US3708327A - Durable press rainwear - Google Patents

Abstract

WATER-REPELLENT, SOIL RELEASE RAINWEAR FABRIC HAVING DURABLE PRESS PROPERTIES IS PREPARED BY APPLYING THERETO A CURED DURABLE PRESS TEXTILE RESIN, A SOIL RELEASE POLYMER, AND A FILM-FORMING WATER-REPELLENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF FLUOROCHEMICAL AND FATTY WATER REPELLENTS.

Description

United States Patent Office 3,708,327 Patented Jan. 2, 1973 3,708,327 DURABLE PRESS RAINWEAR Charles Tomasino and Steve Clifton James, Greensboro,

N.C., assignors to Burlington Industries, Inc., Greensboro, N.C. No Drawing. Filed Aug. 14, 1970, Ser. No. 63,921 Int. Cl. D06n 3/00 U.S. Cl. 117-76 T 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Water-repellent, soil release rainwear fabric having durable press properties is prepared by applying thereto a cured durable press textile resin, a soil release polymer, and a film-forming water-repellent selected from the group consisting of fluorochemical and fatty water repellents.

The present invention is concerned with durable rainwear characterized by the combination of durable press, soil release and water-repellency properties which are highly resistant to laundering.

It is well-known that special types of treatments are essential to provide for soil release, i.e., the removal of oily substances or stains, in so-called durable press fabrics. Such treatments and compositions for use therein are disclosed in the commonly assigned U.S. applications S.N. 683,139, now U.S. Pat. 3,521,993; S.N. 690,079 now abandoned and SN. 1,540, the latter being a continuationin-part of SN. 681,092, both Ser. No. 1,540, and Ser. No. 681,092 being now abandoned. The subject matter of these pending applications is incorporated herein by reference for the sake of simplicity.

Effective soil release is dependent on increasing the hydrophilicity of the durable press fiinish so that undesired stains or the like can be washed out in laundering It will be recognized, however, that hydrophilicity is directly opposed to water-repellency (or hydrophobicity) as required in the case of of rainwear. Consequently, it has been difficult to provide rainwear which olfers an optimum combination of durable press, soil release and waterrepellency properties. Furthermore, most water-repellent fabrics require ironing or pressing after laundering to to restore optimum water-repellence and this necessarily is opposed to the principal feature of durable press fabrics which are not intended to require pressing or ironing after washing to give a smooth unwrinkled ready-to-wear appearance.

The above-mentioned commonly assigned U.S. application S.N. 690,079 describes one uniquely effective way of obtaining a combination of water-repellency and soil release in durable press fabrics. This is accomplished by coating the textile with textile reactant and a water insoluble synthetic polymer which absorbs at least 550% by weight of water when immersed in an aqueous detergent solution for 2 minutes at 140 F., and then applying an oiland water-repellent fluorochemical over the initial coating.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide still another way of obtaining rainwear fabric which possess the highly desirable combination of durable press, water-repellency and soil release properties and maintain this combination of properties even after repeated laundering. A more specific object of the invention is to provide durable press rainwear having outstanding soil release and water-repellency properties which are resistant to repeated laundering, commercial or home, and drycleaning. Another specific object of the invention is to provide a durable press rainwear fabric with water-repellent characteristics which are optimized after laundering and drying so that pressing or ironing is not necessary to bring out these characteristics to the fullest as in the case of prior rainwear fabric. Other objects will also be hereinafter apparent from the following detailed description of the invention.

Broadly stated, the foregoing objects of the invention are accomplished by applying to the fabric a cured finish comprising durable press resin, a soil-release polymer, and a film-forming fluorocarbon polymer or fatty water repellent as hereinafter defined. The fabric may be postcured, i.e., cured after cutting, sewing into garment form and pressing or pre-cured wherein the fabric is cured before it is made into the desired product.

The water-repellent may be applied separately as a top coating over the cured release finish obtained by impregnating the fabric with durable press reactant and soil release polymer, drying and curing. In this case, it is preferred that the durable press/soil release finish be applied to the fabric, including curing thereof, followed by washing to remove unreacted or unfixed materials, neutra lizing with acid and then impregnating with an aqueous solution of the water repellent top finish composition, drying and curing. As an alternative, some or all of the water repellent may be applied simultaneously in admixture with the durable press resin and soil release agent. Both procedures have their advantages as does a combination thereof where some water repellent is included with the durable press/ soil release finish and a top coat thereof is also applied. The latter procedure seems to improve the durability of the water repellent properties of the final finish without reducing the soil release properties.

The success of the invention is based on the finding that certain specific film-forming fatty or fluorocarbon polymer water repellents can be effectively applied with durable press textile reactants of the conventional kind and soil release polymers to obtain an optimum combination of soil release and water-repellent properties which are resistant to repeated home laundering and/or dry cleaning. The invention is dependent on the use of one or more specific fatty or fluorocarbon water repellents, as hereinafter defined, i.e., not all fluorocarbon or fatty water repellents will give the desired combination of properties when applied with the durable press and soil release components.

The water repellent component used herein must be film-forming and insoluble in water and conventional dry cleaning solvents, e.g., perchloroethylene. It should also form an elastomeric, low temperature softening coating having a low T value, e.g., of the order of 35-40 C. Three dimensional crosslinked water repellents having high T values are not suitable to give the combination of soil release and water repellence desired herein. Without intending to be limited to the explanation of the mechanism involved, it appears that the finish is hydrophobic and, therefore, water repellent at ambient temperatures and conditions but becomes hydrophilic when laundered or dry cleaned and returns to the hydrophobic state on completion of the cleaning operation. The finish tends to swell several orders of magnitude under washing or cleaning conditions, swelling being aided by alkaline builders in detergents and the washing or cleaning temperature. Stated another way, the mechanism is believed to be one in which there is formed a hydrophobic, very low surface energy film when measured against air. In the washing machine, the water repellent coating softens and detergents, alkali and water easily diffuse to the now exposed soil release finish swelling the composite. The resultant surface is now very hydrophilic allowing for easy soil removal. However, on completion of the washing operation and on rinsing, neutralization, drying and cooling,

the composite film collapses reforming the low surface energy, hydrophobic surface.

The fluorocarbon polymer used herein is a latex which is either anionic or cationic and drys to give a continuous film which has a low T approximately 3540 C. The fatty water repellent gives a similar type of film. In both cases, the film obtained softens in hot water but is not soluble in water or dry cleaning solvents such as perchloroethylene.

Chemically, the fluorocarbon polymer which may be used herein may be described as a copolymer of (l) a polymerizable fluorine-containing aliphatic compound of the srtucture CH =CHCO CH OH C F where n is an. integer from 3 to 5 and higher, e.g., up to 12 or more and (2) a polymerizable vinyl compound of the structure CF CH OCH==CH The ratio of comonomers (a) and (b) can be widely varied but usually will be in the range of 50-95 parts by Weight of (a) and 50-5 parts 'by weight of (b). One or more other acrylic or methacrylic comonomers may also be included in the fluorocarbon polymer in varying amounts, e.g. up to 5 parts by weight. As representative of such other monomers there may be mentioned N-methylolacrylamide, Z-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxy-propyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate and the like. Broadly speaking, these other monomers, which are optionally included in the fluorocarbon polymer, may be defined as hydroxy acrylic or methacrylic monomers.

A particularly preferred fluorocarbon polymer for use herein is the copolymer of, in parts by weight, 95 parts F(CF CF ),,CH CH OCOCH=CH where n has a value of 3, 4, 5 and higher (e.g. up to 12) and 5 parts trifluoroethyl vinyl ether (CF CH OCH=CH A small amount (0.25 part by weight) of N-methylol-acrylamide and of 2- hydroxyethyl methacrylate may also be included. Advantageously this fluorocarbon polymer is used in the form of an anionic or cationic aqueous emulsion (510% polymer solids) stabilized with, for example, octadecyltrimethyl ammonium chloride, sodium lauryl sulfate or the like.

The fatty Water repellent which may be used herein, alone or with the indicated fluorocarbon polymer, preferably comprises a copolymer of a fatty methacrylate and a lower alkyamino methacrylate, particularly the copolymer of stearyl methacrylate and diethylaminoethyl methacrylate, combined with a hydrocarbon wax. Especially good results have been obtained using a mixture of three parts parafiin wax and one part of the copolymer of 30 parts of diethylaminoethyl methacry-alte and 70 parts of stearyl methacrylate. Other representative copolymer/ wax compositions for use herein are described in British Pat. 915,759, e.g. the products of Examples 4 and 9 thereof. As disclosed in said British patent the water repellent is a salt or quaternization product of a basic copolymer made up of units of the basic acrylic monomer of the formula:

a CHFCCOR2N/ I R1 R4 and of units of a neutral acrylic ester of the formula:

CHF(IJICO-R5 where n has a value from 20 to 80, R is H or CH R is an alkylene radical containing from 2 to 4 carbon atoms, R is an alkyl or alkenyl radical containing from 1 to 22 carbon atoms, and the radical:

is a radical derived from a monoalkylamine, a dialkylamine or a secondary heterocyclic amine, one of the alkyls in the alkylamine having from 1 to 22 carbon atoms, the second alkyl having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and

said secondary heterocyclic amine being a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic amine having a secondary N-atom.

The relative proportions of the methacrylate monomers constituting the copolymer component of the fatty water repellent can be fairly widely varied but will usually 'be in the range of 5-95% by weight fatty methacrylate and 5% lower alkyl amino methacrylate. The hydrocarbon wax will usually be present in an amount ranging from 50-400% based on the weight of the fatty copolymer. Suitable hydrocarbon waxes, which may be natural or synthetic waxes, are characterized by the fact that they soften in water and are capable of forming (or reforming) with the fatty repellent a continuous film on drying. Representative examples are parafiin wax, beeswax, palm wax, ozokerite and the like. Other fatty repellents which may be used according to the invention are illustrated in Examples 1-3 below.

The amount of Water-repellent added to the fabric can be widely varied, but usually will comprise from 5 to 15% by weight of the fabric in its dry, pre-finished condition. Extenders may be used in order to minimize the amount of water-repellent employed.

Any of the conventional aminoplast resin precondensates or other durable press textile reactants, and curing catalysts therefor, may be used to provide the durable press finish. Typically, the textile reactant may be any of the water-soluble precondensates of formaldehyde with such amino compounds as urea, thiourea, cyclic ethylene ureas (e.g., dimethylol cyclic ethylene urea or dimethylol dihydroxy cyclic ethylene urea), melamine, ethyl carbamate, urons triazones and triazines. Blocked isocyanates may also be effectively used. Suitable catalysts include, without being limited thereto, magnesium chloride or nitrate or zinc chloride or nitrate various amine hydrochlorides such as 2-amino-2-methyll-propanol hydrochloride, or triethanolamine hydrochloride; and ammonium salts such as ammonium chloride, tartarate, citrate, formate, oxalate, nitrate or ammonium ethyl phosphate or ammonium dihydrogen phosphate or the like. These catalysts may be combined and/or catalyst modifiers may be added as necessary to achieve any desired effects, e.g., to increase or decrease catalyst activity.

The soil release polymer may be any of those described in the copending applications mentioned above. These polymers are, broadly stated, addition polymers of ethylenically unsaturated monomers having acid groups. Such monomers include, for example, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, itaconic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid and the like. Monomers which contain groups which readily hydrolyze in water to form acid groups also may be used, for example, maleic anhydride, acrylamide, methyl vinyl ether and the like. Preferably, the acid groups are all carboxylic acid groups. However, it is possible for a portion of them to be phosphoric acid (PO H or sulfonic acid (SO H) groups as well, by using monomers such as styrene sulfonic acid and phosphoric acid ester of glycidyl allyl ether. The polymers may be manufactured by polymerizing the above monomers by any known means, for example, with free radical or ionic catalysts. Alternatively, the polymers may be made by polymerizing an ethylenically unsaturated monomer such as acrylonitrile or an acrylic ester and then hydrolyzing or otherwise modifying the resulting polymer to convert the nitrile, ester or other groups to acid groups.

The polymers may contain relatively small amounts of monomers which do not contain acid groups, for example, olefins such as ethylene and propylene, aromatic olefins such as styrene and various methyl styrenes, acrylic and methacrylic esters such as methyl methacrylate and ethyl acrylate, dienes such as butadiene and isoprone, vinyl halides, e.g., vinyl chloride and vinylidene chloride, or other acrylic monomers such as acrylamide and acrylonitrile, and the like. In general, the proportion of such nonacid monomers should not exceed about 60 mole percent and preferably 40 mole percent.

Some suitable soil release polymers for use herein are polyacrylic acid, copolymers of styrene and acrylic acid, copolymers of ethyl acrylate and methacrylic acid, copolymers, of ethyl acrylate and methacrylic acid, copolyrners of styrene and maleic anhydride, terpolymers of methacrylic acid, butadiene and styrene, copolymers of itaconic acid and acrylic acid and terpolymer of monomethyl itaconate, acrylic acid and itaconic acid.

The suitable polymers are those which have satisfactory swelling characteristics. To measure these, the coated fabric is weighed, and the uncoated Weight of fabric is subtracted. The fabric is then immersed in a solution for two minutes, blotted dry with paper towels and then weighed. A correction is made for the liquid absorption by the fabric itself by repeating the procedure with uncoated fabric. The swelling is equal to:

weight gain in coating The solution used is .15% Tide detergent in water at 140 F. Tide is sodium lauryl sulfate 16%, alkyl alcohol sulfate 6%, sodium polyphosphate 30%, sodium pyrophosphate 17% and 31% sodium silicate and sodium sulfate combined.

This measurement indicates the rate of swelling as well as the ultimate degree of swelling, both of which are significant in soil release efiiciency.

As described in the aforesaid applications, swelling of the polymer in the coating is at least 550% and preferably is at least about 1000%. On the other hand, the coatings are not soluble in alkaline solutions.

The swelling characteristic described above apparently is related to molecular weight. In general, low molecular weight polymers of the type described above are water soluble whereas higher molecular weight polymers are insoluble in water but will swell. For the most part, suitable polymers will have a number average molecular weight of 1,000 to 3,000,000, although this may be subject to some variation.

Another factor affecting swellability is cross-linking. The polymers used in the coatings are generally linear polymers. A certain degree of cross-linking may be introduced into the polymers during subsequent treatments. However, generally speaking, cross-linking tends to connect the polymer molecules into a rigid three dimensional network which will not swell.

Certain temporary cross-links may be introduced into the polymers during their application, i.e., by formation of anhydride groups through heating. However, some of these anhydride groups are hydrolyzed during successive launderings and do not permanently reduce swelling. If an excess of these is formed initially, they tend to be hydrolyzed more rapidly, although a small amount of anhydride cross-linking remains to help the hydrophilic polymer coatings to be retained on the textile. Therefore, excessive anhydride cross-links are not objectionable. On the other hand, cross-linking introduced by polyols such as polyvinyl alcohol and pentaerythritol should be limited either by limiting the amount present or by controlling processing conditions to avoid excessive curing. Similarly, in some cases, excessive curing may cause cross-linking via polymer oxidation, etc. which is irreversible and therefore undesirable.

The durable press resin and soil release polymer are usually applied together from aqueous solution which may include some or all of the Water repellent component. Typically, the fabric may be impregnated (for example, by padding or spraying) with an aqueous solution containing, on a weight basis, from 5-20% textile reactant, 0.1-2.5% curing catalyst, to of the water repellent and from 0.5 to of the soil release polymer, balance water with the optional addition of wetting agents,

plasticizers, extenders, softeners or the like. It is especially desirable to include a phenyl stearic acid in the soil release finish used herein. Such acid may be represented by the following formula:

R I onnonmomomnooon wherein R is an aromatic group. Preferably R is phenyl or naphthyl group, substituted optionally with alkyl, preferably lower alkyl groups, e.g., methyl. The aryl group also may be substituted with Water solubilizing groups such as hydroxy, carboxy and sulfate. These may make it possible to omit an emulsifying agent from the treatment bath. It also is to be appreciated that isomers of the compound as shown, with the phenyl group disposed at any point from the second carbon in the stearic acid chain to the seventeenth, may be employed for present purposes. Phenyl stearic acid has been found particularly useful, but other aryl stearic acids, e.g., naphthyl stearic acid, xylyl stearic acid, and tolyl stearic acid, may also be used in lieu of, or in addition to the phenyl stearic acid. However, the latter is definitely preferred and gives the best results in terms of soil releasing properties. Phenyl stearic acid also provides the best or most pleasing hand. Hydroxy substituted phenyl stearic acids are also useful, although they tend to cause yellowing of the goods. It also is possible to utilize dimer acids or cycloalkyl stearic acids, but the results are less satisfactory.

The aryl stearic acid used herein may be prepared in conventional manner, e.g., by alkylation of benzene or the like with oleic acid in the presence of an acid activated clay or other acid catalyst.

After impregnating the fabric with the aqueous solution of durable press textile reactant, catalyst soil release polymer and stearic acid, and preferably including at least some of the water repellent, the fabric is dried and cured. Thereafter it is preferred to apply a top coating of the repellent by impregnating the fabric with aqueous solution of 0.5 to 5% of the indicated water repellent followed by drying and curing.

The amount of the finish, including any top coat of Water repellent, applied to the fabric can be widely varied and is dependent on such factors as the nature and construction of the fabric, etc. Usually, however, the total amount of solids add-on for the indicated components will be in the range of 3-20% based on the weight of fabric before treatment.

Drying and curing conditions can also be varied, depending on the fabric involved and the finish composition. Usually, however, the fabric is dried at about 220 F. for 1-5 minutes, and cured at 300350 F. for 1-15 minutes. Pre-cured goods are usually cured by heating for from 1 to 3 or 5 minutes and post-cured goods are normally cured for somewhat longer times, generally from 10 to 15 minutes. Some curing, e.g., up to 3040%, may occur in the drying step or steps.

In the case of post-cured goods, the dried fabric may be cut into desired shape, sewn into a garment or other article, pressed on a hot head press or the equivalent and then cured. Whether pre-cured or post-cured, goods processed according to the invention demonstrate outstanding soil release, Water-repellency and durable press characteristics which are retained even after repeated laundering and/or dry cleaning. Tumble drying brings out the full water-repellency of the fabric, as noted earlier, even after numerous washings or dry cleanings and without the need for ironing or pressing.

The invention may be used with any fabric construction Where water-repellent properties are desired and such fabric may be composed of any type of fibers which can be given a durable press finish, e.g., cotton or other cellulosic fibers as such or in the form of blends with polyester fibers or the like.

The invention is illustrated, but not limited, by the following examples wherein parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise stated:

EXAMPLE 1 The following baths were prepared and padded onto 50/50 polyester/cotton rainwear fabric samples, dried and cured at 325 F. for 2 minutes. Samples 3-6 were washed after this treatment while Samples 1-2 and 7 were not. All samples were topped with 30% aqueous emulsion of fatty repellent as described below, dried and cured at 300 F. for 4 minutes.

Components 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Durable press resin 16.8 16. 8 16. 8 16. 8 16. 8 16. 8 16.8 Soil release polymer 29 29 29 29 29 29 29 Soil release additive 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 Citric acid 2. 5 2.5 2.5 2. 5 2.5 2.5 2.5 Ammonium chloride 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 1 4 1.4 1.4 Water repellents:

Argus DW 3.0

Nepton B 3. 6.0 10.0 15. 0

Nalan RF 5.0

The durable press resin used in each of the above baths was dimethylol dihydroxy cyclic ethylene urea and the soil release polymer and additive were, respectively, 60/40 methacrylic acid/ethyl acrylate copolymer (20% solids, molecular weight about 300,000 as described in the copending applications referred to above) and phenyl stearic acid, respectively. The other components referred to above by trade name are chemically identifiable as follows:

Argus DWR: a non-ionic reactive emulsion polymer identified as a mixture of a fatty ketone and a polymeric wax.

Nepton B: methylol stearamide condensate Nalan RF: methylol stearamide Initial spray 90 100 100 100 100 100 100 S011 release 5.0 0 5.0 5.0 4.5 4.5 5.0 After 5 launderin pray 80/90 70/80 100 100 100 100 70/0 Soil release 5. 0 5. 0 5. 0 5. 0 5. 0 5. 0 5. 0

The above data show that soil release and water repellency durable through 5 home launderings are obtained by using the finish exemplified herein.

The results of Sample 7 are particularly significant in showing that if water repellent is omitted entirely from the durable press/soil release formulation, durability of the water repellency, while acceptable, is not as good as in the case where some fatty water repellent is included in the durable press/soil release finish and a fatty repellent according to the invention is added as a top coat.

EXAMPLE 2 Example 1 was repeated using the same formulations as in Example 1 except that fluorochemical repellent A was included in the formulations and for the top coating in lieu of the fatty water repellents of Example 1. Four fabric samples were prepared by padding the following formulations onto 50/50 polyester/cotton, drying and curing for 3 minutes at 320 F. The fabric samples were then topped over with 0.92% (solids) fluorochemical repellent B, dried and cured 3 minutes at 340 F.

Components a b c d Durablepressresin .8 16.8 16.8 16.8 Soil release polymer 12 12 12 12 Soil release additive 29 29 29 29 Citric acid 2.5 2.5 2. 5 2.5 Ammonium chloride 1. 4 1. 4 1. 4 1. 4 Fluorochemical repellentA (percent solids) 0. 12 0.23 0.46

The fabric samples obtained with formulations (a),

(b), (c) and (d) were evaluated as in Example 1 for water repellency and soil release before laundering, after one laundering (1X) and after five laundering (5X) with the following results:

a b c (1 Initial spray 100 100 100 100 Soil release- 5. 0 4. 8 5. 0 1X spray 80 80/90 Soil release, 5X .3 4.3 5. 0 4. 5 5X spray 70/80 70/80 70 70 These examples show the dual function of water repellency and soil release for the finish of the invention. It will also be noted that including a small amount of fluorochemical (anionic) in the initial formulation enhances the durability substantially.

The fiuorochemicals A and B used above had essentially the same composition differing only in the emulsion stabilizer employed. Both products were aqueous emulsions containing about 23% copolymer of parts by weight fluoroacrylate:

where n has a value as stated above and 5 parts by weight of trifluoroethylvinyl ether. Composition A was stabilized with 2.2 parts sodium lauryl sulfate while composition B was stabilized with 5.0 parts octadecyl trimethylammonium chloride. The molecular weight of the polymer was such that it had an inherent viscosity of .25 in Freon 113 (.5%) at 30 C.

'EXAMPLE 3 This example shows the advantages of process washing prior to application of the fluorochemical top coating.

Example 2 was repeated except that before application of the top coating, the fabrics treated with the soil release finish were process washed two cycles in an automatic washer using All detergent. After thorough rinsing and drying, the fabrics were topped over with 0.92% (solids) fluorochemical repellent B (Example 2) followed by drying and curing 3 minutes at 340 F. as in Example 2 with the following spray ratings and soil release results:

a b c d Five washes 5. 0 5.0 4.0 5.0

These results show that process washing gives improved water repellency properties without significantly alfecting soil release properties.

EXAMPLE 4 The following formulation was padded onto 50/50 polyester/cotton at 50% wet pick-up, dried 2 min. at 200 F. and cured 1% minutes at 350 F.:

Percent Durable press resin as in Example 1 16.8 Soil release polymer as in Example 1 29.0 Citric acid 2.5 Ammonium chloride 1.4 Fluorochemical repellent A 1.0

After curing, the fabric was scoured 20 sec. in 0.75% NaOH at F. and thoroughly rinsed. One sample was neutralized in l g.p.l. acetic acid prior to topping with 4% aqueous emulsion of fluorochemical repellent B, drying and curing 3 minutes at 340 F. The samples had the following ratings:

These results show that neutralization prior to applying the fluorochemical improves the retention of the spray ratings.

It will be recognized that various modifications may be made in the finishes and procedures illustrated in the above examples. For instance, difierent types of acrylics or other resins may be added to improve abrasion resistance, hand and other properties. Addition of Aerotex Resin 23 can be used to improve the water repellency and anionic pretreatment of the fabric, e.g., by padding the fabric with 0.25% Alipal CO-436, which is the ammonium salt of sulfated nonylphenoxypoly (ethyleneoxy) ethanol, followed by drying at 250 F. for 3 minutes and/or addition of a blocked isocyanate (such as Nopcothane D-602) may be useful to give further improvements in spray ratings. It is also possible to use a chemical combination of the soil release polymer and fluorochemical, i.e. a terpolymer thereof, and in some instances, this will give even better overall properties, particularly with respect to the durability of water-repellency. For example, a terpolymer combining the comonomeric components of the soil release polymer (typically methacrylic acid and ethyl acrylate) with fluoro-monomer such as a fluoroacrylate or w-hydroxy-fiuoroacrylate, may be very effectively used as the soil release polymer and waterrepellent component.

The invention is defined by the following claims wherein, we claim:

1. A Water-repellent, soil release rainwear fabric having durable press properties, said fabric being finished 10 with effective amounts of a cured durable press textile resin, a soil release polymer, and a film-forming waterrepellent selected from the group consisting of fluorochemical and fatty water repellents, said water repellent being a film-forming polymer composition which is waterinsoluble but softened by water and capable of forming a continuous film on drying, said polymer composition being selected from the group consisting of (1) copolymers of a compound of the formula CH2=CHCO CH2CE2C11F2n+l Where -12 is a value of at least 3 and CF CH OCH=CH and (2) copolymers of a fatty methacrylate and a lower alkyl amino methacrylate containing a hydrocarbon wax.

2. The fabric of claim 1 wherein the repellent is included as a top-coating over a coating containing the durable press resin and soil release polymer.

3. The fabric of claim 2 wherein the coating containing the durable press resin and soil release polymer also included some of said water repellent.

4. The fabric of claim 1 wherein the repellent is selected from (2) and is a copolymer of stearyl methacrylate and diethylaminoethyl methacrylate combined with hydrocarbon wax.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,365,329 1/1968 MacKenzie et al. 117161 3,377,249 4/1968 Marco 8115.6 3,521,993 7/1970 Swidler et al. 8--115.6 3,459,716 8/1969 Schaefer et a1. 117-138.8 X 3,265,529 8/1966 Caldwell et al. 117138.8 X 3,529,995 9/1970 Smith et a1 117-76 X WILLIAM D. MARTIN, Primary Examiner T. G. DAVIS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.