Compositions suitable for imparting wetting characteristics to fabrics, and fabrics treated with same

Abstract

This invention relates to a composition prepared by reacting, in the presence of a redox initiator and a mineral acid, (a) at least one hydroxyl-containing imide, amide or mixtures thereof of a hydrocarbyl substituted carboxylic acid or anhydride having a hydrocarbyl group containing from about 8 to about 150 carbon atoms and a hydroxy amine; with (b) at least one sulfo compound represented by the following formula: ##STR1## wherein each R.sub.1 is independently hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group; a is zero or one; Q is a hydrocarbylene group or --C(X)N(R.sub.2)Q'--; R.sub.2 is hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group; X is sulfur or oxygen; Q' is a hydrocarbylene group; and Z is --S(O)OH, or --S(O).sub.2 OH or an ester, a metal salt or an ammonium salt of the sulfo compound. The invention also relates to polymer fabrics treated with the compositions of the present invention. The treated polymer fabrics have improved wicking/wetting characteristics. Further, the treated polymer fabrics maintain these characteristics upon repeated exposure to fluids.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.