Patent GB-1181373-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in the Treatment of Keratinous Fibre Fabrics
Filed: 1967-03-03
Abstract: 1,181,373. Treating keratinous fibre fabrics. DEERING MILLIKEN RESEARCH CORP. 3 March, 1967 [14 March, 1966 (2)], No. 10253/67. Heading D1P. Fabrics containing keratinous fibres are given improved dimensional and finish stability and configurational stability by subjecting them to an external polymeric stabilization treatment which comprises treatment with reaction products of isocyanates or isothiocyanates with active hydrogen containing compounds, and to an internal stabilization treatment which comprises treatment with a reducing agent followed by hot pressing and, if the hot pressing is not conducted in the presence of steam, steaming in the flat configuration. The external stabilization and internal stabilization may be effected in either order. The external polymeric stabilization may comprise treatment of the fabric with reaction products of a polyfunctional isocyanate or isothiocyanate and a polymeric polyhydroxy compound or polymeric polyfunctional compound which is a polyester, polyamide, polyepoxide, phenol-alkylene oxide reaction product, formaldehyde resin, hydrogenation product of an olefin-carbon monoxide copolymer or a polyepihalohydrin, numerous examples of which are given, which may be applied in the form of a prepolymer or formed in situ. The isocyanate reaction products may be applied to the fabric as a solution in trichloro ethylene, methylene chloride, perchloroethylene, ethylene dichloride, chloroform, toluene, xylene, benzene, n-butyl acetate, ether or phosphate, p-dioxane, ethyl oxalate, methylisobutyl ketone, pyridine, quinoline, N, N, dimethyl formamide or acetamide, dimethyl sulphoxide or 2, 2, 4-trimethyl pentane. The reducing agent may be alkanolamine sulphite containing up to 8 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, sodium, potassium or zinc formaldehyde sulphoxylate, sodium or potassium borohydride, sodium or potassium sulphite, bisulphite, or metabisulphite, ammonium bisulphite, sodium sulphide, hydrosulphide, hypophosphite, thio sulphate or dithionate, titanous chloride, sulphurous acid, thioglycollic acid or a water soluble salt thereof, hydrogen sulphide, ethyl or butyl mercaptan or #-mercapto ethanol. The reducing agent may be used in conjunction with a low molecular weight polyhydroxy compound containing more than one hydroxy group and having a molecular weight of not greater than 4,000 or another auxiliary agent which swells the keratinous fibres in an aqueous medium, e.g. urea, guanidine hydrochloride, formamide, N, N-dimethyl formamide, acetamide, N, N-dimethyl acetamide, thiourea, dimethyl sulphoxide, phenol or lithium chloride, bromide or iodide. After treatment with the polymer and reducing agent the fabric may be dried, optionally made up into a garment, arranged in a desired configuration, e.g. pleats, creases or pebble textures, hot pressed and semi- or fulldecatized. The fabric may be treated with an aldehyde which is present in the reducing agent in the form of a compound which releases an aldehyde on thermal decomposition at temperatures such as are encountered in full-decatizing or which is applied after the reducing agent treatment either as such or in the form of a compound which releases an aldehyde at elevated temperatures. Fabrics comprising keratinous fibres, e.g. wool, alone in admixture with silk, cellulose acetate, nylon, polyester, polyolefin or polyacrylic fibres, may be treated.