US1734516A - Textile material and the production thereof - Google Patents

Description

Patented Nov. 5, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBINSON PERCY FOULDS, JOHN THOMPSON MARSH, AND FREDERICK CHARLES WOOD, OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS T0 TOOTAL BROADHURST LEE COM- IPANY LIMITED, OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, A BRITISH COMPANY TEXTILE MATERIAL AND THE PRODUCTION THEREOF No Drawing. Application filed Noveiifber 2, 1928, Serial No. 316,871, and in Sweden November 7, 1927.

This application is a continuation in part of our copending application filed November 21, 1927, Serial N 0. 234,901.

This invention relates to an improved textile material and the production thereof. It is concerned with the treatment of such textile materials as cotton, silk, wool, ramie, jute, hemp, artificial silk, acetyl silk and linen, for example in the form of fabric or yarns. The invention may be applied to mixed fabrics.

The invention is particularly applied to cellulosic materials. For example, hitherto, one of the greatest defects of a fabric composed entirely of cotton has been the ease with which such fabric is creased or crumpled when crushed or'folded under pressure in the hand. The same disadvantage is present in the case of other materials such as artificial silk and linen; some materials such as wool are less readily creased or crumpled. The object of the present invention is to render textile materials less susceptible to creasing "or crushing, while retaining the suppleness of a woven or knitted textile fabric and the process is not limited to cellulosic fabrics since useful results can be obtained by its application to other fabrics.

Our invention consists broadly in a process of treating cellulosic or other yarns or fabrics which eliminates or materially reduces their liability to crease or crush. Our invention further consists in the process by which this result can be obtained wherein final condensation or polymerization of a synthetic resin in presence of cellulosic or other yarns or fabrics is effected in such manner as to produce a non-crush effector to reduce markedly the extent to which the material crushes or crumples without tendering the material unduly. A fabric is regarded as exhibiting a non-crush effect or possessing little or no susceptibility to crease or crumple when it shows no pronounced creasing on folding or crushing in the hand.

The method of preparation of the intermediate resin (where such is used) must be chosen according to the nature of the material to be treated. Thus some solutions containing free phenol would dissolve acetyl silk; other solutions would destroy hemp or jute, and so on. Again substantial quantities of strong acid are undesirable for cotton during the drying stage hereafter described but permissive with Wool.

As regards cellulosic fabrics, it is believed to be novel to produce a fabric which possesses the above described properties and the invention includes such a fabric broadly.

It has already been proposed to treat fabrics in the presence of a filler with a dilute solution of a synthetic resin, and then to com plete the condensation of the resin on the fabric, with the object of making the filler permanent to washing.

We prefer not to use a filler, at any rate unless in relatively small quantity. More: over we have found that it is desirable to'use more concentrated solutions of the soluble resin or its components, and to avoid the use on cellulosic fibres of strong acids. Various proposals have also been made to impregnate fabrics with synthetic resins for various purposes but not with the present object in view and such prior proposals do not contain the working instructions necessary to obtain our novel result.

In the present invention it is preferred to mercerize the material preferably with alkali, wash out the alkali and impregnate the'wet material with the synthetic resin components. Alternatively the fabricsmaybe dried prior to impregnation provided that suitable mechanical treatment such as nipping between rollers is applied to ensure penetration of the synthetic resin into the individual fibres of the yarn. If the material is dried it is preferable to wet out with water before impregnation.

In general it is believed that the novel result is to be ascribed to the presence of synthetic resin within the individual fibres of which the yarn is composed and to its absence in quantity from between the fibres or between the yarns. If much resin is present between the fibres, a hard or brittle product is obtained.

The use of phenols or substituted phenols as resin components is particularly important though other resins can be used.

The following are examples whereby according to our invention fabrics of cotton or linen may have imparted to them the property of not creasing or crumpling when folded or crushed in the hand without undue ten dering of the cloth and so that this property is not substantially destroyed by washing.

Example 1 phenol, 100 parts of 40% formaldehyde, 4'

parts of potassium carbonate which have been boiled'together for 5 minutes under a reflux condenser and rapidly cooled. I

' After impregnation with the reaction mixture, in a mangle, (the time of impregnation and the number of the type of cloth used), the fabric is squeezed so as to retain roughly the same weight of liquor as formerly and dried at a low temperature or at the temperature of the stenter. It is finallyheated for 2 minutes at 170C. on drying tins or by other means, so as to insolubilize the resin and produce the required property. A soaping process is then applied to remove the excess reagents and after washing and drying, the treatment is complete.

It is obvious that other swelling agents than caustic soda can be used. Thus the invention includes the impregnation of fabrics which have been swollen with sulphuric acid or other reagents and washed.

If desired, the fabric can be treated with I a current of hot gaseous formaldehyde.

, ate or sodium bicarbonate),

It has been found advantageous to blow a.

current of ammonia gas on to the fabric dur-. prevent ing each of the drying processes to the formation of deep colour.

I I Other condensing agents may be employed,

e. g. carbonates (such as potassium carbon- 'or pyridine.- In these cases it may be desired to boil the mixture for a longer time prior to impregnation.

As an example of a'ifacid catalyst, we may use 4 per cent naphthalene sulphonic acid instead of caustic soda as a condensing agent,

but in such case I the intermediate product should be made slightly alkaline prior to im pregnation.

. containing 5% The-semi-condensation product may be obtained without heating if desired; for example a solution of phenol and formaldehyde of caustic soda is allowed to stand in the cold for several days.

If the semi-condensation is" driven too far nips given may vary with e. g. by over-boiling, it may be corrected, up to a certain formaldehyde, or suitable organic solvents to keep the product in solution.

Dilute solutions may be used by employing a series of impregnations with low-temperature drying after each impregnation for example, drying at about 40 to 50 (3., and' finally heating until the desired effect is obtained e. g. at 180 C. for 3 to 5 minutes.

Example 2 173 grs. p. brom phenol 263 ccs. 40% formaldehyde 2% on total Weight 62 N aOH.

Example 3 40 grs. O-chlorophenol 100 ccs. formaldehyde 40% 4 cos. N aOH 63 Tw.

Example 4 (1 part by weight) and formalde- 0 solution,(2 parts) are mixed to- Urea hyde 40 gether and made slightly alkaline by the addition of hexamine or caustic soda. This mixture is refluxed at the boil for,3 to 5 minutes and cooled quickly. Three parts of the mixture are diluted and to 4% of glacial acetic wider the equivalent amount of any weak acid are added. I Mercerized cloth -which has been squeezed and" left damp after the mercerizing process is run through the mixture and given several nips between rollers. The fabric is dried at a low temperature and the resin made insoluble by heating at 180 C. for 2 minutes on tins or by other means.

We may add that whenusing urea formaldehyde resins, alkaline catalysts may be used to obtain the "intermediate condensation product butfit'is very desirable to use acid catalysts for the final condensation on with .1 part of water point by adding phenol, alkali I the fabric since otherwise the non-crush of feet will be less resistant to washing.

For phenol-formaldehyde resin, alkaline catalysts may be used in both stages of the condensation. With these resins, we ma add small quantities of reducing agents suc as the known formaldehyde sulphoxylate compoundsto prevent development of colour in the fabric on drying and/or exposure to air and light.

Other resins acetone phenolormaldehyde resin may be mentioned as one example.

Ea'ample 5 Dissolve 95 parts by weight of dihydroxy diphenyl dimethyl methane (acetone-phenol condensation product) in 120 parts by weight of hot formaldehyde, cool and add 12 parts by weight of caustic soda solution (specific gravity 1.20).

Wet mercerized fabric is run through aqueous formaldehyde (1040% formaldehyde), squeezed and then run through the above bath with repeated nipping between rollers. The cloth is dried at a low temper ature e. g. 40 C. when further condensation occurs between the acetone phenol body and the formaldehyde and is then heated on drying tins at 175 C. for 2 minutes. A soaping to remove excess reagents completes the treatment and the cloth is finally dried in the usual manner.

The proportions of acetone phenol to formaldehyde may be varied.

,It will be understood that in forming the intermediate condensation product as also the synthetic resin, the process in either example, is, apart from details, broadly similar to the well-known methods of obtaining such bodies, though we have selected certain conditions as advantageous, especially as regards the nature and proportion of catalyst and the time and temperature of heating.

. There are however certain matters which must be kept in view in order that the novel result may be attained satisfactorily. In so far as the synthetic resin adheres to and does not penetrate the fibre of the material of which the fabric is made it is believed that it is relatively disadvantageous because suppleness of the fabric is thereby diminished without imparting the noncreasing or noncrumpling properties thereto. Care should accordingly be taken to mediate condensation pro not losing prematurely its solubility-that is to say becoming insoluble before ithas been able to penetrate the fibre of the material of the fabric. For example, if the synthetic resin components are heated together for a much longer time, or with a much greater quantity of catalyst, than is specified in the examples, we have given, it is difiicult to obtain the best result. It will not be possible to prevent some of the ive the desired results andrevent the inter-- synthetic resin adhering to the surface of t e fibres. Care should also be ,taken' not to tender unduly the fabric in the formation of the synthetic resin and to this end a relatively high temperature for a relatively short time is employed in the last stages of the synthetic resin condensation.

General considerations In general the result of the treatment according to the invention is to produce a noncrush effect on the fabric without undue tendering of the fabric, which will resist washing to a substantial extent. The fabric should retain the suppleness of a woven or knitted textile fabric, that is it should be capable of use as a dress material and can be draped about the human body or can fall into graceful folds. It must not be too stiff. The success of the treatment is to be judged by physical rather than chemical tests.

It is important to. avoid the addition of too much resin to the fabric since this would cause undue stiffness and in addition, the fabric would be liable to crease. This stiffness depends not only on the amount of resin but also on other factors such as the method of its application, the extent to which it has been condensed before application and especially its distribution within the fabric. It is preferable to mercerize the fabric before impregnation and the mercerization must be well done.

Mechanical treatment e. g. pressure, is desirable during impregnation and especially when treating unmercerized fabric, to secure the desired distribution.

We have described the novel results obtained and we have given examples by which the process can be successfully performed. In varying these examples the final product must be tested by comparison with the original cloth and special attention must be paid to standardizing the working conditions, especially those relating to the extent of condensation at each stage, e. g. the time, temperature, dilution, and nature of catalyst. The fabrics must be treated, if necessary, so that they will be readily wetted-out by the impregnating solutions.

It will be clear that the invention is not limited to the details shown in the examples since in the light of our disclosure these examples may be considerably modified, provided that the specified physical results are obtained.

We declare that what we claim is 1. An impregnated textile material pro duced by the process of claim 7 in which so much of an impregnating agent, solidified from a liquid, is contained within but not substantially between the individual fibers that the material shows a substantially lessened tendency to crease or crumple While retaining its suppleness.

2. An impregnated cellulosic material produced by the process of claim 7 in which so much of an impregnating agent, solidified from a liquid, is contained within but substantially not between the individual-fibers that the material shows a substantially'lessened tendency to crease or crulnple while retaining its suppleness.

3. A cellulosic textile fabric produced by the process of claim 9 in which so much' of a synthetic resin, solidified from a 1i ui'd; contained within but not substantia ly between the individual fibers that the fabric is supple but shows a substantially lessened tent ency to crease or crumple.

4. An impregnated textile material produced by the process of claim 9 containing within but not substantially between theindividual fibers a synthetic resin which is completely insolubilized by heating and in such quantity that the material shows a substantially lessened tendency to crease or crumpie while retaining its suppleness.

5. A textile fabric produced by the process of cIaim 11 containing within but not substantially between the individual fibersso much phenol-formaldehyde synthetic resin solidified from a liquid that the fabric is supple but shows a substantially lessened tendency to crease or crumple.

6. Animpregnated fabric produced by the process of claim 7 in which the individual fibers are filled with so much of an agent solidified from a liquid thatthey become re- 3 silient and thereby impart to the fabric the ing out the swelling agent, impregnating the material with a liquid comprising a solidifiable agent, removing the impregnating agent, ifany, from betweenlthe fibres, and solidifying the impregnating agent. 1

9. The process of rendering a textile ma terial substantially less liable to creasing or crumpling without substantially lessening its suppleness, which comprises impregnating the individual fibres with an intermediate condensation product of a synthetic resin, re-

' moving said intermediate condensation product, if any, from between the fibres, and heating the material to such an extent as to completely insolubilize the resin.

10. The process of rendering a cellulosic textile material substanti lly less liable'to creasing or cruinpling witiiout substantially lessening .its suppleness, which comprises treating the material with caustic soda of mercerizing strength,- washing out the caustic.

soda, impregnating the individual fibres-with an intermediate condensation product of a synthetic resin,- removing said intermediate condensation product, if any, from between the.-'fibres, and heating the material to completely insolubilize the resin.

11;: The process of rendering a textile material substantially less liable to creasing or crumpling' without substantially lessening its suppleness, which] comprises impregnating the individual fibres-with an intermediate condensationproduct of a phenol-formaldehyde resin, removing said intermediate condensation product,.-if any, from between the fibres, and heating the material; for a. short time at atemperature not less than about 160 F. to completely insolubilize the resin.

12. The process as in claim 9 in which a cellulosic material is impregnated with a phenolformaldehyde resin and "the resin is finally condensed by heating in presence of an alkaline catalyst. I

13. The process as in claim? in which the textile material is subjected to mechanical treatment while wet with the impregnating liquid, to assist inithe desired distribution of the solidifiable agent.

-' 14. The process as in claim-7 in which a cot ton fabric is mercerized before impregnation.

15. The-processas inclaim 9 in which a concentrated solution is used for impregnation. In witness whereof, we have hereunto signed our names this 20th day of October, 1928.

ROBINSON PERCY FOULDS. JOHN THOMPSON MARSH. FREDERICK CHARLES WOOD.