# US 5,705,475 A · Non-formaldehyde durable press finishing for cellulosic textiles with phosphonoalkylpolycarboxylic > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,705,475 A - Document ID: US5705475A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/586,048 - Filed: 1996-01-16 - Granted: 1998-01-06 - Earliest claimed: 1992-12-21 - Assignees: PPG Industries, Inc. - Inventors: Robert H. Tang; William A. Williams, Jr. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5705475A ## CPC - D06M 13/203: Unsaturated carboxylic acids; Anhydrides, halides or salts thereof - D06M 13/192: Polycarboxylic acids; Anhydrides, halides or salts thereof {(D06M13/1845 takes precedence)} - D06M 13/288: Phosphonic or phosphonous acids or derivatives thereof - D06M 14/04: of vegetal origin, e.g. cellulose or derivatives thereof - D06M 15/263: of unsaturated carboxylic acids; Salts or esters thereof - D06M 2101/06: cellulosic - D06M: TREATMENT, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE IN CLASS D06, OF FIBRES, THREADS, YARNS, FABRICS, FEATHERS OR FIBROUS GOODS MADE FROM SUCH MATERIALS ## Abstract A composition and method for providing a non-formaldehyde durable press finish to cellulosic fabrics by employing phosphonoalkylpolycarboxylic acids are disclosed. The phosphonoalkylpolycarboxylic acid is optimally used in combination with another polycarboxylic acid, such as polyacrylic acid, and/or, for cost effectiveness, a low-cost polycarboxylic acid such as citric acid. The catalyst for the curing reaction is optimally a phosphorus-containing acid or alkali metal salt thereof, such as a mixture of sodium monophosphate and sodium hypophosphite. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A formaldehyde-free durable press finish composition for treating cellulose-containing fibrous materials consisting essentially of an aqueous solution of (i) 10 to 50 mole percent phosphonoalkylpolycarboxylic acid having at least one phosphono group, at least two carboxylic groups and wherein the alkyl group of said acid contains from 3 to 8 carbon atoms, (ii) 10 to 50 mole percent polyacrylic acid having a weight average molecular weight of less than 8000, and (iii) a catalytic amount of esterification catalyst, the sum of the polycarboxylic acids in said aqueous solution being 100 mole percent. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1 wherein the esterification catalyst is selected from the group consisting of phosphorus-containing acids, alkali metal salts of phosphorus-containing acids and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The composition of claim 2 wherein the esterification catalyst is selected from the group consisting of sodium hypophosphite, sodium monophosphate and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The composition of claim 2 wherein the aqueous solution further comprises a hydroxypolycarboxylic acid, and wherein said hydroxypolycarboxylic acid represents not more than 50 mole percent of the polycarboxylic acids in said aqueous solution. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The composition of claim 4 wherein the aqueous solution comprises (a) from about 10 to about 50 mole percent of phosphonoalkylpolycarboxylic acid, (b) from about 10 to about 40 mole percent of hydroxypolycarboxylic acid, and (c) from about 30 to about 50 mole percent of polyacrylic acid, the sum of the polycarboxylic acids in said aqueous solution being 100 mole percent. ### Claim 6 A formaldehyde-free durable press finish composition for treating cellulose-containing fibrous material consisting essentially of an aqueous solution of (i) 10 to 50 mole percent phosphonoalkylpolycarboxylic acid having at least one phosphono group, from 3 to 6 carboxylic groups and wherein the alkyl group of said acid contains from 3 to 8 carbon atoms, (ii) 10 to 50 mole percent polyacrylic acid having a weight average molecular weight of from about 300 to about 5000, and (iii) a catalytic amount of esterification catalyst, the sum of the polycarboxylic acids in said aqueous solution being 100 mole percent. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The composition of claim 6 wherein the esterification catalyst is selected from alkali metal hypophosphites, alkali metal phosphites, alkali metal monophosphates, phosphorous acid, hypophosphorous acid, polyphosphorous acid, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The composition of claim 7 wherein the esterification catalyst is selected from sodium hypophosphite, sodium monophosphate and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The composition of claim 7 wherein the phosphonoalkylpolycarboxylic acid is phosphonobutanetricarboxylic acid, phosphonobutanetetracarboxylic acid or phosphonosuccinic acid, and the polyacrylic acid is polyphosphinoacrylic acid having a molecular weight of from about 1500 to about 5000. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The composition of claim 7 wherein the aqueous solution used to treat the cellulose-containing fibrous material further comprises a hydroxypolycarboxylic acid, and wherein said hydroxypolycarboxylic acid represents not more than 50 mole percent of the polycarboxylic acids in said solution. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The composition of claim 10 wherein the aqueous treating solution comprises (a) from about 10 to about 50 mole percent phosphonoalkylpolycarboxylic acid, (b) from about 10 to about 40 mole percent hydroxypolycarboxylic acid, and (c) from about 30 to about 50 mole percent of polyacrylic acid, the sum of the polycarboxylic acids in said aqueous solution being 100 mole percent. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The composition of claim 11 wherein the phosphonoalkylpolycarboxylic acid is phosphonobutanetricarboxylic acid, the hydroxypolycarboxylic acid is citric acid, and the polyacrylic acid is polyphosphinoacrylic acid having a molecular weight of from about 1500 to 5000. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The composition of claim 12 wherein the phosphonoalkylpolycarboxylic acid is 2-phosphonobutane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid and the polyphosphinoacrylic acid has a molecular weight of between about 1500 and about 3500. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The composition of claim 10 wherein the esterification catalyst is selected from the group consisting of sodium hypophosphite, sodium monophosphate and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14 wherein the weight ratio of sodium monophosphate to sodium hypophosphite in said mixture is from about 5:1 to 1:3. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The composition of claim 13 wherein the esterification catalyst is selected form the group consisting of sodium hypophosphite, sodium monophosphate and mixtures thereof, the weight ratio of sodium monophosphate to sodium hypophosphite in said mixture being from about 5:1 to 1:3. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The composition of claim 16 wherein the aqueous treating solution has a solids concentration of from about 1 to about 25 weight percent.