Laundry articles

#The present invention is directed to new crosslinked polyamides for binding suspended particulate matter, water-insoluble articles for effective sequestration of particulate matter from aqueous suspensions and methods of making such articles. More specifically it is directed to laundry articles effective for inhibiting transfer or redeposition of particulate soil to items in a wash solution and methods for laundering items with such articles. More particularly, the present invention relates to laundry articles comprising a water-insoluble substrate and a particulate soil absorber comprising a crosslinked polyamide including units having a nucleophilic group wherein the particulate soil absorber is adhered to the water-insoluble substrate.

#One problem often encountered during normal laundering operations is the tendency of particulate soils to remain associated with items within the wash solution. In fact, even after their removal, particulate soils have been known to redeposit back onto the items during the wash cycle. Another problem associated with laundering operations involves the tendency of colored items to release dye into the wash solution. The extraneous dye is then transferred onto other items present in the wash cycle, thereby causing the newly dyed items to be permanently stained and/or color-altered. Another similar problem involves the premature fading of items within the wash solution as a result of undesirable dye removal.

#One way of overcoming the problem of particulate soil and/or extraneous dye deposition onto items within the wash solution is to complex and/or adsorb the particulate soils and dyes before they can deposit on such items. In yet other approaches, these problems may be addressed by physically separating the various items within the wash solution by enclosing and/or encasing them within an envelope-like structure.

#Advantages and improvements of the articles and methods of the present invention are demonstrated in the following examples. The examples are illustrative only and are not intended to limit or preclude other embodiments of the invention.

#In this example a laundry article of the present invention is prepared. A mixture for formulating the particulate soil absorber comprising a crosslinked polyamide includes 34.5% copolymer of 80% polyvinylformamide with a K-value of 68.9, and with 20 mol % of the formamide-groups hydrolyzed (available from BASF AG, Germany); 60% poly(aminoamide) epichlorohydrin resin (PAE—available from Hercules, Inc., Wilmington, Del. under the trade name Kymene® 557H); and water to make 100% is prepared. The mixture is padded on a water-insoluble substrate, comprising a Visorb X622 nonwoven structure (basis weight 100 gsm, and available from Buckeye Technologies, Memphis, Tenn.) using a Werner Mathis 2 roll Padding Machine, Model HVF. The nip pressure is set to achieve a pickup level of about 120%. The water-insoluble substrate is then dried and cured in a convection oven at 250° F. for 20 minutes to effectuate a crosslinking reaction.

#The dry sheet weight of the composition is 0.2 g polyvinylformamide and 0.3 g PAE resin for a total sheet weight of 1.7 g.