# US 4,396,390 A · Aqueous formaldehyde textile finishing process > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,396,390 A - Document ID: US4396390A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/299,477 - Filed: 1981-09-04 - Granted: 1983-08-02 - Earliest claimed: 1981-09-04 - Assignees: Springs Mills, Inc. - Inventors: James E. Hendrix; George L. Payet - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4396390A ## CPC - D06M 13/127: Mono-aldehydes, e.g. formaldehyde; Monoketones - D06M: TREATMENT, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE IN CLASS D06, OF FIBRES, THREADS, YARNS, FABRICS, FEATHERS OR FIBROUS GOODS MADE FROM SUCH MATERIALS ## Abstract A process of treating a textile fabric containing cellulosic fibers to impart crease resistance in which the fabric impregnated with an aqueous solution containing formaldehyde and a curing catalyst, vacuum is applied to the impregnated fabric to remove excess impregnation solution and provide a wet pickup of about 15 to 35 percent, and the fabric is then dried and cured. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process of treating a textile fabric containing cellulosic fibers to impart crease resistance, said process comprising impregnating said fabric with an aqueous solution containing formaldehyde and a curing catalyst, applying a vacuum to the impregnated fabric to remove excess impregnation solution and to provide a wet pickup of about 15 to 35 percent by weight, and drying and curing the thus treated fabric. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein the impregnation solution contains from about 1 to about 10 weight percent formaldehyde and said catalyst comprises a latent acid catalyst. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein said impregnating step comprises immersing the fabric and thoroughly saturating it with the impregnation solution. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of applying a vacuum is performed so as to obtain a wet pickup of 20 to 30 percent. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein the drying and curing of the fabric is performed in a single step at temperatures of 250 to 450 degrees F. ### Claim 6 A process of treating a textile fabric containing cellulosic fibers to impart crease resistance, said process comprising impregnating and thoroughly saturating said fabric in an aqueous solution containing formaldehyde and a curing catalyst, applying a vacuum to the impregnated fabric to remove excess impregnation solution and provide about 1/2 to 3 percent by weight formaldehyde on the fabric, and drying and curing the thus treated fabric and fixing at least 90 percent of the applied formaldehyde on the fabric. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A process as set forth in claim 6 wherein the catalyst in said impregnation solution is a latent acid catalyst, and the impregnation solution also includes a surfactant. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) A process as set forth in claim 6 wherein the drying and curing of the fabric is performed in a single step at temperatures from 250 to 450 degrees F. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) A process as set forth in claim 6 wherein said step of applying a vacuum to the fabric to remove excess impregnation solution is performed so as to provide a wet pickup of said solution on the fabric of about 15 to 35 percent by weight. ### Claim 10 A process of treating a textile fabric containing cellulosic fibers to impart crease resistance, said process comprising impregnating and thoroughly saturating said fabric with an aqueous solution containing from about 1 to about 10 percent by weight formaldehyde, a latent acid catalyst, and a surfactant, applying vacuum to the impregnated fabric to remove surface excess impregnation solution and to provide a wet pickup of about 15 to 35 percent by weight, and drying and curing the thus treated fabric at a temperature of 250 to 450 degrees F. and chemically fixing on the fabric at least 90 percent of the applied formaldehyde. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A process as set forth in claim 10 wherein said latent acid catalyst comprises magnesium chloride and said surfactant comprises a nonionic surfactant. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) A process as set forth in claim 10 wherein said drying step includes chemically fixing on the fabric at least 95 percent of the applied formaldehyde. ### Claim 13 A process of treating a textile fabric containing cellulosic fibers to impart crease resistance, said process comprising advancing said fabric through a pad and saturating the fabric with an aqueous solution of from about 1 to about 10 percent by weight formaldehyde and an acid catalyst, directing the impregnated fabric from the pad and across a vacuum slot and applying a vacuum to the fabric to remove the surface excess impregnation solution and to provide a wet pickup of about 15 to 35 percent by weight, and directing the fabric from the vacuum slot through a curing oven and heating the fabric to a temperature of 250 to 450 degrees F. to dry and cure the fabric. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A process according to claim 13 wherein said step of directing the fabric through a curing oven is performed while maintaining the fabric under widthwise tension. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A process according to claim 14 including heating the fabric in the curing oven at about 400 degrees F. for about 20 seconds. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) A process according to claim 13 wherein said step of heating to dry and cure the fabric includes chemically fixing on the fabric at least 95 percent of the applied formaldehyde.