A process for imparting durable press properties to cellulose or cellulose-containing textile materials and the materials having such properties.

This invention relates to chemical processing of cellulose or cellulose containing <ul id="ul0001" list-style="none"><li>textile materials for example in cellulose or cellulose-containing textile fibres or fabrics, to impart durable press properties thereto, e.g. such properties as wrinkle resistance and wrinkle recovery while retaining the natural properties of the untreated textile materials.</li></ul>

Conventional fabric durable press reagents in commercial use usually contain aminoplasts and/or emulsion copolymers containing methylol acrylamide, both of which materials emit formaldehyde upon curing. There is increasing concern resulting from reports in the chemical literature of the toxicity, carcinogenicity, and mutagenicity of formaldehyde so there is an industry-wide need for a formaldehyde- free durable press system.

U.S. Patent 2,475,846 discloses the preparation of activated bisvinyl compounds such as, for example, methylenebisacrylamide. The use of this compound alone for the durable press treatment of cotton is also known as is reported by J.W.Frick et al., Textile Research J., 27, 92 (1957).

U.S. Patent 3,678,098 and related U.S. Patent 3,694,393 disclose the use of the quaternary monomer, or polymers containing units of the quaternary monomer, produced by reacting an epohalohydrin with acid salts of a dimethylaminoal.kyl (meth)acrylate, in making paper and yarn and U.S. Patent 4,014,645 discloses coatings containing the same quaternary monomer and/or copolymers thereof for fabrics. However, the use of these materials in durable press treating systems was not contemplated.

The use of conventional polymers for improved crease recovery in fabrics is disclosed by R.Steele and C.L. Browne in American Dyestuff Reporter, 45, 525 (1956) and by W.K.Walsh et al.in Textile Research J., 39,1126 (1969). These disclosures are not concerned with the use of the quaternary monomer, or polymers thereof described above.

U.S. Patent 4,108,748 discloses treating cotton cellulose fabrics with acrylamide solution in a solvent mixture of water and N,N-dimethylformamide and then subjecting the wet impregnated acrylated cotton to ultraviolet light to yield crosslinked durable press cotton fabrics with improved wrinkle recovery angles with minimum losses in breaking strength of the chemically modified cotton fabrics.

It is an object of the invention to provide cellulose or cellulose-containing we have now found, a process for producing/textile materials such as fibres and fabrics, both woven and non-woven having durable press properties, especially improved wrinkle recovery angles and appearance, which comprises applying to the/textile material a composition comprising (a) 1-25% by weight, based on dry weight of the untreated material, of activated water-soluble bisvinyl compound, and (b) 0.2-25% by weight, based on dry weight of the untreated material, of (1) copolymer having a Tg of less than 20°C containing 0.25-99.5% by weight, based on weight of copolymer, of units of quaternary monomer produced by reacting epihalohydrin of the formula, X-CH₂- <chemistry id="chem0001" num="0001"><img file="EP0057792A2_D0001.tif" /></chemistry> with ammonium salt of the formula, CH2=C(R)C(O)O-A-N (CH₃)₂HY, wherein R is H or methyl, A is a (C₂-C₆)-alkylene group to provide at least two carbons in a chain between the adjoining O and N atoms or A is a polyoxyethylene group, (CH₂CH₂O)_nCH₂CH₂, wherein n is an integer or, in a mixture, an average number, of at least 1, X is iodine, bromine, or chlorine, and Y is an anion, or (2) the product .of reaction of copolymer containing units of the ammonium salt with said epihalohydrin, and (c) sufficient aqueous base to effect a pH of about 9-12; drying the treated textile material at a temperature of 100-150°C; and curing the composition by heating the treated textile material at a temperature of 130-200°C, preferably 130 to 150°_C.

The invention is applicable to the treatment of cellulose or cellulose-containing textile materials such as fibres or fabrics, both woven and non-woven.

In accordance with the present invention, a textile treating composition comprising an activated water-soluble bisvinyl compound in combination with, and reacted with, a polymer .of quaternary monomer under alkaline conditions, and then dried and heat-cured has been found to provide advantageous durable press properties in cotton and cotton- containing fabrics.

Suitable activated bisvinyl compounds include N,N-methylenebisacrylamide, N,N'-(l,2-dihydroxyethylene)bis-acrylamide, diacrylamidoacetic acid, and divinyl sulfone. Preferably, the bisvinyl compound is N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide, N,N'-(1,2-dihydroxyethylene)bisacrylamide, or diacrylamidoacetic acid. The preferred range is 3 to 10% by weight of the dry untreated textile material.

Suitable copolymers of-Tg less than 20°C;containing units of quaternary monomer produced by reacting the epihalohydrin with an acid salt of dimethyl- aminoalkyl (meth)acrylate compound are disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,678,098. The copolymer is to be regarded as containing units of the quaternary monomer produced by the reaction of the epihalohydrin X-CH₂<chemistry id="chem0002" num="0002"><img file="EP0057792A2_D0002.tif" /></chemistry> with hydrogen acid salt of the ester CH₂=C(R)C(O)O-A-N(CH₃)₂HY wherein the groups X, R, A, Y and n are as defined above, irrespective of whether the copolymer is prepared from the quaternary monomer itself or whether copolymer containing units of the hydrogen-acid salt ester is reacted with the epihalohydrin. This copolymer component is preferably used in an amount of 0.5-10% by weight of the weight of the dry untreated material.

As is disclosed in U.S. 3,678,098, the copolymer may contain, in addition to units of the quaternary monomer, units of other polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomers, especially those which can be introduced by emulsion polymerisation procedures, including vinyl esters of aliphatic acids, esters of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, vinyl aromatic hydrocarbons, acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile, acrylamide and methacrylamide and N-methylol derivatives thereof, to name only a few suitable examples. Preferably, the copolymer component contains 1 to 10% by weight of units of the quaternary monomer and 99 to 90% by weight of monomers of alkyl acrylate, particularly, (C₁-C₁₈)-alkyl acrylate.

The copolymer component is activated by treatment . with sufficient aqueous base to result in a pH of 9 to 12. Aqueous solutions containing 0.25-2% sodium metaborate, sodium tetraborate, sodium hydroxide, or sodium bicarbonate are suitable for this purpose.

The following Examples illustrate a few preferred embodiments of the present invention. All parts and percentages are by weight and all temperatures are in degrees Centigrade unless otherwise indicated.

Fabrics used in the Examples were (1) 65 Dacron ®54 polyester/35 cotton broadcloth (density = 100 g/m²) (Fabric A), and (2) 50 Dacron ®54 polyester/50 cotton broadcloth (density 187 g/m²) (Fabric B).

The following durable press reagents were used: <ul id="ul0002" list-style="none"><li>MBA = N,N'-methylene bisacrylamide</li><li>DHEBA = N,N'-(1,2-dihydroxyethylene)bisacrylamide DAAA = diacrylamidoacetic acid</li><li>Permafresh ®183 and Permafresh ®113B = dimethyl- oldihydrooxycyclicethyleneurea (DMDHEU) available from Sun Chemical Corp. (used with 3.6% buffered zinc nitrate solution)</li><li>Polymer A = 97EA/3 dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate (DMAEMA) quaternized with epichlorohydrin (46% solids)</li><li>Polymer B = 97BA/3 DMAEMA - epichlorohydrin</li><li>Polymer C = 92BA/5EA/3 DMAEMA - epichlorohydrin, (Tg = -47°C)</li><li>Polymer D = 97EA/3 DMAEMA - epichlorohydrin (60% solids) (T = -16°C)</li></ul>

EXAMPLE I: Crease Recovery Angles and Durable Press Ratings

This example illustrates the treatment of the Dacron 54/cotton fabrics with durable press reagents according to the invention and compares them with those obtainable with prior art reagents. Fabrics were saturated with the treatment solution, passed through pad rolls, and fastened to pin frames. The treated fabrics were dried at 110 C/5 min. and cured at 160°C/5 min. in forced draft ovens. They were then removed from the pin frames and washed one cycle or five cycles in an automatic washer with 0.01% Triton X-100 (Rohm and Haas Company) non-ionic surfactant to remove unreacted materials. Add-on of durable press reagent was determined from conditioned (21.11°C [70°F] and 65% relative humidity) weights of fabric before and after treatment.

Wrinkle Recovery Angles (WRA) and Durable Press Appearance (Durable Press Rating) were determined by American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) Methods 66-1968 and 124-1969, respectively, and the results are set forth in Table I which follows: <tables id="tabl0001" num="0001"><img file="EP0057792A2_D0003.tif" /></tables>

The results in Table I show that the use.of N,N'- methylenebisacrylamide or diacrylamidoacetic acid with a polymer according to the invention provides improved wrinkle recovery angles and durable press ratings when compared to the use of the components separately.

EXAMPLE II: Effect of Catalyst and Fabric

This example, wherein the fabrics are treated as in Example I above, illustrates the effect of the nature of the catalyst and of the fabric treated. The results in Table II below show that the treatment according to the invention is effective with various base levels and types and fabric composition. <tables id="tabl0002" num="0002"><img file="EP0057792A2_D0004.tif" /></tables><tables id="tabl0003" num="0003"><img file="EP0057792A2_D0005.tif" /></tables>