Patent GB-1048498-A (GB)
Title: Optical brighteners
IPC: D06L3/12
Filed: 1965-06-17
Abstract: A composition suitable for treating fibres made of cellulose, of a cellulose ester or of a synthetic linear polyamide comprises an aqueous solution containing an optical brightener having the formula <PICT:1048498/C4-C5/1> in which each of R1 and R11 is an alkyl group having at most 4 carbon atoms, R1 and R2 each represents an unsubstituted or nonionogenically substituted alkyl group having at most 4 carbon atoms and X is a colourless anion, and a fatty alcohol polyalkylene glycol ether having an alkyl radical of 10-20 carbon atoms and at least 8 alkyleneoxy groups or an alkylphenol polyalkylene glycol ether having alkyl radicals of in all 8-12 carbon atoms and 8-20 alkyleneoxy groups.  The nonionogenically substituted alkyl groups in the position of R1 and R2 may be b -cyanoethyl or b -chloroethyl groups and X may be chloride, bromide or the equivalent of an aryl sulphonic acid, e.g. p-toluene, p-chlorobenzene or benzene sulphonic acid, or of sulphuric acid.  The aqueous solution may contain 0.02-4% of the optical brightener and 0.02-4% of the fatty alcohol polyglycol ether 0.02-4% of the fatty alcohol polyglycol ether or alkyl-phenol polyglycol ether based on the weight of the material to be treated.  The solution may also contain alkali metal polyphosphates, polymetaphosphates, silicates and borates, alkali metal salts of carboxymethyl cellulose, foam stabilizers such as alkanolamides of higher fatty acids or complex compounds such as water-soluble salts of ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid, sodium sulphate or sodium carbonate.ALSO:Fibres made of cellulose, of a cellulose ester or of a synthetic linear polyamide are brightened by treating them with an aqueous solution containing an optical brightener having the formula <FORM:1048498/D1-D2/1> in which each of R1 and R11 is an alkyl group having at most 4 carbon atoms, R1 and R2 each represents an unsubstituted or nonionogenically substituted alkyl group having at most 4 carbon atoms and X is a colourless anion, and a fatty alcohol polyalkylene glycol ether having an alkyl radical of 10-20 carbon atoms and at least 8 alkyleneoxy groups or an alkylphenol polyalkyleneglycol ether having alkyl radicals of in all 8-12 carbon atoms and 8-20 alkyleneoxy groups.  The nonionogenically substituted alkyl groups in the position of R1 and R2 may be b -cyanoethyl or b -chloroethyl groups and X may be chloride, bromide or the equivalent of an aryl sulphonic acid, e.g. p-toluene, p-chlorobenzene or benzene sulphonic acid, or of sulphuric acid.  The aqueous solution may contain 0.02-0.4% of the optical brightener and 0.02-4% of the fatty alcohol polyglycol ether or alkyl-phenol polyglycol ether based on the weight of the material to be brightened.  The solution may also contain alkali metal polyphosphates, polymetaphosphates, silicates and borates, alkali metal salts of carboxymethyl cellulose, foam stabilizers such as alkanolamides of higher fatty acids or complex compounds such as water soluble salts of ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid, sodium sulphate or sodium carbonate.  Specified fibres are cotton, cellulose acetate and nylon fibres.