Patent GB-906324-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to cellulosic textiles
IPC: D06M10/10
Filed: 1958-12-17
Abstract: Cellulosic textile materials, i.e. yarns, fibres, threads, woven and knitted fabrics and goods made wholly or partly from natural or regenerated cellulose, are impregnated with a condensable substance which can be condensed with itself to form a resinous condensate or with a mixture of two or more substances which inter-condense to form a resinous condensate and then subjected to the influence of an ionizing electromagnetic radiation at a low dosage to effect condensation of the condensable substance or substances without causing substantial loss of fibre strength.  Dosages of ionizing electromagnetic radiation, e.g. gamma rays and X-rays, of less than 107 Roentgen and of at least 103 Roentgen are used, e.g. 0,5 X 106-3 X 106 Roentgen at 15 DEG -25 DEG C., convenient sources for gamma radiation being 60Co and fission products of 235U or 137Cs.  Suitable condensable substances which may be used in the form of dispersions or solutions in water or one or more organic solvents are methylol urea, methylol melamines, dimethylol ethylene urea, 2,6-dimethylol triazin-4-ane, diglycidyl ether, aziridinyl phosphonium oxide and 1-carbonyl-2,5-dimethylol-4-ethyltriazine-2,4,6 and mixture thereof. The condensable substance may be used with or without the addition of one or more catalysts, e.g. boron trifluoride, zinc nitrate and light or heavy metal halides, and the textile material may be irradiated in moist or dry condition.  The treating solution may also contain a softener, e.g. polyethylene or octadecyl ethylene urea, polyvinyl alcohol or a silicane.ALSO:The crease resistance, dimensional stability and permanency of surface effects, e.g. goffering, ripple, schreiner, moire and calender effects, of cellulosic textile materials, i.e. yarns, fibres, threads, woven and knitted fabrics and goods made wholly or partly from natural or regenerated cellulose, are improved without reducing their tensile strength, tear resistance and hand by impregnating them with a condensable substance which can be condensed with itself to form a resinous condensate or with a mixture of two or more substances which inter-condense to form a resinous condensate and then subjecting them to the influence of an ionising electromagnetic radiation at a low dosage to effect condensation of the condensable substance or substances without causing substantial loss of fibre strength.  Dosages of ionising electromagnetic radiation, e.g. gamma rays and X-rays, of less than 107 Roentgen and of at least 103 Roentgen are used, e.g. 0.5 x 106-3 x 106 Roentgen at 15-25 DEG C., convenient sources for gamma radiation being 60Co and fission products of 235U or 137Cs.  Suitable condensable substances which may be used in the form of dispersions or solutions in water or one or more organic solvents are methylolurea, methylol melamines, dimethylol ethylene urea, 2,6-dimethyloltriazin-4-one, diglycidyl ether, aziridinyl phosphonium oxide and 1-carbonyl- 2,5-dimethylol- 4-ethyl-triazine-2,4,6 and mixtures thereof.  The condensable substances may be used with or without the addition of one or more catalysts, e.g. borontrifluoride, zinc nitrate and light or heavy metal halides, and the textile material may be irradiated in moist or dry condition.  Prior to treatment with the condensable substance, cellulosic fabrics, e.g. cotton and regenerated cellulose, may be stiffened and transparentised by treatment with concentrated sulphuric acid, a cuprammonium hydroxide solution or a sodium zincate cellulose solution.  The treating solution may also contain a softener, e.g. polyethylene or octadecylethyleneurea, polyvinyl alcohol or a silicone.