Bleaching and dyeing; fluid treatment and chemical modification – Chemical modification of textiles or fibers or products thereof
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-14
2004-07-27
Mruk, Brian P. (Department: 1751)
Bleaching and dyeing; fluid treatment and chemical modification
Chemical modification of textiles or fibers or products thereof
C008S115600, C008S115560, C008S133000, C510S101000, C510S278000, C510S475000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06767371
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to textile material, to methods of treating fabric in order to obtain the textile material, to the use of thermoplastic elastomers for improving the crease recovery properties and/or elasticity of a fabric and to fabric care compositions, which comprise a thermoplastic elastomer.
The creasing of fabrics is an almost inevitable consequence of cleaning fabrics, such as in a domestic laundering process. Fabrics also become creased in wear. Creasing can be a particular problem for fabrics, which contain cellulosic fibres such as cotton, because the creasing is often difficult to remove. Generally, the creases, which are developed in a fabric during laundering, are removed by ironing. However, because ironing is seen as a time consuming chore, there is an increasing trend for fabrics to be designed such that the need for ironing is reduced and/or the effort required for ironing is lower.
Compositions for reducing the wrinkling of fabric are described in WO 96/15309 and WO 96/15310. The compositions contain a silicone and a film-forming polymer and it appears that it is the lubricating effect of the silicone, which is responsible for their anti-wrinkle properties. This conclusion is supported by the fact that a wide variety of polymers is mentioned as being suitable for use in the compositions.
Industrial treatments of fabrics to reduce their tendency to crease are known. JP-A-04-50234 describes a textile treatment in which the crease resistance of a plain weave cotton fabric is increased by applying a so-called “shape memory resin” to the fabric. However, this document teaches that the resin is applied to the fabric at a relatively high amount of 10% by weight on weight of fabric and it is not clear how this level of resin affects other properties of the fabric. Furthermore, treatment of the fabric with the resins is followed by a step of drying at 80° C. and the shape memory function is described as being heat-sensitive, with deformations at normal temperatures being restored to the original shape on heating at a specific temperature.
A relationship between polymer elastic properties and the ability to impart improved wrinkle recovery to cotton fabric is described by Rawls et al in Journal of Applied Polymer Science, vol. 15, pages 341-349 (1971). A variety of different elastomers was applied to fabric and, particularly in the few cases where thermoplastic elastomers were used, the polymers were applied to the fabric at the relatively high levels of 4% and above. There is no indication that any benefit would be obtained in applying polymers to the fabric at lower levels and no suggestion as to practical applications of the technique.
The treatment of fabrics with cross-linking agents in order to impart antiwrinkle properties is known. Compounds such as formaldehyde-based polymers, DMDHEU (dimethylol dihydroxy ethylene urea) and BTCA (butyl-1,2,3,4-tetracarboxylic acid) may be used as the cross-linking agent. However, these treatments have the disadvantage of reducing the tensile strength of the fabrics.
Our co-pending application GB 9927903.6 describes the use of thermoplastic elastomers on fabric and in fabric care compositons.
The present invention aims to reduce the tendency for fabrics to become wrinkled or creased.
The invention further aims to reduce the deleterious effects on elasticity and tensile strength of fabrics, which some conventional anti-wrinkle treatments impart. The invention may also provide a degree of shape retention in the fabric.
According to the present invention, there is provided a fabric care composition comprising a thermoplastic elastomer and a terpene.
In another aspect of the invention is provided a process for treating fabric in which the fabric is coated with the composition in the paragraph above.
Also provided by the invention is the use of a composition fabric care composition comprising a thermoplastic elastomer and a terpene, to improve the crease recovery properties and/or elasticity and/or tensile strength of a fabric.
Preferably, the textile material used in the invention is suitable for use in a garment or is part or all of a garment itself. The fabric may be woven or knitted (both of which terms are intended to be covered by the generic term “textile material”, as used herein) and preferably comprises a cellulosic fibre, such as cotton eg, in an amount of 50% to 100%, such as 75% to 100% for example. If the fabric contains less than 100% cellulosic fibres, the balance may be of any natural or synthetic fibres or a mixture thereof, such as polyamide or polyester, for example.
The polymer composition comprises a thermoplastic elastomer. The composition may contain other components, for example other polymers which impart benefits to the fabric when it is used in a garment. The composition may be substantially free of lubricating polymers such as silicones.
The thermoplastic elastomer is desirably non-crosslinked and is preferably a block copolymer. The elastomer can be linear, branched, and radial or star shaped in topology but is preferably linear. More preferably, the elastomer comprises at least two hard blocks linked by one soft block (eg, an ABA block copolymer). The hard blocks are of a material that, on its own (i.e., as a single polymer), is hard at room temperature but becomes fluid on heating. The soft blocks comprise a softer material that, on its own, is rubber-like at room temperature. Preferably, the percentage by weight of the hard blocks in the polymer is from 2 to 98%, more preferably from 5 to 95%, most preferably from 10 to 90%.
Conveniently, the polymers have a molecular weight of from 1,000 to 2,000,000, preferably from 2,000 to 1,000,000 and most preferably from 3,000 to 500,000.
The hard blocks of the thermoplastic elastomer preferably comprise aromatic rings, optionally substituted. Thus, the hard blocks may be, for example, polymers or copolymers of styrene or of derivatives of styrene. Alternative hard blocks include, for example, polymers and copolymers comprising poly(methyl methacrylate).
The soft blocks are conveniently polymers or copolymers of branched or unbranched C
2
to C
6
alkenes, C
4
to C
8
alkadienes, C
2
to C
6
alkylene diols or C
2
to C
8
alkylene oxides. Preferably, the soft blocks are polymers or copolymers of ethene, propene, butane, butadiene (cis or trans) or isoprene (cis or trans). If the soft block is a polymer or copolymer of butadiene or isoprene, the butadiene or isoprene residues may be fully or partially hydrogenated.
Suitable thermoplastic elastomers include block copolymers of styrene-isoprene-styrene; styrene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-ethylene/butadiene-styrene, styrene-ethylene-styrene, styrene-ethylene/propylene-styrene, styrene-propylene-styrene and styrene-butylene-styrene and block polymers selected from polyurethane's, polyesters, polyamides and polypropylene/ethylene-propylene.
In the present invention, the thermoplastic elastomer is preferably applied to the fabric such that from 0.01% to 2% by weight on weight of fabric of the thermoplastic elastomer is coated onto the fabric. Advantageously, lower levels of thermoplastic elastomer can be applied eg, from 0.01% to 1.5% preferably 0.01% to 1%, more preferably 0.1% to 1%. Generally, the thermoplastic elastomer will at least partially coat individual fibres. At these levels of application, the physical properties of the fabric which make it suitable for use in a garment are retained (ie, the overall feel and appearance of the fabric remains substantially unchanged) but, unexpectedly, the fabric has improved crease recovery properties.
The crease recovery properties of a fabric treated according to the present invention are improved relative to fabric not so treated. Treatment of the fabric typically reduces the tendency of the fabric to remain creased. Thus, following treatment according to the invention, the crease recovery angle, which is a measure of the degree to which a fabric returns to its original shape following creasing, increases. The fabric may still require a degree of treatmen
Ferguson Paul
Kukulj Dax
Bornstein Alan A.
Mruk Brian P.
Unilever Home & Personal Care USA , division of Conopco, Inc.
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