(19)
(11) EP 0 208 423 B1

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(45) Mention of the grant of the patent:
30.08.1989 Bulletin 1989/35

(21) Application number: 86304454.1

(22) Date of filing: 11.06.1986
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)4: D06M 15/427

(54)

Process for treating textile fabrics and compositions for use therein

Verfahren zum Behandeln von textilen Produkten und in diesem Verfahren zu verwendende Zusammensetzungen

Procédé de traitement de matériaux textiles et compositions à utiliser dans ce procédé

(84) Designated Contracting States:
BE DE FR IT NL

(30) Priority: 11.07.1985 GB 8517585

(43) Date of publication of application:
14.01.1987 Bulletin 1987/03

(73) Proprietor: BIP CHEMICALS LIMITED
Manchester M3 2NL (GB)

(72) Inventors:
  • Shaw, John Thomas
    Kingswinford West Midlands DY6 9BH (GB)
  • Durrant, John
    Stretford Manchester, M32 8LJ (GB)

(74) Representative: Newman, Dennis Daniel Ernest et al
3 Lower Goodwin Close Harwood
GB-Bolton, Lancashire BL2 4HQ
GB-Bolton, Lancashire BL2 4HQ (GB)


(56) References cited: : 
GB-A- 905 044
GB-A- 1 389 834
 GB-A- 927 166
US-A- 4 104 443
   
       
    Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention).


    Description


    [0001] This invention relates to a process for treating textile fabrics to impart crease-resistance or shrink-resistance to them, and to a composition for use in such a process.

    [0002] In one well known process for treating a textile fabric to impart crease-resistance or shrink-resistance to it, the fabric is impregnated with a solution of a uron resin of the formula

    where R1 and R2 are -H, -CH20H or -CH20R3, R3 being an alkyl group having one to four carbon atoms, and the resin is subsequently cured in the fabric. Curing ordinarily entails heating the impregnated fabric in the presence of a resin-curing catalyst (usually an acid-reacting material), and it is often found that during heating there is a build-up of solids deposited from the impregnating solution onto heated elements such as roller-driers or the pins or clips which support the fabric during its passage through the curing chamber.

    [0003] According to the present invention, such build-up is reduced by including in the impregnating solution a polyhydric alcohol (subsequently called 'a polyol') having from 2 to 4 carbon atoms, for example ethylene glycol, propane diol (1,2 or 1,3), butane diol (1,2; 1,3; or 1,4), glycerol or diethylene glycol.

    [0004] Preferably the polyol is employed in an amount forming 0.5 to 30%, particularly 2-25%, by weight of the uron resin.

    [0005] The invention is specially applicable to the treatment of cellulosic fabrics such as cotton, linen, rayon and polyester/cotton.

    [0006] The invention is further illustrated by the following examples, in which parts are parts by weight.

    EXAMPLE 1



    [0007] 100 parts of a commercially available uron resin, being an aqueous solution (85% solids) of N,N'- di(methoxymethyl) uron, were mixed with 5 parts of diethylene glycol. To 70 parts of the resulting mixture were added as catalyst 21 parts of a 30% aqueous solution of magnesium chloride, the mixture thus formed being then diluted to one litre with water.

    EXAMPLE 2



    [0008] The aqueous composition obtained from Example 1 was applied in an entirely conventional way (by a two-bowl pad mangle) to a fabric made from 50/50 polyester/cotton blended fibre, so as to leave in the fabric 60% of its own weight of the impregnating solution. The impregnated fabric was then taken up and pulled out to the desired width by a conventional pin stenter and submitted to a conventional drying and curing operation (30 seconds at 180°C) in a drying chamber. It was found that, even after several hours running, there was no substantial build up of solid material on the pins of the stenter.

    [0009] The polyol had no apparent adverse effect on the fabric, and did not affect the degree of cure of the resin. Additionally, tests on the fabric by the procedure of AHTCC and Shirley Institute showed a reduction of about 50% on both free and released formaldehyde in the fabric.


    Claims

    1. A process for treating a textile fabric to impart crease-resistance or shrink-resistance thereto, by impregnating the fabric with a solution of a uron resin of the formula

    where R1 and R2 are -H or -CH20H or -CH2OR3, Rs being an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and subsequently heat-curing the resin in the fabric, wherein the uron resin solution additionally contains a polyol having 2 to 4 carbon atoms.
     
    2. A process according to claim 1, in which the polyol forms 0.5 to 30% by weight of the uron resin.
     
    3. A process according to claim 2, in which the polyol forms 2-25% by weight of the uron resin.
     
    4. A process according to any of claims 1 to 3, in which the polyol is ethylene glycol, a propane diol, a butane diol, or glycerol.
     
    5. A process according to any of claims 1 to 3, in which the polyol is diethylene glycol.
     
    6. A process according to any of claims 1 to 5, in which the uron resin is one in which R1 and R2 are both methoxymethyl groups.
     
    7. A composition suitable for use in the process of claim 1, comprising a uron resin of the formula there defined and a polyol having 2 to 4 carbon atoms.
     


    Ansprüche

    1. Verfahren zur Behandlung einer Textilware, um ihr Knitterfestigkeit oder Schrumpffestigkeit zu erteilen, durch Imprägnieren der Ware mit einer Lösung eines Uronharzes der Formel

    worin R1 und R2 die Gruppen -H oder -CH20H oder -CH2OR3 sind und Rs eine Alkylgruppe mit 1 bis 4 Kohlenstoffatomen bedeutet, und anschließendes Hitzehärten des Harzes in der Ware, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Uronharzlösung zusätzlich ein Polyol mit 2 bis 4 Kohlenstoffatomen enthält.
     
    2. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Polyol 0,5 bis 30 Gew.-% des Uronharzes darstellt.
     
    3. Verfahren nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Polyol 2 bis 25 Gew.-% des Uronharzes darstellt.
     
    4. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Polyol Ethylenglykol, ein Propandiol, ein Butandiol oder Glycerin ist.
     
    5. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Polyol Diethylenglykol ist.
     
    6. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Uronharz ein solches ist, worin Ri und R2 beide Methoxymethylgruppen darstellen.
     
    7. Zusammensetzung, geeignet zur Verwendung im Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, enthaltend ein Uronharz der dort definierten Formel und ein Polyol mit 2 bis 4 Kohlenstoffatomen.
     


    Revendications

    1. Procédé de traitement d'un tissu textile afin de lui conférer de la résistance au froissage ou au rétrécissement, en imprégnant le tissu avec une solution d'une résine urone de formule

    dans laquelle R1 et R2 représentent -H ou -CH2OH ou -CH2OR3, Ra étant un groupe alkyle ayant de 1 à 4 atomes de carbone, et en chauffant ensuite la résine dans le tissu, procédé dans lequel la solution de résine urone contient en outre un polyol ayant de 2 à 4 atomes de carbone.
     
    2. Procédé selon la revendication 1, dans lequel le polyol constitue de 0,5 à 30% en poids de la résine urone.
     
    3. Procédé selon la revendication 2, dans lequel le polyol constitue de 2 à 25% en poids de la résine urone.
     
    4. Procédé selon l'une des revendications 1 à 3, dans lequel le polyol est de l'éthylène-glycol, un propanediol, un butanediol ou de la glycérine.
     
    5. Procédé selon l'une des revendications 1 à 3, dans lequel le polyol est du diéthylène-glycol.
     
    6. Procédé selon l'une des revendications 1 à 5, dans lequel la résine urone est une résine dont les restes R1 et R2 sont tous deux des groupes méthoxyméthyle.
     
    7. Composition propre à être utilisée dans le procédé de la revendication 1, contenant une résine urone correspondant à la formule donnée dans cette revendication et un polyol ayant de 2 à 4 atomes de carbone.