BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0001] This invention, in one aspect, relates to a composition comprising a fluorochemical
compound useful for treating leather, textiles, and cellulosic materials. In another
aspect, the invention relates to a method for treating these materials with the composition.
In a third aspect, this invention relates to leather, textiles and cellulosic materials
treated with the composition.
[0002] Leather has a combination of properties which has long made it useful and desirable
for many applications, e.g. footwear, garments, and upholstery, requiring protection,
comfort, durability, and esthetics. Such properties include long term flexibility,
toughness, breathability, insulation, conformability, soft feel, and luxurious appearance.
However, due to its porous, fibrous structure, leather absorbs water and oil, and
the consequent unsightly spotting and stains detract from its usefulness and appearance.
There has been considerable effort expended to overcome these drawbacks of leather.
See Kirk-Othmer, Encycl. of Chem. Tech., Vol. 22, 1970, John Wiley & Sons, p. 150,
151.
[0003] Leather has been frequently treated with various substances to impart greater water
and oil repellancy. Because the desired result of such treatment may vary depending
upon the user's expectation, it is much more practical for the ultimate consumer to
apply the treating product rather than the manufacturer.
[0004] At present, products that are used by consumers to impart water and oil repellancy
to leather include waxes, e.g, beeswax, carnauba wax, paraffin wax; greases, e.g.,
lanolin; oils, e.g., fish oil, mink oil, neat's-foot oil, silicones, e.g., dimethylpolysiloxane,
silicone resins; and fluorochemicals, e.g., FC-326 Scotchgard@ Brand Fabric Protector
available from Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, and FC-905 3M Brand' Fluorochemical
available from Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company.
[0005] The waxes, greases, oils, and silicones have been found to impart some degree of
water and oil repellancy to leather; however, none of these are as effective as fluorochemicals
in providing water and oil repellancy. Fluorochemicals, however, are somewhat less
desirable to use than are waxes or oils, generally because certain of the solvents
needed to apply fluorochemicals to leather are deleterious to leather or dyes that
have been applied to the leather. Furthermore, unlike waxes or oils, presently available
fluorochemical compounds are not known to condition or clean leather.
[0006] Although there are many commercially available fluorochemicals which will impart
water and oil repellancy to textiles, they are generally applied from solutions wherein
the solvent is a chlorinated hydrocarbon, e.g., trichloroethane. Many consumers find
chlorinated hydrocarbons objectionable for both health and environmental reasons.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] This invention involves a composition comprising a fluorochemical compound for treating
leather, textiles, and cellulosic materials. The invention further involves a method
of treating these materials with the composition. The invention also involves leather,
textiles, and cellulosic materials treated with the composition.
[0008] The fluorochemical compounds useful in this invention confer durable water and oil
repellancy to leather while not adversely affecting the appearance, feel, hand, and
other desirable qualities of the leather. The fluorochemical compounds useful in the
practice of this invention are capable of providing up to about 30 times as much water
repellancy to leather as the best commercially available leather treatment products.
The fluorochemical compounds are also useful for imparting water and oil repellancy
to textiles, including both natural materials, e.g. cotton, silk, and synthetic materials,
e.g. nylon, polyester. In addition the fluorochemical compounds have been found to
be useful for imparting water and oil repellancy to cellulosic materials, e.g. wood,
paper.
[0009] The preferred fluorochemical compounds useful in providing the claimed composition
contain one or more sites of unsaturation, which allows crosslinking after they are
applied to the surface of the leather. The solvents from which these fluorochemical
compounds can be applied are not only not harmful to leather, but they are also capable
of cleaning and conditioning the leather. In addition, the solvents perform the additional
function of suppressing cross-linking of the fluorochemical compounds before the composition
is applied to the leather. Upon evaporation of the solvent after application of the
composition, the fluorochemical compound cross-links to cure in air at normal room
temperature.
[0010] The fluorochemical compounds of this invention can be applied from solvents that
are not harmful to the health of the consumer, to leather itself, to dyes previously
applied to leather, or to textiles and cellulosic materials. While not preferred,
the fluorochemical compounds can also be applied from chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents.
Compositions of the present invention can be readily formulated into a variety of
preparations for various modes of application to leather and/or textiles and/or cellulosic
materials.
[0011] Useful fluorochemical compounds contain
(a) a fluoroaliphatic moiety,
(b) an aliphatic moiety, and
(c) an organic group which connects moiety (a) and moiety (b).
[0012] Fluorochemical compounds useful in the practice of this invention are preferably
represented by the following general formula:

wherein R
f represents the fluoroaliphatic moiety (a),
A represents the aliphatic moiety (b), and
Q represents the organic group which connects moiety (a) and moiety (b).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] The fluoroaliphatic moiety (R
f) is a fluorinated, preferably saturated, monovalent, non-aromatic, aliphatic radical
of at least three fully fluorinated connected carbon atoms in a chain. The chain in
the radical may be straight, branched, or, if sufficiently large, cyclic, and may
be interrupted by divalent oxygen atoms or trivalent nitrogen atoms bonded only to
carbon atoms. A fully fluorinated aliphatic radical is preferred, but hydrogen or
chlorine atoms may be present as substituents in the radical provided that not more
than one atom of either is present in the radical for every two carbon atoms, and
the radical must at least contain a terminal perfluoromethyl group. Preferably, the
fluorinated aliphatic radical contains not more than 20 carbon atoms because such
a large radical results in inefficient use of the fluorine content. The fluorochemicals
useful in this invention preferably contain at least 20 weight percent, preferably
25 to 50 weight percent, fluorine in the form of said fluoroaliphatic radical. R
f is preferably selected from one of the following groups:

wherein n is a positive integer from 3 to 20, preferably, 4 to 10, inclusive,
R represents an alkyl radical having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms,
R1 represents an alkylene radical having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, and
R2 represents an alkylene radical having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms.
[0014] In the most preferred embodiments of the invention, R is -CH
3, R
1 is -CH
2CH
2-, (̵CH
2)̵
3, or +C
H2+
4, and R
2 is -CH
2CH
2-.
[0015] The aliphatic moiety A is a monovalent, non-aromatic, aliphatic radical having from
5 to 36 carbon atoms. The chain in the radical may be straight, branched, or cyclic.
The radical preferably contains at least one unsaturated site, and more preferably,
two or more unsaturated sites. Compositions of the present invention containing fluorochemical
compounds having unsaturated sites are easy to formulate, because the fluorochemical
compound readily dissolves in solvents that are not harmful to leather. In addition,
when these compositions are applied, the unsaturated fluorochemical compounds begin
to cross-link as the solvent evaporates and continue to cross-link even several days
after application. In embodiments where A does not contain unsaturated sites, the
compositions generally do not cure by cross-linking, but still provide a high degree
of water and oil repellancy. The aliphatic moiety A can be a fluoroaliphatic radical,
and, in certain embodiments of the invention, A is identical to R
f. The aliphatic moiety A can be substituted with one or more pendant hydroxyl groups
(-OH) or one or more pendant carboxyl groups (-COOH) or both.
[0016] The organic linking group, Q, can have a wide variety of structures, serving as it
does the function of bonding together in the same molecule the R
f and A moieties. The Q linkages must be free of moieties, particularly hydrophilic
groups, such as acid functional groups and salts thereof, e.g. -COOH and -COONa, polyoxyethylene,
polyethyleneimine, and aliphatic hydroxyl groups, which would interfere with the ability
of the fluorochemical compound to impart the desires oil and water repellency to the
substrate treated therewith in accordance with this invention. Bearing in mind the
above-described function of the linking groups and constraints thereon, Q can comprise
such representative moieties as aliphatic moieties, e.g. -CH
2-, -CH
2CH
2-, -CH=CH-, and cyclohexylene, and aromatic moieties, e.g., phenylene, and combinations
thereof, e.g. methylene diphenylene and tolylene. It has been found that Q is preferably
selected from hetero-atom-containing moieties, such as

and a group . represented by the formula

wherein T represents the residue from a diisocyanate and may be (1) an aliphatic or
cycloaliphatic group, for example, the residue of trimethyl-hexamethylene diisocyanate,
the residue of methylene bis(4-cyclohexyl isocyanate), or (2) an aromatic group, for
example, the residue of toluene diisocyanate. As used herein, the term "residue from
a diisocyanate" means the diisocyanate minus the -NCO moieties. However, it should
be noted that Q for a specific fluorochemical compound useful in this invention will
be dictated by the ease of preparation of such compound and the availability of the
necessary precursors thereof.
[0017] The products of the present invention can be prepared by any of the following methods:
(1) reacting a fluoroaliphatic sulfonamido alcohol with a fatty acid;
(2) reacting a fluoroaliphatic sulfonamido alcohol with a diisocyanate;
(3) reacting a fluoroaliphatic sulfonamido alcohol with (i) a diisocyanate and (ii)
a fatty acid;
(4) reacting a fluoroaliphatic sulfonamido alcohol with (i) a fatty acid, (ii) a diisocyanate,
and (iii) a polyhydric alcohol;
(5) reacting a fluoroaliphatic alcohol with a fatty acid;
(6) reacting a fluoroaliphatic alcohol with a diisocyanate;
(7) reacting a fluoroaliphatic alcohol with (i) a fatty acid and (ii) a diisocyanate.
(8) reacting a fluoroaliphatic alcohol with (i) a fatty acid, (ii) a diisocyanate,
and (iii) a polyhydric alcohol.
[0018] Alternatively, in methods (1), (4), (5), the fluoroaliphatic sulfonamido alcohols
and the fatty acid can be replaced by a fluoroaliphatic sulfonamido carboxylic acid
and a fatty alcohol, respectively; in methods (2), (3), (6), (7), (8) the fluoroaliphatic
sulfonamido alcohol can be replaced by a fluoroaliphatic sulfonamido carboxylic acid.
Because of the nature of such intermediates and such reactions, the fluorochemicals
so prepared and useful in this invention will often be mixtures of isomers and homologs.
[0019] The fluoroaliphatic reactants are chemically combined with the aforementioned coreactants
through the condensation of their hydroxyl or carboxyl groups with available carboxyl
and hydroxyl groups in fatty acids or fatty alcohols to form an ester linkage or bridging
radical or through the addition of their hydroxyl or carboxyl groups to an isocyanate
group to form a urethane linkage and amide linkage respectively. The reaction of these
fluoroaliphatic acids and alcohols with the coreactants is carried out in a manner
similar to that conventionally employed with nonfluorinated carboxyl or hydroxyl containing
components.
[0020] The reactions that do not involve diisocyanates, e.g. (1) and (5), can be conducted
by introducing the reactants into a vessel containing a catalyst. Catalysts that are
suitable for the reactions include sulfuric acid and ion exchange resins. Commercially
available ion exchange resins that are useful as catalysts in the reactions include
Amberlite® IR 120, a strongly acidic, sulfonated polystyrene cation exchange resin,
and Amberlite@ 15, a strongly acid, sulfonic functional cation exchange resin, both
of which are available from
Mallinckrodt. The reaction medium can include a solvent or it can be solvent free.
Solvents suitable for the reaction include xylene and mixtures of hydrocarbons. A
commercially available mixture of hydrocarbons useful as a solvent for the reaction
medium is Isopar L, available from Exxon. The reaction is preferably conducted under
an atmosphere of nitrogen and refluxed until no additional water is generated.
[0021] The reactions that involve diisocyanates, e.g. (2), (3), (4), (6), (7), (8), can
be conducted by first introducing the reactants into a vessel. The reaction medium
can include a solvent or it can be solvent free. Xylene is the preferred solvent.
The reaction mixture is then heated to about 70°C, at which temperature a catalyst
is added. Catalysts that are suitable for promoting the reaction are tin-containing
compounds, such as stannous octoate. When the reaction appears to be complete, as
determined by absence of -NCO functionality, isopropanol is added to the reaction
mixture to cap off any unreacted -NCO groups. The mixture is then cooled, and the
fluorochemical product recovered.
[0022] Monofunctional alcohols useful in this invention include the N-alkanol perfluoralkanesulfonamides
described in U.S. Patent 2,803,656, which have the general formula

wherein R
f is a perfluoroalkyl group (includirig perfluorocycloalkyl) having 4 to 10 carbon
atoms, R
1 is an alkylene radical having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, and R is a hydrogen atom or an
alkyl group containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms. These monofunctional alcohols are prepared
by reactions of an acetate ester of halohydrin with a sodium or potassium salt of
the corresponding perfluoroalkanesulfonamide. Illustrative alcohols include the following:
N-ethyl N-(2-hydroxyethyl) perfluorooctanesulfonamide,
N-propyl N-(2-hydroxyethyl) perfluorooctanesulfonamide,
N-ethyl N-(2-hydroxyethyl) perfluoroethane- sulfonamide,
N-ethyl N-(2-hydroxyethyl) perfluorododecane- sulfonamide,
N-ethyl N-(2-hydroxyethyl) perfluorcyclohexylethane- sulfonamide,
N-propyl N-(2-hydroxyethyl) perfluorobutylcyclo- hexanesulfonamide,
N-ethyl N-(2-hydroxyethyl) perfluoro-4-dodecylcyclo- hexanesulfonamide,
N-ethyl N-(2-hydroxyethyl) perfluoro-2-methylcyclo- hexanesulfonamide,
N-ethyl N-(6-hydroxyhexyl) perfluorooctanesulfonamide,
N-methyl N-(11-hydroxyundecyl) perfluorooctanesulfonamide,
N-methyl N-(4-hydroxybutyl) perfluorobutane- sulfonamide,
N-(2-hydroxyethyl) perfluorooctanesulfonamide, etc.
[0023] Still other useful alcohols include the perfluoroalkyl-substituted alkanols of the
formula C
nF
2n+1CH
20H, where n is 4 to 10 (e.g., C4F
9CH
20H), described in U.S. Patent No. 2,666,797, and of the formula

where R
f is a perfluoroalkyl radical having from 4 to 10 carbon atoms and m is an integer
from 1 to 4 (e.g., C
8F
17CH
2CH
2CH
2OH, C
3F
7CH
2CH
2CH
2OH, C
8F
17CH
2CH
2CH
2CH
2OH, etc.) The perfluoroalkyl-substituted alkenols may also be employed, i.e., C
nF
2n+l(C
mH
2m-
2)OH where n is 4 to 10 and m is 1 to 4, e.g., C
8F
17CH=CHCH
2OH. Further useful monofunctional alcohols include the N-[ -hydroxypoly-(oxaalkylene))-perfluoroalkane
sulfonamides of U.S. Patent 2,915,554, such as

etc.
[0024] The carboxyl-containing fluoroaliphatic reactants include the monofunctional perfluoroalkanesulfonamidoalky-
lene-carboxylic acids of U.S. Patent 2,809,990, which have the general formula:

wherein R
f is a perfluoralkyl (including perfluorocycloalkyl) group having from 4 to 10 carbon
atoms, R is hydrogen or an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms and
R2 is an alkylene group having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms. Illustrative acids include
the following:
N-ethyl N-perfluorooctanesulfonyl glycine,
N-perfluorooctanesulfonyl glycine,
N-perfluoropentanesulfonyl glycine,
N-perfluorodecanesulfonyl glycine,
3-(perfluorooctanesulfonamido) propionic acid,
ll-(N-methyl N-perfluorooctanesulfonamido) undecanoic acid,
ll-(N-ethyl N-perfluorooctanesulfonamido) undecanoic acid,
N-ethyl N-perfluorocyclohexylsufonyl glycine,
N-ethyl N-perfluorocyclohexylethanesulfonyl glycine,
N-butyl N-perfluoro-4-dodecylcyclohexanesulfonyl glycine,
N-ethyl N-perfluoro-2-methylcyclohexanesulfonyl glycine,
N-hexyl N-perfluorooctanesulfonyl glycine,
N-ethyl N-perfluorobutanesulfonyl glycine, etc.
[0025] Still other carboxyl containing fluorocarbon reactants include the perfluoro-substituted
aliphatic acids, described in U.S. Patent 2,951,051, such as

5-perfluorobutyl pentanoic acid, 11-perfluorooctyl- hendecanoic acid, etc. as well
as the unsaturated perfluoroalkane aliphatic acids, e.g. R
fCH=CH-(CH
2)
7CH
2C0
2H, also described in U.S. Patent 2,951,051.
[0026] Fatty acid and fatty alcohol reactants useful in the practice of this invention contain
from 5 to 36 carbon atoms. It is preferred that the fatty acid or fatty alcohol reactant
have at least one to three unsaturated sites, and more if available. Representative
examples of fatty acids suitable for the practice of this invention include, but are
not limited to, linseed fatty acid, linolenic acid, eleostearic acid, ricinoleic acid,
oleic acid, linoleic acid, sorbic acid, dimer acid, and mixtures thereof. Representative
fatty alcohols that are suitable for the practice of this invention are the analogs
of the fatty acids mentioned above.
[0027] Diisocyanates useful in the practice of this invention can be selected from aromatic,
aliphatic, and cycloaliphatic diisocyanates. Representative examples of diisocyanates
include trimethyl-hexamethylene diisocyanate, methylenebis(4-cyclohexyl isocyanate),
and toluene diisocyanate.
[0028] Reactions schemes that can be used for preparing the compounds of the present invention
are set forth below:

[0029] Organic solvents can be used as the vehicle for applying the fluorochemical compounds
useful in the practice of this invention. The fluorochemical compounds can be dissolved
in an appropriate organic solvent or mixture of organic solvents, and applied directly
from the resulting solution. Solvents that are suitable for dissolving the fluorochemicals
include chlorinated hydrocarbons, e.g. tetrachlorethane, trichlorethane, isoparaffinic
hydrocarbons, alcohols, e.g., isopropyl alcohol, ketones, e.g., methyl isobutyl ketone,
and mixtures thereof. Although chlorinated hydrocarbons can be used to dissolve the
fluorochemicals, they are not recommended because they can damage leather and dyes
that are used on leather. Furthermore, chlorinated hydrocarbons can be objectionable
to users of the composition of this invention. The composition can be applied in any
of several alternative formulations, including, for example, aerosols, water/oil emulsions,
and anhydrous gels. Aerosols will require a propellant, e.g. isobutane. Anhydrous
gels will require a gelling agent, e.g. aluminum oleate. Water/oil emulsions will
require water and an emulsifying agent, e.g. sorbitan sesquioleate. Water/oil emulsions
and anhydrous gels can further employ mild solvents, e.g. isoparaffinic hydrocarbons,
which can serve the dual purpose of carrying the fluorochemical and acting as a cleaning
aid for the leather. Conditioners and softeners, e.g. mineral oil, can also be included
in compositions of the present invention.
[0030] The composition of this invention can be used to treat such leather articles as shoe
uppers, garments, gloves, luggage, handbags, upholstery, and the like. The composition
is particularly useful for leathers having porous surfaces, such as natural smooth
leathers having no finish and suede leathers. The composition can also be used with
finished skins, e.g. those having a sprayed on leather finish. The composition can
also be used to treat textile articles such as clothing, shoes, and the like. The
composition is especially useful for articles comprising leather and textiles, e.g.
shoes, fashion accessories. In addition, the composition be used to treat cellulosic
materials such as wood and paper.
[0031] The amount of the fluorochemical deposited on the leather can vary, but functionally
stated that amount will be sufficient to impart oil and water repellency to the leather.
Generally that amount will be about 0.05 to 1.0 percent by weight, preferably 0.1
to 0.2 percent by weight based on the weight of the leather after it is dried. More
can be applied, but a greater effect will probably not be noticed. With such amounts
of fluorochemical deposited on the leather, the leather will have oil and water repellency
that is durable, that is, the repellency will last a long time during active use of
the article made from such finished leather, the fluorochemical penetrating to a significant
depth into the leather. Such durable repellency is obtained without adversely affecting
the appearance, feel, hand, flexibility, breathability, or other desirable properties
of leather. And such desirable properties are obtained not only by treated cattlehide
in accordance with this invention but other finished hides and skins, such as sheepskin
and pigskin. The amount of fluorochemical required to impart water and oil repellancy
to textiles and cellulosic materials is substantially similar to that amount required
to impart those properties to leather.
[0032] Objects and advantages of this invention are shown in the following examples, Examples
1-11 illustrating the preparation of various fluorochemicals of this invention, Examples
12-13 illustrating the effectiveness of various fluorochemicals in the treatment of
leather, and Examples 14-16 illustrating various formulations into which the fluorochemicals
can be incorporated.
Example 1
Examples 2-7
[0034] Following the general procedures of Example 1, and using the appropriate or corresponding
precursor fluorochemical alcohol and fatty acid, all in the appropriate molar ratios,
there were prepared the fluorochemical products represented by the formulas shown
in Table I.

Example 8
[0035] Into a 500 ml three-necked round-bottomed flask equipped with a mechanical stirrer,
condenser, and thermometer were charged 112 g (0.40 mole) N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoethyl
alcohol, 25 g (0.19 mole) trimethyl hexamethylene diisocyanate, and 120 g xylene.
The mixture was heated to 70°C and stirred for 15 minutes. Stannous octoate (0.05
g) was then added to catalyze the reaction. The resulting mixture was stirred for
an additional three hours. At this time, 20 ml of isopropanol was added to cap off
any unreacted NCO groups, and an additional 0.05 g stannous octoate was added. The
mixture was stirred for an additional hour at 70°C. Then the reaction mixture was
allowed to cool to room temperature and stand overnight. The xylene was filtered off
and an off-white solid was recovered.
Example 9
[0036] Into a 250 ml three-necked round-bottomed flask equipped with a mechanical stirrer,
condenser, and thermometer were charged 22.3 g (0.040 mole) N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoethyl
alcohol, 10 g (0.048 mole) trimethyl hexamethylene diisocyanate, and 100 g xylene.
The mixture was heated to 70°C, 0.05 g stannous octoate added, and the resulting mixture
stirred for 1 1/2 hours. Linolenic acid (13.36 g, 0.048 mole) was added to the mixture,
and the resulting mixture was stirred overnight at a temperature of 75°C. Additional
stannous octoate (0.05 g) was added, and the mixture stirred for two hours at 75°C.
Isopropanol (5 ml) was added to cap off any unreacted NCO groups. The reaction mixture
was allowed to cool to 30°C. White powder was filtered from the rest of the material.
The solvent was stripped and a waxy product was recovered.
Example 10
[0037] Into a 250 ml three-necked round-bottomed flask equipped with a mechanical stirrer,
condenser, and thermometer were charged 22.3 g (0.040 mole) N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoethyl
alcohol, 10 g (0.048 mole) trimethyl hexamethylene diisocyanate, and 100 g xylene.
The mixture was heated to 70°C for 15 minutes, at which time 0.05 g stannous octoate
was added. Heating was continued for three hours. 1,4-Butanediol (2.16 g, 0.024 mole)
and an additonal 0.05 g stannous octoate were added to the mixture. Heating was continued
for an additional 23 hours. Isopropanol (5 ml) was added to the reaction mixture to
cap off any unreacted NCO groups, and heating was continued for one hour. The mixture
was allowed to cool to room temperature, and the solid was filtered off from xylene.
Example 11
[0038] Into a two liter three-necked flask equipped with a large magnetic stirring bar and
a reflux condenser fitted with a Dean-Stark water collector were charged 145.0 g (0.5
equiv.) of dimer acid (Hystrene@ 3695, acid equiv. wt. 290), 139.3 g (0.25 equiv.)
of N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoethyl alcohol and 14.3 g Amberlyst 150 cation
exchange resin, and 290 ml xylenes. The reaction mixture was refluxed on a heating
mantle with vigorous stirring for two hours, at which time approximately 4.2 ml water
was collected.
[0039] The mixture was diluted with xylenes, filtered with suction on a Buchner funnel,
and the filtrate evaporated on a hot water bath in vacuo using a rotary evaporator.
An amber-colored grease (283 g) with a melting range of 51°-55°C was obtained. The
material was very soluble in chloroform and acetone, and isopropanol with warming.
A gel formed upon cooling of the isopropanol solution.
Example 12
[0040] In this example, samples of leather were treated with various fluorochemical compositions
in accordance with this invention and the properties of the treated leather tested.
For comparison, similar tests were made on untreated samples or on samples treated
with products not within the scope of this invention.
[0041] In testing the leather samples for water repellancy, a Bally Penetrometer Model 5022
(a dynamic testing machine for shoe leather uppers) was used, in which test the test
piece was alternatively buckled and stretched by a machine, like an upper leather
in actual use, while in contact with water on one side.
[0042] The leather-treating test method was as follows:
(1) Smooth, natural-tanned cowhide was first cut to form a pad having the dimensions
2-3/8 in by 2-7/8 in.
(2) The pad was then weighed.
(3) The treating composition was then applied to the face side of the pad and worked
into the leather thoroughly.
(4) The treated pad was allowed to dry in air for at least 24 hours.
(5) The treated pad was weighed to determine the coating weight.
(6) The treated pads were then evaluated with the Bally Penetrometer.
[0043] The quantities measured were:
(a) The time until water first penetrates from one side of the test piece to the other.
(b) The weight increase, in percent of the test piece weight, caused by water absorption
during predetermined time intervals.
[0044] The results of the treatments are shown in Table II.

[0045] From the foregoing Table, it is apparent that the products of Examples 1-11 impart
to leather a high degree of resistance to water. These products were formed from the
reaction of a fluorochemical alcohol with unsaturated fatty acids, isocyanates, or
a combination of both. N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoethyl alcohol, by itself,
provided no enhanced water resistance. The reaction product of saturated aliphatic
acids, e.g., stearic acid, Wax S, with N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoethyl alcohol
provided a lower degree of water resistance than did the products of this invention.
Example 13
[0046] This example compares the efficacy of the product of the present invention with commercially
available water-repellants for leather. The following ingredients, in the amounts
indicated, were mixed in a beaker to form a gel-type leather treating composition:

[0047] This treating agent, referred to as Formulation A, was compared with the commercially
available leather treating agents listed in Table III. The leather-treating test method
was the same as that employed in Example 12, and the results of the treatment comparison
is shown in Table III.
[0048]

[0049] From the foregoing Table, it is apparent that the product of the present invention
is much better than commercially available products with respect to water repellancy.
Example 14
[0050] This Example describes a leather treatment composition that can be applied as a clear
liquid. The following ingredients in the amounts indicated were introduced into a
beaker:

Example 15
[0051] This Example describes a leather treatment composition that can be applied as an
aerosol foam. The following ingredients in the amounts indicated were introduced into
a container suitable for aerosol compositions:

Example 16
[0052] This Example describes a leather treatment composition that can be applied as an
aerosol spray. The following ingredients in the amounts indicated were introduced
into a container suitable for aerosol compositions:

Example 17
[0053] This Example describes a leather treatment comosition that can be applied as a water/oil
emulsion. The following ingredients in the amounts indicated were introduced into
a beaker:

Example 18
[0054] In this example, samples of textiles were treated with the following composition
in accordance with this invention and properties of the treated textiles tested.

[0055] In testing the textile samples for water repellancy, a spray test (AATCC-22-1967)
was employed. This test was conducted as follows: -
(1) The test specimen (17.8 x 17.8 cm), conditioned at 65 + 2% relative humidity and
21 + 1°C for a minimum of four hours before testing, was fastened in a 15.2 cm metal
hoop to present a smooth wrinkle-free surface.
(2) The hoop was then placed on the stand of the AATCC Spray Tester.
(3) Two hundred fifty ml of distilled water at 27 + 1°C was poured into the funnel
of the tester and allowed to spray onto the test specimen, which took 25-30 seconds.
(4) Upon completion of the spraying period, the hoop was taken by one edge and the
opposite edge tapped against a solid object, then rotated 180° and tapped once more
on the point previously held.
(5) After tapping, the wet or spotted pattern was compared with a standard rating
chart.
[0056] The results of the treatment and the rating scale are shown in Table IV.

[0057] From the foregoing Table, it is apparent that the product of Example 1 imparts to
various textiles a high degree of resistance to water.
Example 19
[0058] In this example, wooden tongue depressors were treated with the following compositions
in accordance with this invention and properties of the treated articles tested.
COMPOSITION A
[0059]

COMPOSITION B
[0060]

[0061] The effectiveness of these compositions for water repellancy was tested by measuring
the weight percentage of water absorbed by the untreated and treated tongue depressors.
[0062] The tongue depressors were immersed in a water bath having a temperature of 60°F
for 45 minutes. Upon removal, the excess water was removed by shaking. The percentage
of water absorbed was determined by weighing the tongue depressors before and after
immersion, and multiplying the difference divided by original weight by 100.
[0063] The results are shown in Table V.

[0064] From the foregoing Table, it can be seen that the product of Example I imparts a
high level of water repellancy to wood.
[0065] Various modifications and alterations of this invention will be apparent to those
skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention.