- B. at a temperature of somewhat longer if time for the travel desired. Suitable periods of of the fabric between other 7 with tension sufiicient to parts of the apparatus shown will then occur 11 the distances between the various rollers are proportioned substantially according. to the drawing. 'Ihe'material is so conducted through the apparatus that the fabric may first shrink quite freely (i.
  • brics which have been treated in accordance Fa with this example have an than obtainable with the normal mercerization.
  • the degree of mercerization is sometimes estimated by determining the ratio of the amount of dyestufi, such as benzopurpurine 4B, which will be taken up by the untreated fabric as compared with the same fabric mercerized (more dyestuif being absorbed the greater the degree of mercerization), it has been found that fabrics treated" in accordance with the preferred execution of the present invention absorb less of such dyestuff than normally mercerized fabrics, notwithstanding the greatly improved mercerization sheen.
  • dyestufi such as benzopurpurine 4B
  • the length of the fabric is not increased beyond 3% and generally only 1%, and when such a fabric has been subjected to washing tests or Sanforizing, it will usually show a loss of from 3 to 6%; which means that the fabric will show a loss, from its original length in the gray, of from 2 to 3%, or often even as much as 5%.
  • Example 2 A muslin fabric may be treated, for example, by using apparatus such as shown in the drawing, and generally in accordance with the process of Example 1, except that the longitudinal stretching may be such as to effect an elongation of 4 to 6% and with a transverse spreading of the fabric somewhat greater than Example 1. These differences from Example 1 are advisable because in the case of muslin.
  • yarn which imparts the sheen is ordinarily distributed about equally in the warp and the weft.
  • the fabric shows ,an increased silk-like lustre and the yarns seem to be thinner and the fabric somewhat finer in comparison with ordinary mer- 5 cerization.
  • Example 3.--A limberic" fabric may be treated in accordance with the same principles stated above in connection with the muslin fabric of Example 1.
  • the yarns which predominantly impart the sheen are run in the direction at the filling and accordingly in' the mercerization bath, the fabric should be allowed to shrink predominantly along the direction of -the weft, and the over-stretching should be also predominantly along the direction of the weft.
  • the fabric shows an increased silk-like lustre and the feel is characterized by an increased softnessand pliability in comparison with ordinary mercerization.
  • the above mentioned stabilized character of the fabric to resist substantial shrinkage is also present in the fabric made according to this example, so that even after washings or Sanforizing a gain in the stretched dimension is maintained over that in the original fabric prior to mercerizationa
  • This invention does not reside merely in stretching the fabric during mercerization beyond the original dimension, but it resides, as to the product, in the peculiar, new and valuable character of the finished mercerized fabric which gives it a good sheen (and in the preferred form of the invention a very high sheen and softness) and enables it to resist shrinkage to such an extent that after repeated washing tests or, after Sanforizing, it loses only about 2 to 3% of its length, and this is true even in cases where in the mercerization treatment the fabric had been stretched to a finished length of several percent. beyond its original or gray length.
  • Process of finishing a fabric containing vegetable fiber to obtain a good mercerization sheen and improved stability against shrinkage by subsequent washings which comprises quickly effecting a thoroughly penetrating impregnation of the fiber with a caustic mercerization solution, such thorough penetration being effected before substantial swelling of the fiber takes place so as to enable subsequent thorough and homogeneous swelling, then continuing the action of the caustic under conditions permitting the fiber to substantialy homogeneously and thoroughly swell to substantially the maximum extent, the fibers during the swelling being allowed'to shrink mainly in a direction of the yarn which is to principally impart the sheen, then overstretching" the fabric while in such substantially maximum swelled condition and ma gain of about 5 to 8% by tensioning the fabric preponderantly in said direction, and by applying suificient tension transversely of said direction to prevent transverse shrinkage in excess of about 5%, and thereafter removing the caustic solution from the fabric while maintaing substantially its dimensions'resulting from said overstretching.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)
  • Chemical Or Physical Treatment Of Fibers (AREA)
US275478A 1937-10-15 1939-05-24 Process for mercerizing fabric Expired - Lifetime US2203375A (en)

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DE519071X 1937-10-15

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Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2506046A (en) * 1943-04-22 1950-05-02 Cilander Ag Process for obtaining transparent effects on regenerated cellulose fibers
US2513057A (en) * 1941-07-14 1950-06-27 American Enka Corp Continuous aftertreatment of rayon
US2527142A (en) * 1949-05-10 1950-10-24 United Merchants & Mfg Treatment of regenerated cellulose fabrics with urea-alkali-zincate solution
US2527141A (en) * 1949-05-10 1950-10-24 United Merchants & Mfg Treatment of cotton fabrics with urea-alkali-zincate solution
US2752660A (en) * 1952-08-29 1956-07-03 Saco Lowell Shops Slasher
US2866254A (en) * 1954-06-17 1958-12-30 Batson Cook Company Apparatus for sizing yarns
US3449060A (en) * 1963-11-04 1969-06-10 Klopman Mills Inc Treatment of textile fabric
US3960484A (en) * 1973-02-14 1976-06-01 Herberlein Textildruck Ag Process and apparatus for improving the fiber structure of textile material containing cellulose fibers
DE2834854A1 (de) * 1978-08-09 1980-02-14 Kuesters Eduard Anordnung zum fortlaufenden behandeln, insbesondere waschen von textilgut
CN108914455A (zh) * 2018-09-22 2018-11-30 石狮市港溢染整织造有限公司 一种丝光机克服纤维溶胀造成疵布的装置

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2513057A (en) * 1941-07-14 1950-06-27 American Enka Corp Continuous aftertreatment of rayon
US2506046A (en) * 1943-04-22 1950-05-02 Cilander Ag Process for obtaining transparent effects on regenerated cellulose fibers
US2527142A (en) * 1949-05-10 1950-10-24 United Merchants & Mfg Treatment of regenerated cellulose fabrics with urea-alkali-zincate solution
US2527141A (en) * 1949-05-10 1950-10-24 United Merchants & Mfg Treatment of cotton fabrics with urea-alkali-zincate solution
US2752660A (en) * 1952-08-29 1956-07-03 Saco Lowell Shops Slasher
US2866254A (en) * 1954-06-17 1958-12-30 Batson Cook Company Apparatus for sizing yarns
US3449060A (en) * 1963-11-04 1969-06-10 Klopman Mills Inc Treatment of textile fabric
US3960484A (en) * 1973-02-14 1976-06-01 Herberlein Textildruck Ag Process and apparatus for improving the fiber structure of textile material containing cellulose fibers
DE2834854A1 (de) * 1978-08-09 1980-02-14 Kuesters Eduard Anordnung zum fortlaufenden behandeln, insbesondere waschen von textilgut
CN108914455A (zh) * 2018-09-22 2018-11-30 石狮市港溢染整织造有限公司 一种丝光机克服纤维溶胀造成疵布的装置

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FR844549A (fr) 1939-07-26
GB519071A (en) 1940-03-15
BE430662A (it)

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