Patent GB-466817-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in the treatment of cellulosic material
IPC: D06M13/46
Filed: 1935-12-06
Abstract: Cellulosic material is treated with an aqueous solution of a quaternary ammonium salt of the general formula R--O--CH2--NR<1>R<11>R<111> Hal, in which R is an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical of 12 or more carbon atoms, NR<1>R<11>R<111> is a heterocyclic or aliphatic tertiary amine and Hal is a halogen atom, and the impregnated material preferably after previous drying is heated to a temperature such that the quaternary ammonium salt undergoes decomposition.  The materials treated may be cotton, flax, jute, hemp, sisal, wood pulp, and other seed coat, bast, or other vegetable structural fibrous matter.  They may be in the form of fibres, yarns, knitted or woven fabrics, paper, or cardboard. Mixed fabrics or yarns may be treated.  Regenerated cellulose substance including fibres and films may also be treated.  The treated materials have improved water-repellent or shower-proof properties stable to weather, laundering, dry-cleaning and other treatments. Treated yarns and fabrics have a soft feel.  The process is applicable to dyed or undyed materials.  When the process is carried out on materials dyed with direct-cotton dyes the latter become more permanently fixed.  The quaternary ammonium salt may be a derivative of pyridine, picoline, quinoline, piperidine, tri-methyl, ethyl, or butyl-amine, triethanolamine or dialkylcyclohexylamine.  It may contain a normal or branched paraffinoid, or ethylenoid aliphatic hydrocarbon radical.  Wetting or buffering agents may be added to the dilute aqueous solution of the reagent.  After the cellulosic material has been impregnated it may be dried at relatively low temperature and then heated or baked at a higher temperature preferably 90--120 DEG  C.  In an example, cotton fabric is padded with an aqueous solution of the ether of octadecyl alcohol and N-hydroxymethyl pyridinium chloride.  It is squeezed and dried in warm air, baked at 90 DEG  C., cooled and washed in benzene. Cotton-wool union fabric may similarly be treated.  In other examples dyed calico is treated with an aqueous solution of octadecyl oxymethyl pyridinium chloride.  Regenerated cellulose film made from viscose, and unsized paper are similarly treated. Sisal rope is immersed in a warm aqueous solution of the reagent, dried, and baked. Cotton sheeting is passed in a continuous padding operation through an aqueous solution of cetoxymethyl pyridinium chloride, squeezed, dried in warm air, baked at 160 DEG  C., then washed with benzene. Dyed viscose taffeta is given two ends on a jig in a solution of oleyl oxymethyl pyridinium chloride, dried, then baked on drying cylinders at 120 DEG  C., and washed with benzene.  Other reagents specified are: the ether of sperm oil alcohols and hydroxy methyl pyridinium chloride; cetyl, do-decyl, or tetra-decyl oxymethyl pyridinium chloride or bromide; octadecyl, cetyl, and dodecyl-oxymethyl triethyl ammonium chlorides; octadecyl oxymethyl-quinolinium chloride and the corresponding salt made from the chloro-methyl ether and triethanolamine.  These substances may be made, e.g. by the action of hydrogen chloride gas on a mixture of formaldehyde of 40 per cent strength and the corresponding long-chain alcohols followed by addition of pyridine, or by methods similar to those described in Specification 394,196.  Specifications 390,553, 396,992, 426,482, and 434,911 also are referred to.