Synthetic resins or natural rubbers -- part of the class 520 ser – Synthetic resins – Polymers from only ethylenic monomers or processes of...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-10
2002-04-30
Michl, Paul R. (Department: 1714)
Synthetic resins or natural rubbers -- part of the class 520 ser
Synthetic resins
Polymers from only ethylenic monomers or processes of...
C524S544000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06380336
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a composition comprising a fluoroaliphatic radical-containing agent and a monomer that contains an anhydride or is capable of forming an anhydride functional group for imparting water and oil repellency to fibrous substrates and other materials treated therewith through the formation of an ester, amide, thioester, or similar bond to the substrate. In another aspect, this invention relates to a method of using such composition to treat such substrates and materials, and in another aspect it relates to the so-treated substrates and materials. In yet a further aspect, a durable softener/extender is used to improve the water-repellent properties of the composition and to improve the hand.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The treatment of fibrous substrates with fluorochemical compositions to impart water and oil repellency is known; see, for example, Banks, Ed., Organofluorine Chemicals and Their Industrial Applications, Ellis Horwood Ltd., Chichester, England, 1979, pp. 226-234.
Generally, copolymers having a water- and oil-repellence are copolymers each comprising a (meth)acrylate monomer containing a perfluoroalkyl group capable of directly giving a water- and oil-repellence, a fluorine-free monomer capable of improving an adhesiveness to the surfaces of materials to be treated such as fibers, etc., through an affinity thereto, and a monomer capable of giving a durability through self-crosslinking or reaction with reactive groups on the surface of the materials to be treated, typical of which are copolymers having N-methylol groups combined with the main chain, such as copolymers of perfluoroalkyl group-containing (meth)acrylate and N-methylol acrylamide-based copolymers. However, when the fibrous or other substrate is treated with these copolymers, formaldehyde is produced, which is highly undesirable from an environmental and safety standpoint.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a novel copolymer capable of forming a water- and oil-repellent agent that enables binding to fibrous substrates and other materials without the production of formaldehyde.
The novel copolymer according to the present invention comprises a) a 20 fluoroaliphatic radical-containing agent, (b) stearyl (meth)acrylate; (c) a chlorine-containing compound, such as vinylidene chloride, vinyl chloride, 2-chloroethylacrylate, or 2-chloroethyl vinyl ether; and (d) a monomer selected from those containing an anhydride functional group or capable of forming an anhydride functional group.
The copolymer may be further copolymerized with i) hydroxyalkyl (meth)acrylate to increase the performance and permanency of the resulting copolymer, ii) a compound such as poly(ethylene glycol) (meth)acrylate to improve solubility of the copolymer in water, and/or iii) a chain terminator, such as dodecanethiol, mercaptosuccinic acid, or other similar compounds, which acts to keep the molecular weight of the polymer low so that it is more readily dispersible in water and can better penetrate the fabric.
The present invention further provides a water- and oil-repellency-imparting composition for fibrous and other substrates, the composition comprising the above copolymer together with a catalyst, such as sodium hypophosphite, for forming anhydrides from the acid-containing monomers in the copolymer.
The composition can further optionally comprise other additives such as, for example, poly(acrylic acid), which has been found by the applicants to increase the performance and durability of the polymer by an unknown mechanism, possibly (without being bound by theory) by “tacking” the copolymer to the surface of the fabric. Other optional additives include an antioxidant, such as ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), to reduce substrate yellowing; a permanent softener/extender to improve the hand of the substrate and increase water repellency; a surfactant to emulsify the polymer in water; wetting agents; and/or a plasticizer.
The composition can be applied, e.g., to a fibrous substrate by contacting the substrate with the composition, for example, by immersing it in a bath of the composition or by spraying the composition onto the substrate. The treated substrate is then cured to remove the solvent therefrom and allow reaction with the textile.
The composition of this invention imparts desirable water and oil repellency to the substrates treated therewith without adversely affecting other desirable properties of the substrate, such as soft hand (or feeling). The composition allows for nonformaldehyde-releasing binding to cotton and other substrates. The composition of the present invention can be used for providing water and oil repellency to fibrous substrates such go as textiles, papers, non-woven articles or leather.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The fluoroaliphatic radical-containing agents may be chosen from any of those that are useful for the treatment of fabrics to obtain repellency of water and oily and aqueous stains. Fluoroaliphatic radical-containing agents include condensation polymers such as polyesters, polyamides or polyepoxides and vinyl polymers such as acrylates, methacrylates or polyvinyl ethers. Further examples of such fluoroaliphatic radical-containing water and oil repellency-imparting agents include those formed by the reaction of perfluoroaliphatic thioglycols with diisocyanates to provide perfluoroaliphatic group-bearing polyurethanes. Another group of compounds which can be used are fluoroaliphatic radical-containing N-methylolcondensation products. Further examples include fluoroaliphatic radical-containing polycarbodiimides, which can be obtained by, for example, reaction of perfluoroaliphatic sulfonamido alkanols with polyisocyanates in the presence of suitable catalysts.
The fluorochemical component is preferably selected from one or more fluoroaliphatic radical-containing acrylate or methacrylate monomers. Such compounds have the structure of Formula I, below:
In the compound of Formula I, for example:
m is 0 to 2;
n is 0 or1;
o is 0 to 2;
A is —SO
2
—, —N(W)—SO
2
—, —CONH—, —CH
2
, or —CF
2
—;
R is a linear, branched, or cyclic fluorocarbon, including fully or partially fluoronated hydrocarbons, wherein R may be, for example, a C
1
, to C
30
fluorocarbon;
W is hydrogen or C
1
-C
4
lower alkyl; and
X is acrylate or methacrylate.
Fluoroaliphatic radical-containing agents are available commercially or they may be synthesized. Commerically available agents include FX-13, a fluorinated acrylate from Minnesota Minerals and Mining Co.; Zonyl TA-N, a fluorinated acrylate from DuPont; and FAVE™ products from AlliedSignal (Morristown, N.J.).
The fluoroaliphatic radical-containing agent as component (a) of the present copolymer is copolymerized in such a proportion as to take about 30 to about 70% by weight, preferably about 35 to about 65% by weight, of the copolymer.
Stearyl (meth)acrylate as component (b) of the present copolymer is copolymerized in such a proportion as to take about 25 to about 60% by weight, preferably about 30 to about 60% by weight, of the copolymer.
The chlorine-containing compound as component (c) of the present copolymer is copolymerized in such a proportion as to take about 1 to about 25% by weight, preferably about 5 to about 20% by weight, of the polymer.
The monomer as component (d) of the present copolymer is selected from those monomers that contain an anhydride functional group or are capable of forming an anhydride functional group. Such monomers can include carboxylic acids and carboxylic acid anhydrides and can be, but are not limited to, maleic acid, maleic anhydride, acrylic acid, itaconic acid, bisacrylamidoacetic acid, 3-butene-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid, 2-carboxyethyl acrylate, methacrylic acid, acrylic anhydride, allylsuccinic anhydride, citraconic anhydride, methacrylic anhydride, 4-methacryloxyethyl trimellitic anhydride, 4,4′-hexafluoro-isopropylidenebisphthalic anhydride, and the like. The monomer is copolymerized in such a proportion as to take about 1 to about 10% by weight, prefera
Offord David A.
Soane David S.
Larson Jacqueline S.
Michl Paul R.
Nano-Tex, LLC
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