Patent GB-414485-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to mercerisation of textile materials and like processes
IPC: C09K23/00
Filed: 1933-05-24
Abstract: Textile materials are cleansed by treatment with an aqueous alkaline liquor to which has been added a soluble salt of a fatty acid containing 5--12 carbon atoms and preferably having branched chain carbon linkages, or mixture of such salts.  The salt may alternatively be produced in the liquor by addition thereto of the acid or decomposable compounds such as esters, amides, chlorides or anhydrides.  Materials treated may be, for instance, of wool, silk, cotton, ramie, jute, hemp, flax or rayon.  The liquor may contain 15 per cent or more of the alkaline constituent, which may be sodium or potassium hydroxide, soda ash or trisodium phosphate.  More than one such substance may be present.  Suitable soluble salts are sodium salts of the lower fatty acids prepared, for instance, as described in Specification 348,255, [Group IV], by caustic oxidation of fractions of synthetic alcohols at about 300 DEG  C. and 100 atmospheres, the alcohols employed being such as may be produced by hydrogenation of carbon oxides.  Specified acids are 1-3-dimethyl-valeric acid, 3-methyl-caproic acid, 1-3-dimethyl-caproic acid, 3-methyl-caprylic acid, 1-methyl-and 3-methyl-valeric acid. Lauric acid is exemplified as an acid which may be added directly to the bath.  0,5--20,0 parts of the salt may be added to 1,000 parts of the liquor.  The bath may be prepared by addition of a paste or concentrated solution of the alkaline reacting agent and the other compound.  It may contain other ingredients such as phenol and its homologues, benzyl, butyl, and amyl alcohols, higher alcohols of b. pt. above 120 DEG  C. obtained by hydrogenation of carbon oxides, turkey red oils, aliphatic and aromatic sulphonic acids such as alkylated naphthalene sulphonic acids, sulphonated derivatives of abietic acid, sulphuric esters, saponin and aliphatic and aromatic acid amides such as sodium taurochlate or sodium salts of analogous acid amides, sodium perborate, heterocyclic bases, and pine oil.ALSO:Textile materials are treated with an aqueous alkaline liquor to which has been added a soluble salt of a fatty acid containing 5--12 carbon atoms and preferably having branched chain carbon linkages, or a mixture of such salts.  The salt may alternatively be produced in the liquor by addition thereto of the acid or decomposable compounds such as esters, amides, chlorides or anhydrides.  The treatment may be for the purpose of mercerizing, cleansing, scouring or dyeing of the materials which may be, for instance, of wool, silk, cotton, ramie, jute, hemp, flax or rayon. It is particularly efficient for direct mercerization of unboiled and greasy cotton.  The alkaline constituent of the bath may be sodium or potassium hydroxide, soda ash or trisodium phosphate. More than one such substance may be present.  The quantity varies from say 15 per cent to an upper limit for mercerizing of 30 per cent.  Suitable soluble salts are sodium salts of the lower fatty acids prepared, for instance, as described in Specification 348,255, by caustic oxidation of fractions of synthetic alcohols at about 300 DEG  C. and 100 atmospheres, the alcohols employed being such as may be produced by hydrogenation of carbon oxides. Specified acids are 1-3-dimethyl-valeric acid, 3-methyl-caproic acid, 1 - 3 - dimethyl - caproic acid, 3-methyl-caprylic acid, 1-methyl- and 3-methyl-valeric acid, and mixtures thereof.  These are obtained from 2 - 4 - dimethyl - pentanol - 1, 4-methyl-hexanol-1, 2-4-dimethyl-hexanol-1, 4-methyl-heptanol-1, 2-methyl- and 4-methyl-pentanol-1, and mixtures thereof respectively.  Lauric acid is exemplified as an acid which may be added directly to the bath.  For mercerization, 0,5--20,0 parts of the salt may be added to 1000 parts of the liquor.  The bath may be prepared by addition of a paste or concentrated solution of the alkaline reacting agent and the other compound. It may contain other ingredients such as phenol and its homologues, benzyl, butyl and amyl alcohols, higher alcohols of boiling-point above 120 DEG  C. obtained by hydrogenation of carbon oxides, turkey red oils, aliphatic and aromatic sulphonic acids such as alkylated naphthalene sulphonic acids, sulphonated derivatives of abietic acid, sulphuric esters, saponin and aliphatic and aromatic acid amides such as sodium taurocholate or sodium salts of analogous acid amides, sodium perborate, heterocyclic bases, and pine oil.  The degree of mercerization of unboiled cotton yarn employing solutions according to the invention is compared with that obtained by use of sodium hydroxide solution containing pale cresylic acid and benzyl alcohol.