Patent GB-669187-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to textile finishing materials and methods of treating yarns, fibres and fabrics therewith
IPC: D06M15/263
Filed: 1948-08-12
Abstract: Textile fabrics, yarns or fibres are treated with an aqueous solution or dispersion of an alkali or amine salt of a copolymer of styrene or a substituted styrene with maleic anhydride or a partial ester of maleic acid, dried and also treated at some stage of the process with an aqueous bath containing a heavy metal salt as defined in the Specification.  Sodium, potassium, ammonium or quarternary ammonium salts (such as phenyl-trimethylammonium salts) may be used, as well as the salts of guanidine and the alkylamines such as the methyl-, butyl-, and amylamines.  When the heavy metal salt is water-soluble it may be applied before or after the copolymer salt, and when it is insoluble it should be dispersed in the aqueous bath of the copolymer salt before being applied, the treated material being then dried. Suitable heavy metal salts are those of aluminium, antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, bismuth, cadmium, calcium, cerium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, magnesium, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, platinum, silver, strontium, tin, zinc and zirconium, e.g. the oxychloride.  The copolymer is prepared by known methods. Substituted styrenes which may be used are methyl- or butyl-styrene or chlorstyrene, and a suitable partial ester of maleic acid is isopropyl acid maleate.  Small amounts of other unsaturated compounds such as vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride, vinyl ethyl ether, indene, vinyl methyl ketone and acrylic acid may be copolymerized with the styrene-maleic anhydride.ALSO:Textile fabrics, yarns or fibres are treated with an aqueous solution or dispersion of an alkali or amine salt of a copolymer of styrene or a substituted styrene with maleic anhydride or a partial ester of maleic acid, in amount sufficient to provide from 4 to 7 per cent by weight of the salt based on the fabrics, yarns or fibres, dried and also treated at some stage of the process with an aqueous bath containing a heavy metal salt as defined in the Specification.  The yarn, fibre, or fabric may be sprayed with or dipped in the solution or dispersion of the copolymer salt. Sodium, potassium, ammonium or quaternary ammonium salts (such as phenyl-trimethylammonium salts) may be used, as well as the salts of guanidine and the alkylamines such as the methyl-, butyl- and amylamines.  When the heavy metal salt is water-soluble it may be applied before or after the copolymer salt before being applied, the treated material being then dried. Suitable heavy metal salts are those of aluminium, antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, bismuth, cadmium, calcium, cerium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron lead, magnesium, manganese, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, platinum, silver, strontium, tin, zinc and zirconium.  The copolymer is prepared by known methods.  Substituted styrenes which may be used are methyl- or butyl-styrene or chlorstyrene, and a suitable partial ester of maleic acid is isopropyl acid maleate. Small amounts of other unsaturated compounds such as vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride, vinyl ethyl ether, indene, vinyl methyl ketone, and acrylic acid may be copolymerized with the styrenemaleic anhydride. The process is applicable to cotton, viscose, acetate rayon, nylon, glass, linen, flax, hemp, jute, ramie, wool, silk, cuprammonium rayon and artificial protein fabrics and to mixtures of these materials. If desired the alkali or amine salt may be applied to yarns which are then woven into fabrics and the fabric treated with the heavy metal salt.  In an example (all parts by weight) a solution of the ammonium salt of a styrene maleic anhydride copolymer is prepared by mixing 600 parts of styrene-maleic anhydride, 400 parts of 26 per cent ammonia and 9000 parts of water, and heating at 200-212 DEG  F. with stirring until a transparent solution is obtained.  Spun viscose rayon fabric and cotton sheeting are dipped in the solution at 120 DEG  F. and squeezed to 100 per cent pick-up.  The treated fabric is then dried, immersed in 2 per cent zirconium oxychloride solution for 10 minutes at 120 DEG  F., rinsed and dried.  The finished fabric is resistant to washing and possesses good water-repellency.  Example 3 describes the use of an insoluble heavy metal compound (calcium carbonate).