Patent GB-575531-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to the lubricating and conditioning of textile filaments, yarns, and the like
IPC: D06M15/53
Filed: 1944-03-22
Abstract: Filaments, fibres, yarns and like filamentary materials are lubricated and rendered soft and pliable, and in the case of twisted materials, the twist is set, by impregnating them with an unctuous or waxy solid of melting point 30-70 DEG  C., comprising a higher fatty ester of an ether condensation product of a polyol having at least three hydroxyl groups with an olefine oxide, 70 per cent or more of the hydroxyl groups in the ether condensation product being esterified, at least two-thirds of the acid radicals in the ester being saturated, and the acid radicals therein having at least 16 carbon atoms in a straight chain.  The polyol may be a polyhydric alcohol or a carbohydrate, e.g. glycerol, diglycerol, pentaerythritol, erythritol, sorbitol, sorbitan, mannitol, mannitan, dulcitol, dulcitan, or glucose.  The olefine oxide may be ethylene oxide or propylene oxide.  The condensation of the olefine oxide with the polyol may take place in the presence or absence of water.  The higher fatty acid or mixture of acids used for the esterification may be obtained by saponification of palmitin, stearin, fish oil, olive oil, or lard, and by subsequent hydrogenation if necessary to obtain the desired saturation.  The permissible proportion of olefine oxide is dependent on the particular oxide and the proportion and nature of the ester radical.  For sorbitol compounds there may be used up to 20 mols. of oxyethylene units per mol. of sorbitol if the product is then completely esterified with stearic acid, whereas only about one-third of this number of oxypropylene groups is permissible in order to obtain a compound of sufficiently high melting point.  In examples, sorbitol is condensed with 4, 6, 8 or 12 mols. of ethylene oxide and the product is esterified with 6 mols. of stearic acid, palmitic acid, mixed stearic and palmitic acids, hydrogenated fatty acids derived from fish oil, hydrogenated fatty acids from soya bean oil, or hydrogenated fatty acids from cotton seed oil, or with 5 mols. of hydrogenated fatty acids from soya bean oil, cotton seed oil, or fish oil and 1 mol. of oleic, lauric, or abietic acid.  In other examples, sorbitol is condensed with 3 mols. of ethylene oxide and 3 mols. of propylene oxide and the product is esterified with 6 mols. of stearic acid or hydrogenated acids from soya bean oil.  A mixture of a condensation product of sorbitol and ethylene oxide with a condensation product of mannitol and propylene oxide is esterified with hydrogenated fatty acids from soya bean oil. Pentaerythritol is condensed with 4 mols. of ethylene oxide and the product is esterified with 4 mols. of stearic acid.  Glycerol is condensed with 3 mols. of ethylene oxide and the product is esterified with 3 mols. of stearic acid.  Glucose is condensed with 5 or 6 mols. of ethylene oxide and the product is esterified with 4 or 5 mols. of stearic acid.  The olefine oxide may be added as a liquid or gas to an aqueous solution of the polyhydric alcohol and the reaction may be effected under heat and pressure in presence of an acidic or basic catalyst.  The product may be esterified in a closed vessel with concurrent removal of water, e.g. by distillation.  The compound may be applied singly or as a mixture to the filamentary material either in molten condition, in the form of a solution in an organic solvent, or as a dispersion or emulsion in water.  The compounds may be applied together with antistatic agents, other softeners, lubricants, oils, or sizes. Cotton, wool, linen, silk, regenerated cellulose, cellulose acetate, nylon, polyvinyl resin, or casein fibres or yarns may be treated.  Impregnation may be such as to leave 1 to 10 per cent or more of the unctuous compound in the material.  A 50 per cent solution of the compound in a petroleum solvent, or a 10 per cent aqueous dispersion may be used.  A dispersing agent such as an alkyl aryl sulphonate may be present in the aqueous dispersion. After completion of the fabric, the compound may be removed by a simple scouring operation.