Fabric treatment for stain release

#The present invention relates to a fabric treatment composition for imparting fabric protection benefits, including stain resistance, oil repellency, water repellency, softness, wrinkle and damage resistance, and improved handfeel. The composition can be used as a pretreatment prior to washing, through soaking or direct spray application, or added to the wash or rinse cycle of an automatic washing machine, or used prior to or during the drying cycle of an automatic drying machine or refresher machine, or used prior to or in conjunction with an ironing device. The fabric treatment is complete when the fabric is cured by drying and/or heating.

#Most textile treatment agents for stain release, water repellency and oil repellency currently require industrial baths with high concentrations of chemicals followed by curing at high temperatures (substantially above 100° C.) often in commercial drying ovens. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,251,210 to Bullock et al. discloses a dual system consisting of a first treatment with at least 5 weight % fluorochemical textile agent followed by at least one secondary treatment with at least 4 weight % fluorochemical textile agent. The textile agent comprises, in addition to the fluorochemical, a urethane latex, a compatible acrylate latex and a cross-linking resin. The first treatment uses a low solids latex having a glass transition temperature from 10° C. to 35° C. The second treatment is a high solids latex having the consistency of wood glue or wallpaper paste, applied to one side of the fabric, and having a glass transition temperature from −40° C. to −10° C. This combined commercial treatment system is to produce a fabric that is liquid repellent, stain resistant, and is easy to handle.

#U.S. Pat. No. 5,047,065 to Vogel et al. describes the combination of a perfluoroaliphatic group-bearing water/oil repellent agent dispersion, an emulsifiable polyethylene dispersion, and a soft-hand extender based on a modified hydrogen alkyl polysiloxane. The compositions are padded onto fabric at a concentration of 70-150 g/L and then cured at 150° C.

#Experiments were conducted to demonstrate the superior effects of the fabric treatment composition and various application techniques that can be employed to effectively deliver the treatment composition. The data as presented in Tables 1-14 were based on compositions that did not include addition of a zeta potential modifier. Subsequent data in these examples were based on compositions with at least one zeta potential modifier. As is apparent, compositions with at least one zeta potential modifier were also very effective in imparting the beneficial protective properties to the fabrics treated.

#The examples in Table 1 illustrate compositions of the invention for addition to the laundry. The concentrations are based on the addition of 200 g of the inventive compositions to 2.72 kg of fabric in 69 liters of water in the wash or rinse cycle. Appropriate levels in compositions can be determined for other addition amounts, other levels of fabric, or other wash or rinse volume levels. Examples are given in weight percent as is, i.e., weight percent of the materials as commercially supplied as components in the final composition to achieve 100% by weight. 1 TABLE 1 Example 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ZONYL 6700a 34 5 63 27 4 50 20 3 37 15 NALAN GNb 34 63 5 27 50 4 20 37 3 15 Balance water and q.s. q.s. q.s. q.s. q.s. q.s. q.s. q.s. q.s. q.s. minorsc aCationic fluoropolymer emulsion from DuPont Chemicals (20 weight % active) bCationic paraffin wax emulsion from DuPont Chemicals (15 weight % active, melting point less than 75° C.) cMinors include surfactants, fragrance, fragrance extenders, preservatives, preservatives, antistatic agents, dyes and colorants, viscosity control agents, antioxidants, antifoaming agents, emulsifiers, brighteners, opacifiers, freeze-thaw control agents, shrinkage control agents, and mixtures thereof. (q.s. denotes “quantity sufficient” to achieve 100% by weight of the finished composition in each example noted.)

#For fabrics that already exhibit some oil or water repellency, such as those treated with the above compositions, or polyester, polyester/cotton, or other fabrics that are more hydrophobic than cotton, a reduced level of the inventive compositions can be used. The examples in Table 2 illustrate maintenance compositions of the invention for addition to the laundry. The concentrations are based on the addition 200 g of the inventive compositions to 2.72 kg of fabric in 69 liters of water in the wash or rinse cycle. 2 TABLE 2 Example 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 ZONYL 6700 7 3 11 5 1 9 4 1 7 .5 NALAN GN 7 11 3 5 9 1 4 7 1 .5 Balance water q.s. q.s. q.s. q.s. q.s. q.s. q.s. q.s. q.s. q.s. and minors