Zwitterion compounds as catalysts in easy-care finishing
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
InventorsRobert M. Reinhardt, Donald J. Daigle
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Abstract
Zwitterions are employed as catalysts in a chemical finishing process to treat cellulosic textiles with crosslinking agents and produce easy-care properties in the finished materials. The process comprises treatment of the textile material, such as cotton fabric, by impregnating it with a solution containing a cellulose-crosslinking agent and, as catalyst a zwitterion, alone or in combination with a magnesium salt, drying and curing the fabric. Said finished fabrics are characterized by an unusual combination of useful, desirable properties--smooth-drying appearance, wrinkle resistance, serviceable strength, and inoffensive formaldehyde release.
Claims9
A process for the finishing of cellulosic fabrics to produce easy-care textiles, said process comprising:
- (a) treating the fabric by impregnating with a solution containing a cellulose-crosslinking agent, and a zwitterion,
- (b) drying the fabric, and
- (c) curing the fabric.
In a process for imparting easy-care properties to cellulosic textiles, said process, of the type wherein the textile is impregnated with an aqueous formulation containing a formaldehyde-amide cellulose-crosslinking agent and magnesium chloride, the improvement comprising:
- Adding aminomethanesulfonic acid to the formulation to provide a more efficient catalyst system that promotes the finishing reaction and yields a treated fabric with an unusual combination of smooth-drying appearance, wrinkle resistance, serviceable strength, and inoffensive formaldehyde release properties.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.