Bleaching and dyeing; fluid treatment and chemical modification – Chemical modification of textiles or fibers or products thereof – Cellulose fibers
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-08
2002-12-31
Delcotto, Gregory (Department: 1751)
Bleaching and dyeing; fluid treatment and chemical modification
Chemical modification of textiles or fibers or products thereof
Cellulose fibers
Reexamination Certificate
active
06500212
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the use of a treatment composition comprising a hydroxy urea or hydroxy amide compound in the treatment of a material to reduce wrinkles, impart temporary crease resistance and improve fabric hand (feel), and increase moisture absorbance. More specifically, the method of the invention involves applying a solution of the hydroxy compound to a material, and allowing the material to dry at ambient temperature, without the application of an external heat source.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Clothing, fabric, and other materials, free of wrinkles are viewed in a more favorable light than the same materials that are wrinkled. Thus there have been many methods developed to reduce wrinkles on clothing and other materials, and to develop materials resistant to wrinkling. The use of thermosetting resins or reactants to impart crease resistance and dimensional stability to textile materials is well-known in the art. These materials, known as “aminoplast resins”, include the products of the reaction of formaldehyde with such compounds as urea, thiourea, ethylene urea, dihydroxyethylene urea, melamines or the like. A serious drawback to the use of such materials is that they contain free formaldehyde. This is present during the preparation and storage of the finishing agent and its use in treating textiles, on the treated fabric, and on the finished garments. Also, when the fabrics or garments made therefrom are stored under humid conditions, additional free formaldehyde is produced.
The presence of even less than one percent of free formaldehyde, based on the total weight of the product, is undesirable, not only because of its unpleasant odor, but because it is an allergen and an irritant, causing severe reactions in the operators who manufacture the agent and who treat and handle the treated fabrics and to persons who handle and wear garments fabricated from the treated fabrics.
Solutions containing lubricants such as silicone compounds are known to reduce interfiber friction, allowing fibers to slide past each other and thereby reducing wrinkling. Such compounds are described in the art such as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,968,404, and in WO 11/24857.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,749 describes compositions containing a poly-functional molecule having at least two functional groups selected from carboxyl, anhydride and amine which is crosslinked using a (hydroxyalkyl)urea crosslinking agent. U.S. Pat. No. 5,965,466 describes the use of hydroxyalkyl urea and/or &bgr;-hydroxyalkylamide for imparting permanent press properties to a textile containing cellulose fibers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,917 describes &bgr;-hydroxyalkylamides as curing agents for polymers containing one or more carboxy or anhydride functions. These references require a heating step following application of the composition to the fabric, in order to effect a cross-linking reaction.
Treating textiles with resin compositions that do not contain or evolve formaldehyde is also known, as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,260,565 which describes finishing agents formed by the reaction of alkyl or aryl ureas or thioureas with glyoxal. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,332,586 and 4,300,898 describe alkylated glyoxal/cyclic urea condensates as crosslinking agents for textiles. U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,846 describes a finishing agent for textiles which is prepared by reacting urea or symmetrically disubstituted ureas in an aqueous solution with glyoxal. These agents, however, have the disadvantage of having marginal permanent press properties. Finishing agents formed by the reaction of ethylene urea with glyoxal are described in Japanese publication No. 5 3044-567, but they too do not have satisfactory properties.
Copending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/456,358 describes a textile antiwrinkling composition containing polyhydroxyalkyl urea crease resistance agents having at least two urea moities.
There is a need for a material treatment composition which can be applied to a material to reduce wrinkles and impart temporary permanent press properties, without the need to follow the application with the addition of an external heat source. Ideally the treatment composition should be one which does not emit formaldehyde. Surprisingly, it has been found that a hydroxy urea or hydroxy amide compound, when applied to a fabric by means such as a spray, will reduce wrinkles, without the need for the addition of an external heat source. This method provides consumers the ability to provide crease resistance properties easily and cost-effectively to clothing at home, and even the ability to reduce wrinkles on clothing being worn. Furthermore, there is a need for anti-wrinkling treatments that do not discolor the fabric. Additionally the treatment should not negatively impact stain removal unlike the silicones that are difficult to clean because they attract oily stains. Finally, there is a need for a material that does not leave the fabric with an oily type of finish. The method of the present invention fulfills these needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method of treating a material which comprises applying to the material an amount of a treatment composition which is effective to impart temporary crease resistance. The treatment composition comprises a hydroxy compound which is either a hydroxy urea or a hydroxy amide. The material treatment composition may be applied to clothing, fabric, and textiles; and without the need of an external heat source, reduce wrinkles and provide the material temporary crease resistance. In addition, there is no build-up of the composition on clothes or irons, and no residual flaking is noted, even on dark fabric. The treated material also has a tactile sensation of feeling soft, and increased moisture absorbance. Moreover, there is no discoloration of the fabric and the material does not hold on to oily stains unlike the silicones typically used.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method for imparting wrinkle reduction, permanent press properties, and improved feel, and increased moisture absorbance to a material. As used herein, “crease resistance” shall be synonymous with wrinkle resistance, durable press, dimensional stability, shrinkage resistance, and wrinkle recovery. The method involves applying a treatment composition of a hydroxy compound to a material, and allowing the material to dry at ambient temperature without application of an external heat source, to impart crease resistance properties to the material. The treatment composition is essentially free of formaldehyde and may be applied in the form of a solution or neat.
The material treated by the method of the present invention consists of a natural or synthetic material. The material may be a material such a leather, or a fibrous material. Fibrous materials may be natural, synthetic, or a mixture thereof. Such material includes, but is not limited to, fabrics, textiles, non-wovens, and finished products made from these materials. The material preferably is a cellulosic fabric or textile, and may be woven or non-woven, and includes 100 percent cellulosic fabrics, for example, cotton, rayon, and linen, as well as blends, for example, polyester/cotton or polyester/rayon . The fibrous material may also be a non-cellulosic natural or synthetic fiber, such as for example nylon, silk, and polyester. Both white and colored (printed, dyed, yarn-dyed, cross-dyed, etc.) materials can be effectively treated with the material treatment composition of the present invention. The materials may comprise new or used clothing including previously worn clothing and/or laundered clothing.
The hydroxy compound is either a hydroxy urea or a hydroxy amide. The hydroxy urea useful in the present invention is one containing one urea functionality and at least one hydroxyl functionality. The term urea, as used herein, refers to a N—CO—N moiety in which the other two bonds on each nitrogen atom form additional attachments, as for example those found in the illustrations and examples herein. The urea and hydroxyl functional
Goodson Susanne
Rodrigues Klein A.
Delcotto Gregory
Kumar Preeti
National Starch and Chemical Investment Holding Corporation
Roland, Esq. Thomas F.
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