Classifications

• • 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
• • 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
  • D06M13/00—Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, with non-macromolecular organic compounds; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment
  • D06M13/322—Treating fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics or fibrous goods made from such materials, with non-macromolecular organic compounds; Such treatment combined with mechanical treatment with compounds containing nitrogen
  • D06M13/46—Compounds containing quaternary nitrogen atoms
  • D06M13/463—Compounds containing quaternary nitrogen atoms derived from monoamines
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10S8/00—Bleaching and dyeing; fluid treatment and chemical modification of textiles and fibers
  • Y10S8/04—Polyester fibers

Definitions

• Polyethylene terephthalate filament yarn fabrics have intrinsically a good handle and draping properties, but they become harder and stiff during finishing involving heat setting, due to the strains developed during heat setting.
• Methods used commercially for softening the heat set fabrics are either, winch scouring followed by restentering at 150 C., or a tratment in the presence of a dilute solution of caustic soda as disclosed in the aforementioned British patent specification 652,948, which is carried out using a jig.
• the weight loss referred to is determined by weighing a dried sample of filaments or fabrics before and after the treatment with the alkaline solution.
• the concentration of the caustic alkali is desirable to keep the concentration of the caustic alkali as low as possible while at the same time either maintaining or reducing other treating conditions, e.g. time and temperature.
• other treating conditions e.g. time and temperature.
• the amount of the caustic alkali in the treatment bath can be decreased, either while maintaining the previously established treating conditions or, if desired, by decreasing other treating conditions such as the time and/ or the temperature.
• I provide a process for treating fabrics comprising synthetic polyester filaments or fibres in their drawn condition, in which the fabrics, are treated with a solution comprising a caustic alkali metal hydroxide and a quaternary ammonium salt selected from cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide and lauryl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride.
• solutions hereinafter referred to are aqueous solutions, but it should be appreciated that other hydroiiylated liquids, which are soluble and miscible with water, may be used.
• a suitable caustic alkali hydroxide solution which is preferred, is sodium hydroxide in water.
• the amount of sodium hydroxide in the solution may be 0.55%, preferably 13%.
• Suitable amounts of the specified quaternary ammonium salt are between 0.005 and 0.5%, preferably 0.025 up to 0.1%.
• the solutions are preferably applied at elevated temperatures of 110 C. and for treatment e.g. on a jig, between C. and the boiling point of the solution.
• the polyesters which may be treated according to my invention have a terephthaloyl group in their molecular repeat unit. They are obtainable by polycondensation from terephthalic acid with glycols having 2-10 carbon atoms in their aliphatic chain, as well as from certain cyclic glycols; minor amounts of other divalent compounds coplymerisable with the terephthaloyl group may be incorporated in amounts up to 15%, such as isophthalic acid and sebacic acid.
• the polyester, for which this invention is particularly suitable, and which is referred to in the following examples, is polyethylene terephthalate.
• Cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide or lauryl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride are very eifective, they are suitable under the treating conditions and are commercially available in bulk at a low cost compared with many other quaternary ammonium compounds.
• the treatment with the caustic alkali solution is conveniently carried out on available equipment, e.g. using a jig. It is difficult, however, to obtain a uniformly treated fabric, even when the concentration and time of treatment are accurately controlled, because temperature variations, particularly at the ends of the fabric occur (when using a jig), and also because it is difficult or impossible to Watch the progress of the treatment-e.g. by determination of the weight loss in the fabrics, without interrupting the treatment.
• This comprises winding the fabric on a perforated beam and pumping the caustic solution through the beam under pressure to percolate the fabric, and recirculating the percolating solution for a sufiicient time and temperature.
• the pressure of the solution which is conveniently read off between the pump and the beam gives a measure of the weight loss of the fabric.
• the time of treatment can be reduced, compared with a treatment on a jig, because of the more efiicient contact between the fabric and the solution under pressure.
• a solution containing only 1.5% sodium hydroxide and 0.05% of lauryl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride has given a desired weight loss of 5-10% in 2040 minutes at a temperature of only 85 C.
• a suitable sequence of operation for improving fabrics made from, or containing, a major proportion of synthetic polyester filaments or fibres in their drawn condition comprises the steps of scouring the fabric, heat setting the fabric under controlled tension on a stenter at a temperature of 7030 C. below the melting temperature of the polyester, embossing the fabric with a fine, overall embossing pattern under a pressure of 10-15 tons at a temperature between at least 5 C. below the heat setting temperature and 90 C. above the second order transition temperature, treating the fabric with caustic alkali metal hydroxide solution under pressure, rinsing the fabric, neutralising if necessary, with a dilute solution of acid, e.g. acetic acid, and drying the fabric at a low temperature at least 120 C.
• a dilute solution of acid e.g. acetic acid
• the fabrics usually require to be dyed or printed. Dyeing may be carried out after neutralising and rinsing the fabric following the treatment with the caustic solution and before drying. If the fabric is to be printed, it should be dried before printing. Drying should be carried out at a temperature less than 130 C., in the case of polyethylene terephthalate, and under the smallest possible tension, sufficient only to prevent creasing, so that the fabric does not become stiffened again.
• Examples 1-5 illustrate the conditions when using cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide.
• Examples 6-8 illustrate the use of lauryl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride.
• EXAMPLE 1 Samples of polyethylene terephthalate plain weave fabrics from 50 denier Terylene (registered trademark) filament yarn were immersed in a glass beaker containing boiling aqueous caustic soda solution. The solution contained 1%, 2% or 3% by weight, of caustic soda and 0.05% cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. The samples were treated for a period of 15 minutes, rinsed, and the loss in weight of the dried fabric samples, before and after the treatment, determined by weighing. Table 1 summarizes the results of the treatment, which are compared with the results obtained without the addition of the quaternary ammonium salt.
• Soda Ammonium of fabric Bromide EXAMPLE 2 Samples of fabric as used in Example 1 were treated for 15 minutes in a beaker at the boil, and Table 2 illustrates the effect of small amounts of up to 0.2% of cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide, when added to the caustic soda solution. It will be seen that the eifect is most marked when the first 0.05 are added; quantities up to 0.2% do not seem to cause a corresponding further increase in the loss in weight of the fabric, when the solution contains caustic soda of 1%, 2% and 3% by weight and when the treating time is only 15 minutes.
• Table 2 Percent Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide 1% NaOH 2% NaOH 3% NaOI-I Weight loss of fabric (percent)
• Table 3 illustrates the very marked effect of temperature, using 3% sodium hydroxide and 0.05% cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide for 15 minutes. The samples are the same as described in Example 1.
• EXAMPLE 4 Table 4 illustrates the effect of small amounts up to 0.05% of the quaternary salt cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide as used in Example 1 and also the effect upon the time of the treatment for 15 minutes, compared with 30 minutes, both at C., and using 3% by Weight of aqueous caustic soda solution.
• EXAMPLE 7 A 1000 yard length of a polyethylene terephthalate filament yarn fabric, as used in Example 6, is scoured, heat set on a stenter at 210 C. under controlled tension, allowing 3% relaxation in the warp and weft, the heat set fabric is embossed with a crepe design between two bowls.
• One of the bowls consists of annular paper washers compressed between solid metal discs, so that the peripheries of the paper washers form the surface of one of the bowls.
• the other bowl is of metal with the crepe design engraved on it and this bowl is maintained at 210 C.
• embossing a slight deformation of the filaments occurs, under a pressure of 10-15 tons, as measured on hydraulic rams carrying the paper surface bowl.
• the embossed fabric is then treated on a jig comprising a feed roller, a trough with the solution and a trolley roller in the trough for immersing the fabric in the solution and a wind-up roller.
• the trough with the solution is heated by steam injection and maintained at -98 C.
• the fabric is processed by running it through the solution six times which takes one hour.
• the solution is an aqueous solution consisting of 3% sodium hydroxide and 0.05%. lauryl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride in water.
• the Weight loss in the fabric is 6%.
• the fabric is rinsed still on the jig in running water, while passing from the feed roll to the take-up roll and back to the feed roll.
• the fabric passes through a heated dryingzone in which circulating air is maintained at 120 C., whereby the fabric becomes dry and is taken off the pin chains by means of a stripping bar and a second set of driven nip rolls, at the other end of the stenter, where the fabric is wound up on a suitable package by a surface drive from the nip rolls.
• the nip rolls and chains are driven at the same surface speed. A soft uncreased and crease resisting fabric with a very desirable soft silky handle is obtained.
• EXAMPLE 8 This example illustrates the use of a caustic solution with lauryl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride under pressure.
• 500 yards of a taffeta satin fabric is scoured and heat set, as described in Example 7.
• the fabric is a 50 denier, 24 filament, polyethylene terephthalate filament yarn, 36" wide fabric weighing 2.43 oz. per square yard.
• the heat set fabric instead of being treated on a jig, is now wound on a 3 inch diameter perforated beam on which the perforations at each end have been blanked off, so that the perforations extend symetrically about 1 inch less than the width of the fabric, i.e. about 34 inches.
• the beam is mounted in a closed cylinder communicating with the atmosphere through an expansion tank for pumping a caustic solution through the beam and the fabric under pressure, so that the fabric becomes immersed in the solution in the cylinder and the solution is circulated by the pump under pressure.
• the caustic solution is an aqueous solution of 0.5% sodium hydroxide and 0.05% lauryl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride which is pumped to percolate the fabric on the beam and continuously recycled for 30 minutes at 85 C.
• the fabric is rinsed with water, acidified with dilute acetic acid scoured and rinsed again, whilst still on the beam by replacing the caustic solution and pumping the appropriate liquids through the beam and the fabric.
• the pressure measured between the pump and the beam is 18 lb. per square inch at the beginning of the treatment with the caustic solution and this drops to 15 lb. per square inch after 30 minutes, thus indicating the thinning of the fabric.
• the fabric is unwound from the beam and dried on the stenter, as described in Example 7.
• the treated fabric weight 2.3 oz. per square yard.
• the fabric has a softer handle and does not crease as before the treatment.
• the preceding description relates to polyethylene terephthalate filament yarn fabrics for which our process is particularly suitable, but it is also applicable to fabrics comprising filaments or fibres melt spun from other synthetic polyesters or copolyesters, which contain up to of a second component and to fabrics which may contain a minor proportion of other fibres, e.g. cellulosic fibres, particularly flax or even cotton, but in the latter case the treatment should be limited to prevent excessive degradation of the other fibres.
• other fibres e.g. cellulosic fibres, particularly flax or even cotton
• a process for improving the handle of fabrics of polyethylene terephthalate filaments and fibers in their drawn condition which comprises contacting said fabrics with an aqueous solution containing 0.55% of a caustic alkali metal hydroxide and 0.005-0.5% of a member of the group consisting of lauryl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride and cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide until a portion of the surface of the filaments has been dissolved.
• a process for treating fabrics as set forth in claim 1 in which the fabrics are treated under pressure and said solution is pumped under pressure through a plurality of layers of the fabric to percolate the fabric.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical Or Physical Treatment Of Fibers (AREA)
• Treatments For Attaching Organic Compounds To Fibrous Goods (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=10429443

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (17)

Citations (7)

• 0
  • NL NL259354D patent/NL259354A/xx unknown
• 1959
  • 1959-12-22 GB GB43591/59A patent/GB917497A/en not_active Expired
• 1960
  • 1960-12-19 US US76507A patent/US3135577A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime

Patent Citations (7)

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