Patent Grant
7329367
a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fibrous substrate, of natural or synthetic fibres having soil resistance, stain resistance, soil release, water and oil repellency and softness; to a method for imparting soil resist stain resist soil release, water and oil repellency, and softness to such a fibrous substrate; and to a formulation for enhancing soil resist, stain resist, soil release, water and oil repellency, and softness in such a fibrous substrate.
b) Description of Prior Art
Natural and synthetic fibrous substrate are employed in the manufacturing of indoor and outdoor textile products such as garments, sport cloth, carpets, curtains, table cloths, upholstery protectives, work wear and women's and men's outer wear. Such products are often required to be soil resistant, stainproof, stain resist, soil release, water and oil repellent, and in particular cases these fibrous products are required to be very soft. Also these fibrous substrates are normally required to be easy to clean and provide protection against rain and oil based stain.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,959,230 Hays: Hugh Robert
U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,370 Nicol, Charles H
U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,152 Nicol, Charles Henry and
U.S. Pat. No. 4,977,191 Saleman Robert K
explain the use of terephtalate polymer in processes imparting improved soil release and cleaning properties to fabrics by treating such fabrics with an aqueous solution of terephthalate polymers
U.S. Pat. No. 3,949,124 Jilla, et al explains the use of copolymers of dimethyl terephthalate, alkyl phenol and diisocyanate and polyethylene glycol or other poly alkylene glycol to enhance hydrophilic, soil repellency and anti-static properties in textile fibers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,252,375 Turbak et al, explains the use of isocyanates to impart a permanent stain resistance to polyamide including nylon carpet.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,553 Miwa Masahiro et al, describes the use of blocked iasocyanates in a composition for carpet backings.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,624,276 Lamers et al describes a curable polyurethane, a coating prepared therefrom and a method of making the same.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,401 Matsuo et al describes a stain proofing agent containing as an active ingredient a polyfluoroalkyl compound and a process for its preparation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,048,941 Yamana et al describes a stain proofing composition including fluoroalkyl groups, vinyl chloride and a crosslinking monomer.
Each of the Patents mentioned above, imparts different properties to fibrous substrates, but not necessarily all the properties required in a fibrous substrate.
It is an object of this invention to provide fibrous material that includes natural and synthetic substrates, with a durable soil release, and soil resist, stain resist, water and oil repellency and softness.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an aqueous formulation for providing soil release, soil resist, stain proof, stain resist, water and oil repellency and softness to fibrous substrates.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a method of imparting soil release, soil resist, stain resist, water and oil repellency and softness to a fibrous substrate.
In accordance with one aspect of this invention there is provided a fibrous substrate having durable soil release, soil resist, stain resist, water and oil repellency and softness, the fibrous substrate having applied thereto a combination of:
a. an anionic or non ionic fluorochemical,
b. a crosslinking agent,
c. a soil release agent,
d. a soil resist agent, and
e. a stain resist agent.
The soil releasing agent may suitably be selected from the group consisting of polyesters, sulfonated polyesters, polyamines or polyacrylates.
The soil resisting agent may suitably be selected from the group consisting of polyacrylate, amorphous silica, polyacrylamide and polyurethane.
The water and oil repellent and the stain proofing agent are suitably selected from the group consisting of water based anionic or non-ionic fluorochemicals.
The crosslinking agent to increase the durability is suitably selected from the group consisting of blocked isocyanates, acrylates or styrene/acrylates, oxazolines and aziridine polymers or copolymers.
The stain resisting agent is suitably selected from the group consisting of sulfonated or partially sulfonated aromatic condensation products, methacrylic acid polymers or copolymers and styrene or maleic anhydride polymers or copolymer. In particular, a sulfonated aromatic condensation product of the novolak or resole type or naphthalene condensate type, in combination with a polymer or copolymer of methacrylic acid, acrylic acid, butyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, 2-ethyl hexyl acrylate or 2-ethyl hexylmethacrylate.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of imparting durable soil release, soil resist, stainresist, water and oil repellency and softness, to a fibrous substrate comprising contacting the fibrous substrate with a formulation comprising a soil release agent, a soil resist agent, a stain resist agent, a fluorochemical, and a crosslinking agent.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided an aqueous formulation for providing durable soil release, soil resist, stain proof stain resist and water and oil repellency, comprising in an aqueous vehicle, a soil release agent, a soil resist agent, a stain resist agent, a water and oil repellent fluorochemical and a crosslinking agent.
1-Fluorochemicals
The invention employs fluorochemicals in its complex, the fluorochemicals are in particular, water based fluorochemicals, and can be anionic or non ionic fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymers, fluorocarbon polymers or fluoroacrylate polymers and may be employed in emulsion or dispersion form, they may be employed in conjunction with emulsifiers and surfactants.
Fluorochemicals having soil release properties usually contain polyester polymer, polyamines or polyacrylate polymers. Fluorochemicals usually contain, but are not limited to, polyacrylate polymers amorphous silica, polyacryamides and polyurethanes.
2-Crosslinking Agent
The crosslinkers which can be used in this invention in particular are, styrene-acrylates, oxazolines or aziridine polymers or copolymers and preferably are blocked isocyanates because they provide softer handle in the substrate. Examples of blocked isocyanates axe described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,401,553 and 6,624,776.
The blocked polyisocyanates include, for example, aliphatic polyisocyanates such as ethylene diisocyanate, tetramethylenediisocyanate, hexamethylene diisocyanate, 2,4,4- or 2,2,4-dimethylhexamethylene diisocyanate or methyl 2,6-diisocyanatocaproate; alicyclic disocyanates, such as 3-isocyanatomethyl-3,5,5-trimethylcyclohexane, 1,3- or 1,4-bis(isocyanatomethyl) cyclohexane, methylcyclohexane 2,4- or 2,6-diisocyanate, dicyclohexylmethane-4,4-diisocyanate or 1,3-or 1,4-diisocyanatocyclohexane, aromatic diisocyanates, such as m-or phenylene diisocyanate, mixtures of these, diphenylmethane-4,4-diisocyanate, 2,4- or 2,6-tolylene diisocyanate or mixtures of these; and aromatic-aliphatic diisocyanates, such as 1,3-or 1,4-is(isocyanatomethyl benzene or 1,3- or 1,4-bis (alpha-isocyanatopropyl) benzene.
The polyisocyanates may be triisocyanates, such as triphenyl methane-4,4,4-triisocyanate, 1,3,5-triisocyanatobenzene, 1,3,5-tris(isocyanatomethyl)cyclohexane, 1,3,5-tris(isocyanatomethyl)-benzene or 2-isocyanatoethyl 2,6-diisocyanatocaproate
Other polyisocyanates are also usable to form the blocked polyisocyanate, such as polymeric polyisocyanates, e.g. dimmers or trimers of diisocyanates, polymethylene polyphenylene polyisocyanates, various isocyanate terminated prepolymers which are obtainable by the reaction of polyisocyanates in excess and active hydrogen containing compounds, biuret derivatives or allophanate derivatives of polyisocyanates. These compounds may be used singly or as a mixture.
The active hydrogen containing compound usable is exemplified by low molecular weight compounds such as ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol, neopentyl glycol, hexanediol, cyclohexanedimethanol, cyclohexanediol, hydrogenated bisphenol A, xylylene glycol, glycerine, trimethylol ethane, trimethylol propane, hexanetriol, pentaerythritol, sorbitol, sucrose castor oil, ethylenediamine, hexamethylenediamine, ethanolamine, triethanolamine, water, ammonia or urea, and a variety of high molecular weight compounds, such as polyether polyol, polyester polyol, acrylic polyol or epoxy polyol.
The blocking agent usable includes, for example, phenol-type blocking agents such as phenol, cresol, p-nonylphenol or hydroxybenzoic acid ester lactam-type blocking agents such as epsilon-caprolactam or gamma-butyrolactam, active methylene-type blocking agents such as diethyl malonate, methyl acetoacetate or acetylacetone; alcohol-type blocking agents such as ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, t-butyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol, ethylene glycol- monoethyl ether, benzyl alcohol, glycolic acid, glycolates such as methyl glycolate, ethyl glycolate or butyl glycolate or butyl glycolate, lactic acid, lactic acid esters such as methyl lactate, ethyl lactate or butyl lactate, diacetone alcohol or ethylene chlorohydrin; mercaptan-type blocking agents such as butyl mercaptan, octyl mercaptan, t-dodecyl mercaptan, 2-mercaptobenzothiazole or thiophenol; acid amide-type blocking agents such as acetanilide, acetamide, acrylamide or benzamide, imido-type blocking agents such as succinimide or phthalimide; amine-type blocking agents such as diphenylamine, ccarbazole, aniline, dibutylammine; iimddazole-type blocking agents such as imidazole or 2- ethylimidazole; urea-type blocking agents such as urea, thiourea, ethylene thiourea, carbamate-type blocking agents such as 2-oxazzolidone, phenyl N-phenyl carbamate; oxime-type blocking a gents such as formaldoxime, acetaldoxime, acetoxime, methyl ethyl ketoxime, diacetyl monoxime, cyclohexanone oxime or benzophenone oxime, and sulfite-type blocking agents such as sodium bisulphite or potassium bisulphite.
3-Soil Release
The soil releasing agents employed in the invention are typically of the polyester, sulfonated polyester, polyamine or polyacrylate type. The polyester-type includes homopolyesters or copolyester, and usually comprises an acid residue and a glycol residue and they are soluble and or dispersable terephtalate based polyesters or copolyester.
Another type of soil release for fabric or carpet is water soluble or water dispersible and curable sulfonated polyester resins, the resins are reaction products of polyterephthalate, sulfoisophthalate, polyols, polyacids, and acids and crosslinking agents, a good example of such product is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,982. Another type of soil release referred to herein useful as soil release for polyamide and cotton fibers is polyamines having functionalised backbone moieties. Examples of such products are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,191,093.
Another type of soil releasing agent suitable for polyamide and cotton fibres is the polyacrylate type of product, preferably based on methylmethacrylate and ethyl acrylate, usually produced as emulsions. Also methacrylic acid, 2-ethyl hexyl methacrylate, butyl acrylate, methyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexylacrylate, polyurethane and polyacrylamide can be useful.
Soil Resist
The soil resists employed in this invention include acrylic, methacrylic and methyl methacrylate polymers or copolymers, preferably of high molecular weight; also polyurethanes or amorphous silica can be useful. In particular there may be mentioned polymers and copolymers of two or more of acrylates, methacrylic acid, methylmetharylate, ethyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexylmethacrylate, 2-ethylhexylacrylate.
Stain Resist
In the case of wool or polyamide fibers stain resisting agents can be used in the formulation as a separate addition in the finishing bath or in an all in one product. The stain resist usually is a sulfonated or partially sulfonated aromatic condensation product of the novolak or resol type or a naphthalene resin. Examples of these products are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,736,468 which describes the manufacturing of resole resins. U.S. Pat. No. 3,467,486 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,790,334 describe the manufacturing of naphthalene condensation products. U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,774 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,395,655 provide details about the manufacturing of the condensation product of 4,4-dihydroxy di-phenol sulfone and the sulfonated di-hydroxy diphenol sulfone. U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,940 provides details on the sulfonated phenolformaldehyde condensation products with dihydroxy diphenol sulfone.
The enhancement of the durable soil release, soil resist, stain proof, water and oil repellency can be achieved by adding in a formulated all in one product and added as one addition to the bath for a one step application.
An amount of at least 0.01% by weight, of each ingredient, should be deposited on the fibre substrate, based on the weight of the substrate.
The amount of the suitable durable soil release, soil resist, fluorochemical and the crosslinking agent of this invention deposited from the aqueous formulation on the fibrous substrate is dependent on the process employed for the deposition, as is well understood by persons in the art and these persons in the art will well understand the concentration required in the aqueous formulation based on the application technique and method parameters employed, in order to provide a desired amount on the substrate.
The aqueous formulation may be applied to the fibrous substrate by conventional procedures for example, the substrate may be immersed in a bath of aqueous formulation, or the formulation may be exhausted onto the substrate by a foam system or spray application; the treated substrate is dried and cured, after the application.
The treated substrate retains the deposited polymers, on the fibers. In a particular embodiment there is a deposit of the formulation product of the invention of each of the fluorochemical, soil release agent, soil resist agent, stain resist and cross linker, in an amount of at least 0.1% based on the weight of the substrate, suitably the product of this invention is deposited from an aqueous vehicle at an acidic pH below 7.
A major problem with this kind of formulation is the stability or the compatibility of all the ingredients together.
Important attention should be given to these formulations. The ingredients should suitably be added in a certain order to disperse or solubilize every ingredient in the previous one, in order. Also it is found that to ensure the stability of the finished product, an addition of condensated diphenyoxide disulfonate stabilizes the product especially in the presence of a small amount of citric acid to reach a pH of 7 or lower. The ingredients should suitably be mixed at temperatures lower than 25° C. (77° F.). It is within the skill of person in the art to determine by experiment an appropriate sequence of dispersing or solubilizing the ingredients, for specific ingredients within the scope of the invention.
The enhancement of the durable soil release, soil resist, water and oil repellency, stain resist stain proof and the softness can be achieved by adding the formulated product of the invention in an aqueous bath, containing all the ingredients needed to facilitate the handling of the ingredients of the application and reduce the weighing errors and shorten the time of addition.
In this case a balanced formulation containing the ingredients required can be made based upon the quality needed from the fibrous substrate as follows:
An all in one product suitable for polyester and polyester cotton blends, soil release water and oil repellent, soil resist, stain resist can be made as follows, in parts by weight:
An all in one product for polyamide fibres can be formulated as follows, in parts by weight, to provide protection against staining, with soil resist, soil release, water and oil repellency with high durability.
An all in one product suitable for polypropylene fibres as water/oil repellent soil resist—stain resist can be made as follows, in parts by weight:
All in one product suitable for polyamide fibers especially for carpet, can be formulated as follows to provide antistain, soil release, soil resist, water & oil repellency with high durability.
In the test procedures and examples described below all percentages are by weight unless otherwise indicated.
Beginning with the lowest numbered test liquid carefully place one drop in several locations on the surface. Repeat with higher number liquids until the highest number is reached that does not wet the surface in 30 seconds (oil) or 10 seconds (water)
After Wet Cleaning Stain Resistance (WS)
The sample to be tested is first immersed in a detergent solution containing 15 grams of Duponol Waqe (Trade Mark of E.I. DuPont de Nemours a surface active agent based on lauryl sulfate) per liter of water at a pH of 10 and at 20° C. for 15 minutes. The sample is removed from the detergent solution and rinsed thoroughly with cool tap water and dried. The staining solution is then applied and evaluated as set out in the initial stain resistance procedure AATCC 175-1998.
Discoloration Upon Exposure to Light (LD)
In the examples a graduated scale from 1 to 5 was used to evaluate discoloration upon exposure to light where 5 represents no discoloration. 4 represents acceptable discoloration and 3 or less represents unacceptable discoloration. Exposure to light was carried out according to AATCC test method 16-1998 with an exposure time of 40 standard hours.
1. Product suitable for polyester/cellulosic fibers: This formulated all in one product was applied on 50/50 polyester cotton as soil release oil repellent protection with high durability to wet cleaning as follows:
The substrate was padded with 70% pick-up followed by drying and curing as the same previous procedure.
The evaluation was made as follows:
The oil repellency test results were evaluated according to AATCC Test Method 118-1997:
It was noticable that the fabric treated with the Ex. F1 recipe was very soft and the opposite was the case with the fabric treated with the conventional recipe and the glyoxal resin which was very stiff.
The stain release property (stain: dirty motor oil) were evaluated according to the test method described earlier (Soil Release: Oil stain release)
2) Product suitable for Nylon and wool fibers, and their blends as durable oily stain release water oil repellency, soil resist and stain resist: A piece of Nylon 6 was treated with the product of Ex. F2 of this invention as follows:
20 g/L Product of Ex. F2
3 g/L foaming agent based on fatty amide and other surfactants balance water
The solution was foamed and applied on a carpet substrate with a pick-up of 15% and the penetration was 30% on the pile of the carpet.
In the same manner was applied the following:
100 g/L non ionic fluorochemical contains (8% fluoropolymer)
80 g/L stain blocker 30% solid novolak resin
The evaluation was made as follows:
Water Repellency
Oil Repellency
The Stain Release Property (Stain: Dirty Motor Oil)
Stain Resist Evaluation:
Light Fastness:
Treated substrates were exposed to light for 40 hrs in a carbon arc machine and evaluated according to AATCC Test Method 16-1998; results:
3) Product suitable for polypropylene and polyamide fibers as water/oil repellent and soil resist. Comparison between the product of Ex. F3 and conventional fluorochemical was made as follows:
a. 100 g/L product of Ex. F3 was sprayed on polypropylene carpet substrate
Another polypropylene carpet substrate was sprayed with 50 g/L of the same fluorochemical used in the product of Ex. F3
The spray pick up was 15% on weight of substrate
The carpet substrate was dryed and then cured at 130° C. for 45 seconds. Evaluation of water/oil repellency and soil resist were evaluated as follows:
Water Repellency:
Oil Repellency:
Soil Resist Evaluation:
The carpet soiling on the same substrate treated with the product of Ex. F3, were tested by AATCC Test method 123-1995 and evaluated by AATCC 121 carpet soiling visual rating on the gray scale 5 is excellent, 1 is very poor. Results were as follow:
4) Product suitable for polyamide fibers especially carpet as durable water/oil repellent stain resist, soil resist, stain resist, a piece of nylon 6 carpet was treated with the product F4 of this invention as follows:
200 g/L F4
800 g/L water
The solution was foamed as Ex F2 and applied on the carpet substrate with pick up of 15% and the penetration was 30% on the pile of the carpet.
In the same manner was applied the following:
100 g/L non-ionic fluorochemical contains (8% fluoropolymer)
80 g/L stainblocker 30% solid novolak resin
the evaluation was made as follows:
Water Repellency
Oil Repellency
The Stain Release Property (Stain: Dirty Motor Oil)
Stain Resist Evaluation:
Light Fastness:
Treated
Substrates were exposed to light 40 hrs in carbon arc machine and evaluated according to AATCC Test Method 16-1998 results:
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3949124 | Jilla et al. | Apr 1976 | A |
| 3959230 | Hays | May 1976 | A |
| 3962152 | Nicol | Jun 1976 | A |
| 4125370 | Nicol | Nov 1978 | A |
| 4504401 | Matsuo et al. | Mar 1985 | A |
| 4977191 | Saleman | Dec 1990 | A |
| 5252375 | Turbak et al. | Oct 1993 | A |
| 5401553 | Miwa et al. | Mar 1995 | A |
| 6048941 | Yamana et al. | Apr 2000 | A |
| 6458443 | Collier et al. | Oct 2002 | B2 |
| 6624276 | Lamers et al. | Sep 2003 | B2 |
| 20050056805 | Fang et al. | Mar 2005 | A1 |
| 20050062010 | Fang et al. | Mar 2005 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20060062968 A1 | Mar 2006 | US |
