Patent GB-1324842-A (GB)
Title: Treatment of shaped articles
IPC: C08J3/02
Filed: 1969-10-17
Abstract: 1324842 Treating polyester materials IMPERIAL CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES Ltd 2 Oct 1970 [17 Oct 1969 4 May 1970] 51049/69 and 21286/70 Addition to 1119367 Heading DIP [Also in Division C3] Textile materials and films made from an essentially linear synthetic crystallisable polyester are treated with a liquid dispersion of a water-insoluble crystallisable polymeric compound having a crystalline melting point above 100‹C, measured by the temperature of disappearance of binefringence and containing crystallisable segments of repeat units identical with the repeat units forming the crystallisable portions of the polyester material and at least one active group serving to modify the surface of the materials treated, selected from an acidic group, a basic group, an conisable salt group, a water solvatable polymeric group, i.e. a polymeric polyoxyalkylene group derived from a polyoxyalkylene compound having an average molecular weight of 300 to 6000, an antioxidant group, a group which contains a silicon or fluorine based water repellant groups, a dyestuff group and a polymeric group containing a plurality of alcoholic hydroxyl or -CONH- radicals, the liquid phase in the dispersion comprising a major proportion by weight of a swelling agent for the polyester comprising a halogenated hydrocarbon in which the crystallisable polymeric compound is insoluble and a minor proportion by weight of water. The acidic group may be carboxylic sulphonic or phosphonic and the basic group may be a nitrogenous basic group and may be in the form of their ionisable salts. The swelling agent and the water which are comprised in the liquid phase of the dispersion of the crystallisable polymeric compound may be present in relative proportions of from 10:1 to 1000:1 by weight and especially 20:1 to 400:1. The liquid phase of the dispersion may contain surface active agent(s) soluble in the swelling agent. The liquid dispersion is either obtained by dispersing into a major proportion by weight of the swelling agent a minor proportion by weight of an aqueous suspension of the crystallisable polymeric compound or by adding to a major proportion of the swelling agent amino proportion of an aqueous suspension of the crystallisable polymeric compound in which there is already incorporated a suitable surfaceactive agent. The concentration of the crystallisable polymeric compound in the liquid dispersion may be 0.002 to 2% by weight and especially 0.005 to 1%. Preferably the material is contacted with the dispersion whilst the dispersion is heated at least to 45‹C and especially 45 to 130‹C or the material is contacted whilst the dispersion is at room temperature and subsequently heated to the specified temperature. Th process is suitable for use in conjunction with a dry cleaning process in which the material is subjected to a dry cleaning operation prior to treatment with the liquid dispersion of the crystallisable polymeric compound, the swelling agent present in the dispersion being the same as the solvent which is employed in the dry cleaning operation. The polyester fibres may be blended with wool or cotton.