Patent GB-1077185-A (GB)
Title: A process for the durable creasing or other permanent setting of textile materials containing wool or other keratin fibres
IPC: D06M13/425
Filed: 1964-10-06
Abstract: Textile materials comprising wool or other keratin fibres are impregnated with a compound or mixture of compounds which (1) acts as a setting agent by increasing the number of ionized thiol groups in the wool or other keratin fibres but is not a reducing agent and (2) acts as a hygroscopic substance which increases or has the capacity to increase the moisture content of the wool or other keratin fibres during heating of the materials in a subsequent permanent setting step, dried and subsequently heated to permanently set them.  The setting agent may be the ammonium or alkali metal salts of carbonic, boric or other weak acids, organic amines and their carbamates or carbonates, quaternary ammonium hydroxides or carbonates or other salts of these bases with weak acids and the hygroscopic substance may be a hydrophilic organic or inorganic salt, e.g. sodium chloride, a hydroxyamine salt or a quaternary ammonium salt, or an organic humectant, e.g. glycerol, glycol or sugars or their derivatives, the preferred hygroscopic substances being those which also have hydrogen bond-breaking properties, e.g. urea, urea derivatives and analogues, lithium bromide or formamide.  The setting agent is perferably used in a concentration of less than 5% by weight of the fibres and the hygroscopic agent, in a concentration of less than 20% by weight of the fibres.  The ethanolamines in addition to being setting agents also have hygroscopic properties so that relatively large quantities, e.g. 5-25% by weight, of these setting agents may be used alone although it is preferred to use the ethanolamines in admixture with urea.  Urea may be utilised as the hygroscopic substance decomposing to produce a setting agent because when treated it releases ammonia, a setting agent.  When treating fabrics the fabric may be impregnated with the aqueous solution containing the setting agent and hygroscopic substance, squeezed, dried on a tenter and steamed for a short time, e.g. 1/4 -\ba1/2 min. in a blowing machine.  It may then be arranged in creases or pleats and steamed 1/2 -1 hr. at atmospheric pressure or for a shorter time under pressure in a press. In the production of stretch fabrics the fabric may be padded with the solution containing the setting agent and hygroscopic substance, stretched in one direction and allowed to contract in the other, dried while held at the new dimensions and later set by steaming at the new dimensions.  The process is also applicable to the glossing of fabric and permanent straightening, aligning and glossing of fibres in pile fabrics, the fabrics being padded with the solution containing the setting agent and hygroscopic substance, dried on the tenter, run through the appropriate machine to produce the desired finish, e.g. a rotary press, set by steaming on the blower for about 5 minutes, cooled by vacuuming in the blower and finally run through the first machine again.  In the treatment of yarns setting by steaming may be effected on the package or after knitting or weaving the yarn into a garment or fabric.  Embossed fabrics may be produced by using a patterned blowing wrapper.