Patent GB-1007759-A (GB)
Title: A method for improving the properties of cellulosic textile materials
IPC: D06M13/127
Filed: 1962-08-03
Abstract: Cellulosic textile materials are creaseproofed by crosslinking the cellulose with formaldehyde white the cellulose contains not more than 2% by weight of moisture and reacting the cellulose in a swollen state with a chain bulking agent either before or after the crosslinking.  The chain bulking agents used are organic compounds having a chain length of at least three carbon atoms or being capable of forming drains of that length under the reaction conditions and containing at least one group capable of reacting with cellulose. The chain bulking agent may be a compound having the formula <FORM:1007759/D1-D2/1> R1-Z-Z-R3, or R1-Z-R4-Z-R3 in which X is halogen, R4 is a divalent connecting radical, Z is <FORM:1007759/D1-D2/2> and R1, R2, R3, R5 and R6 are hydrogen or radicals which are less reactive to cellulose than the halohydrin or epoxy groups, R1, R2, R3, R5 and R6 may be methyl, ethyl, hydroxymethyl, hydroxyethyl, phenyl, tolyl, cyclohexyl, chloromethyl or chloroethyl groups or R1 and R3 can together represent a divalent connecting radical, e.g. a methylene or ethylene radical.  R4 may be methylene, ethylene, propylene, hydroxypropylene or a group having the formula -R-Y-R1-Y-R11- in which Y is oxygen or sulphur, R and R11 are lower alkylene groups and R1 is a lower alkylene group, a lower hydroxy alkylene group, a phenyl or tolyl radical, a radical of the formula -C2H4 (O-C2H4)nin which n is an integer of 1-20, or a radical of the formula <FORM:1007759/D1-D2/3> in which m is an integer of 1-5 and R111 is a divalent radical having the formula -C(CH3)2-.  The crosslinking reaction may be effected by impregnating the textile materials with formaldehyde, water and a catalyst, e.g. zinc sulphate, chloride or nitrate, calcium chloride, bromide, iodide, nitrate or thiocyanate, magnesium nitrate, chloride, bromide, perchlorate or iodide or strontium, barium or cadmium chloride, which may also contain methanol and/or ethanol and buffers, e.g. sodium carbonate, bicarbonate or hydroxide, drying, e.g. at 30 DEG -110 DEG C., and then curing, e.g. at 110 DEG -180 DEG C., for 5 seconds to 30 minutes.  After curing the material may be washed with ammonia, urea or other formaldehyde accepters to remove unbound formaldehyde and catalyst.  The reaction with the chain bulking agent is preferably carried out in the presence of an alkaline catalyst, e.g. sodium or potassium hydroxide, sodium sulphide or silicate or trimethylphenyl ammonium hydroxide, which may be applied as an aqueous solution before, simultaneously with or after the chain bulking agent.  The chain bulking agent may be applied as a liquid or as an aqueous solution or dispersion or as a solution in an organic solvent, e.g. benzene, and the impregnated material may be sealed in a pressure vessel and heated to 110 DEG -150 DEG C. under autogeneous pressure or stores in a polyethylene bag.  Fibres, yarns, threads and woven, knitted and non-woven fabrics comprising cotton, linen, hemp, jute, ramie, sisal or regenerated cellulose, alone or in admixture with acetone-soluble cellulose acetate, cellulose triacetate, polyamide, polyester or polyacrylonitrile fibres, may be treated. Specifications 930,132 and 936,761 are referred to.