Patent GB-696030-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to the finishing of fabrics
Inventor: EVANS JOHN GWYNANT
IPC: D06M13/395
Filed: 1949-12-16
Abstract: Mechanically produced effects or finishes, e.g. pressing, calendering, schreinering, embossing, beetling, rippling, pleating and mechanically enforced shrinking or stretching such as is produced by the machines described in Specifications 359,759 and 372,803, [both in Group VIII], on woven, knitted or felted fabrics containing fibres of natural or regenerated cellulose or cellulose esters or ethers, are rendered more resistant to aqueous treatment by first applying an aqueous emulsion or dispersion of an organic mono- or polyfunctional isocyanate or isothiocyanate, then applying the mechanical finish and heating, e.g. for 1-15 minutes at 100-200 DEG C., to cause the isocyanate or isothiocyanate to react with the material after the mechanical finish has been initiated or produced. Local or patterned effects may be obtained by local application of the emulsion.  The impregnated fabric is preferably dried at a temperature below the boiling point of the isocyanate and below the temperature of reaction before the mechanical finish is applied. Both aliphatic and aromatic isocyanates and isothiocyanates may be employed, but monofunctional aliphatic isocyanates and isothiocyanates having an aliphatic chain of more than 8 carbon atoms, e.g. octadecyl isocyanate, are excluded, except in so far as they may be employed in conjunction with other isocyanates and isothiocyanates. Specified suitable compounds are phenyl isocyanate, m-phenylene di-isocyanate, hexamethylene diisocyanate and the corresponding isothiocyanates, allyl isothiocyanate, toluene 2 : 4-di-isocyanate, mixtures of toluene 2 : 4- and 2 : 6-di-isocyanates, methylene bis-p-phenylene isocyanate and isocyanate " donors " such as the adducts of diethyl malonate, acetyl acetone or aceto-acetic ester with hexamethylene di-isocyanate.  An amide, thioamide or sulphonamide, e.g. urea, thiourea, acetamide, benzene sulphonamide or p-toluene sulphonamide, an amidine, e.g. dicyandiamide, guanidine or aminoguanidine, or an aminotriazine, e.g. melamine, may also be applied, e.g. in the aqueous emulsion, to the fabric so as to be present during the reaction.  Emulsification may be effected with emulsifiers such as cetyl sodium sulphate, oleyl sodium sulphate, trimethylcetyl ammonium bromide or the condensation product of ethylene oxide with cetyl alcohol, and the isocyanate may be first dissolved in an organic solvent and the solution emulsified in water. Numerous examples are given of the treatment applied to fabrics of cotton, cellulose acetate and viscose rayon. Specifications 571,975, 586,549, 696,029, and U.S.A. Specifications 2,284,895 and 2,284,896 also are referred to.ALSO:Mechanically produced effects or finishes, e.g. pressing, calendering, schreinering, embossing, beetling, rippling, pleating and mechanically enforced shrinking or stretching such as is produced by the machines described in Specifications 359,759 and 372,803, [both in Group VIII], on woven, knitted or felted fabrics containing fibres of natural or regenerated cellulose, cellulose esters or ethers or natural silk, are rendered more resistant to aqueous treatment by first applying an aqueous emulsion or dispersion of an organic mono- or poly-functional isocyanate or isothiocyanate, then applying the mechanical finish and heating, e.g. for 1-15 minutes at 100-200 DEG  C., to cause the isocyanate or isothiocyanate to react with the material, after the mechanical finish has been initiated or produced.  Local or patterned effects may be obtained by local application of the emulsion.  The impregnated fabric is preferably dried at a temperature below the boiling point of the isocyanate and below the temperature of reaction before the mechanical finish is applied.  Both aliphatic and aromatic isocyanates and isothiocyanates may be employed, but monofunctional aliphatic isocyanates and isothiocyanates having an aliphatic chain of more than 8 carbon atoms, e.g. octadecyl isocyanate, are excluded, except in so far as they may be employed in conjunction with other isocyanates and isothiocyanates.  Specified suitable compounds are phenyl isocyanate, m-phenylene di-isocyanate, hexamethylene di-isocyanate and the corresponding isothiocyanates, allyl isothiocyanate, toluene 2 : 4-di-isocyanate, mixtures of toluene 2 : 4-and 2 : 6 - di - isocyanates, methylene bis - p - phenylene isocyanate and isocyanate "donors" such as the adducts of diethyl malonate, acetyl acetone or aceto-acetic ester with hexamethylene di-isocyanate.  An amide, thioamide or sulphonamide, e.g. urea, thiourea, acetamide, benzene sulphonamide or p-toluene sulphonamide, an amidine, e.g. dicyandiamide, guanidine or aminoguanidine, or an aminotriazine, e.g. melamine, may also be applied, e.g. in the aqueous emulsion, to the fabric so as to be present during the reaction.  Emulsification may be effected with emulsifiers such as cetyl sodium sulphate, oleyl sodium sulphate, trimethylcetyl ammonium bromide or the condensation product of ethylene oxide with cetyl alcohol, and the isocyanate may be first dissolved in an organic solvent and the solution emulsified in water.  Numerous examples are given of the treatment applied to fabrics of cotton, cellulose acetate and viscose rayon. Specifications 571,975, 586,549, 696,029 and U.S.A. Specifications 2,284,895 and 2,284,896 also are referred to.