U.S. patent application number 10/503203 was filed with the patent office on 2006-02-23 for use of ethoxylated fatty acids as smoothing agents for synthetic and natural fibres.
Invention is credited to Wolfgang Becker, Holger Bender, Raymond Mathis.
Application Number | 20060038157 10/503203 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27588402 |
Filed Date | 2006-02-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060038157 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Becker; Wolfgang ; et
al. |
February 23, 2006 |
Use of ethoxylated fatty acids as smoothing agents for synthetic
and natural fibres
Abstract
A process for treating textile fibers involving contacting the
fibers with a composition containing: (a) a compound corresponding
to formula I: R--COO(CH.sub.2CH.sub.2O).sub.nH (I) wherein R is a
linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated alkyl or alkylene
group having from about 5 to 21 carbon atoms and n is a number from
about 0.5 to 1.5; (b) optionally, an emulsifier; and (c)
optionally, a co-lubricant.
Inventors: |
Becker; Wolfgang;
(Moenchengladbach, DE) ; Mathis; Raymond;
(Duesseldorf, DE) ; Bender; Holger; (Siegburg,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
COGNIS CORPORATION;PATENT DEPARTMENT
300 BROOKSIDE AVENUE
AMBLER
PA
19002
US
|
Family ID: |
27588402 |
Appl. No.: |
10/503203 |
Filed: |
January 28, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
January 28, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP03/00816 |
371 Date: |
July 12, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
252/8.81 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06M 2200/20 20130101;
D06M 7/00 20130101; D06M 2101/12 20130101; D06M 13/224 20130101;
D06M 2200/40 20130101; D06M 2101/32 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
252/008.81 |
International
Class: |
D06M 13/224 20060101
D06M013/224 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 6, 2002 |
DE |
102 04 808.8 |
Claims
1-20. (canceled)
21. A process for treating textile fibers comprising contacting the
fibers with a composition containing: (a) a compound corresponding
to formula I: ##STR4## wherein R is a linear or branched, saturated
or unsaturated alkyl or alkylene group having from about 5 to 21
carbon atoms and n is a number from about 0.5 to 1.5; (b)
optionally, an emulsifier; and (c) optionally, a co-lubricant.
22. The process of claim 21 wherein in formula I R is an at least
monounsaturated alkylene group having about 17 carbon atoms.
23. The process of claim 21 wherein the fibers are selected from
the group consisting of wool, polyester, and combinations
thereof.
24. The process of claim 21 wherein (a) and (b) are present in the
composition in a ratio by weight of from about 99:1 to 30:70.
25. The process of claim 21 wherein (a) and (b) are present in the
composition in a ratio by weight of from about 80:20 to 60:40.
26. The process of claim 21 wherein the emulsifier is selected from
the group consisting of a nonionic surfactant, an anionic
surfactant, a cationic surfactant, and mixtures thereof.
27. The process of claim 21 wherein (c) and (a) are present in the
composition in a ratio by weight of from about 2:1 to 1:5.
28. The process of claim 21 wherein (c) and (a) are present in the
composition in a ratio by weight of from about 1:1 to 1:3.
29. The process of claim 21 wherein (c) is a fatty acid methyl
ester.
30. The process of claim 21 wherein the fibers are wool.
31. The process of claim 21 wherein the fibers are polyester.
32. The process of claim 21 wherein the fibers are combed
slivers.
33. The process of claim 21 wherein the fibers are contacted with
the composition in an amount of from about 0.01 to 15% by weight,
based on the weight of the fibers.
34. The process of claim 21 wherein the fibers are contacted with
the composition in an amount of from about 0.1 to 12% by weight,
based on the weight of the fibers.
35. The process of claim 21 wherein the fibers are contacted with
the composition in an amount of from about 0.1 to 5% by weight,
based on the weight of the fibers.
Description
[0001] This invention relates firstly to the use of certain
ethoxylated fatty acids as smoothing agents for synthetic and
natural fibers, to smoothing preparations containing these
ethoxylated fatty acids and to a process for smoothing synthetic or
natural fibers.
[0002] Natural and synthetic staple fibers, which are generally
processed for the production of combed slivers, yarns or fabrics,
require so-called smoothing preparations which provide for easy
processing of the fibers in the process stages of cleaning,
opening, mixing, carding, drawing, combing, recombing, spinning,
weaving, twisting, embroidering and needling. In the processing
steps which precede the actual filament- or fabric-forming
processes, such as carding for example, the textile fibers are
exposed to severe mechanical stressing, which can result in
shortening of the fibers and hence in a reduction in yield.
[0003] The reduction in fiber length has a very adverse effect on
the quality features of the end product (for example carded sliver,
drafter sliver, combed sliver, roving, yarn, twist, woven fabric,
knitted fabric, nonwoven). By comparison with undamaged fibers,
short fibers lead to a poorer yield and to lower efficiency of the
machines involved in the textile manufacturing process, to greater
waste, for example during carding and combing/recombing, to
unwanted increased hairiness of the yarn, twist, woven or knitted
fabric produced, to increased web, roving, yarn and twist
breakages, to reduced strength of the yarn, twist, woven fabric,
knitted fabric or nonwoven produced, to poorer uniformity of the
yarn, twist, woven fabric, knitted fabric or nonwoven produced and
to poorer elongation of the yarn, twist, woven fabric, knitted
fabric or nonwoven produced.
[0004] These problems are of particular significance in the
processing of keratinous fibers, especially wool. Wool which is to
be processed to combed slivers has to be intensively washed before
the actual spinning process in order to remove inorganic soils,
such as sand, dust, suit, and organic soils, such as straw, fodder
remains, wool and fat. However, the static and dynamic friction
conditions of the wool are greatly affected by removal of these
soils and particularly by removal of the wool waxes and wool
greases, so that subsequent processing of the wool becomes
extremely problematical, particularly where intensive fiber/fiber
and fiber/metal friction occur. The wool fibers are subjected to
severe stressing above all during the carding step where a fiber
structure is produced by parallelizing and fine opening. Such
stressing often leads to electrostatic charging, to a reduction in
the mean staple length of the wool and to increased combing waste
in the subsequent processes. In order to counteract electrostatic
charging, reductions in staple length and combing waste, the wool
has to be treated with so-called combing or smoothing preparations
after washing and before carding. These preparations act as
lubricants and solve the above-described problems during
processing.
[0005] The smoothing preparations used--not just for wool--include,
for example, olive oil, peanut oil, oleins, fats, fatty acid esters
and mineral oils or various kinds in combination with emulsifiers.
Although these known combing oils are capable of favorably
influencing staple length reductions, combing waste and
electrostatic charging, there is still a need for combing oils
having an improved effect. For example, the carding rate can be
increased by reducing electrostatic charging, product quality can
be improved by reducing staple length contraction and economy can
be increased by reducing waste.
[0006] Numerous smoothing preparations are known from the prior
art., cf. for example DE 26 21 881 A1 which discloses a mixture of
fatty acid esters and fatty acids containing 14 to 18 carbon atoms
and monohydric alcohols containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms, paraffins
and fatty acid amidopolyamines as a smoothing preparation. DE 37 06
362 A1 describes dialkyl ether compounds with the same or
different, saturated and/or unsaturated hydrocarbon radicals
containing 6 to 24 carbon atoms. These dialkyl ether compounds may
also be applied to textile fibers of different kinds in the form of
smoothing dispersions. It is known from DE 41 14 240 A1 that,
besides dialkyl ethers, certain carboxylic acid esters of aliphatic
mono-and/or dicarboxylic acids containing 2 to 22 carbon atoms and
aliphatic monohydric alcohols containing 1 to 22 carbon atoms and
esters of dihydric, trihydric and/or tetrahydric alcohols
containing 2 to 22 carbon atoms and aliphatic monocarboxylic acids
containing 2 to 22 carbon atoms may also be used as smoothing
components in combing oils for the production of combed slivers of
wool.
[0007] The problem addressed by the present invention was to
provide compounds for use in combing oils which would impart high
smoothness to both natural and synthetic staple fibers, but at the
same time would minimize reductions in staple length, combing waste
and electrostatic charging. In addition, the compounds would be
easy to wash out and would not contain any resinous, tacky or
fiber-damaging constituents. In addition, the smoothing components
to be provided by the invention would meet all the other
requirements smoothing agents are expected to satisfy. These
include resistance to oxidative stress, biodegradability,
toxicological compatibility and also good wettability in order to
ensure uniform distribution of the preparations over the fibers.
However, since the smoothing preparations are only needed for
certain process steps, they would have to be easy to wash off
completely after use.
[0008] It has now been found that the problem stated above can be
solved by the use of compounds corresponding to formula (I):
##STR1## in which R is a linear or branched, saturated or
unsaturated alkyl or alkylene group containing 5 to 21 carbon atoms
and n is a number of 0.5 to 1.5, as smoothing agents for synthetic
and natural fibers.
[0009] The compounds of formula (I) used in accordance with the
invention are ethoxylated fatty acids known per se. According to
the present invention, however, they are distinguished by a low
degree of ethoxylation and, at the same time, show a narrow homolog
distribution. The production of these compounds is described, for
example, in WO 98/25878. According to the teaching of this
document, fatty acids are reacted with ethylene oxide in the
presence of alkanolamines at elevated temperatures, preferably at
120 to 180.degree. C., and optionally elevated pressure.
[0010] Fatty acids in the context of the invention are understood
to be aliphatic carboxylic acids corresponding to formula (II):
##STR2## in which R.sup.1 is an aliphatic, linear or branched alkyl
or alkylene group containing 5 to 21 and preferably 11 to 17 carbon
atoms and 0 and/or 1, 2 or 3 double bonds. Typical examples are
caproic acid, caprylic acid, 2-ethylhexanoic acid, capric acid,
lauric acid, isotridecanoic acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid,
palmitoleic acid, stearic acid, isostearic acid, oleic acid,
elaidic acid, petroselic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid,
elaeostearic acid, arachic acid, gadoleic acid, behenic acid and
erucic acid and the technical mixtures thereof obtained, for
example, in the pressure hydrolysis of natural fats and oils, in
the reduction of aldehydes from Roelen's oxosynthesis or in the
dimerization of unsaturated fatty acids. Technical fatty acids
containing a total of 12 to 18 carbon atoms such as, for example,
coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil or tallow fatty acid or
mixtures thereof are preferred.
[0011] According to the teaching of WO 98/25878, these fatty acids
are reacted with selected catalysts from the group of
alkanolamines. Typical examples of alkanolamines suitable as basic
catalysts are monoethanolamine, diethanolamine and preferably
triethanolamine. The alkanolamines are used in quantities of
typically 0.1 to 3% by weight and preferably 0.5 to 1.5% by weight,
based on the fatty acids. The ethoxylation itself may be carried
out in known manner. The ethoxylated fatty acids of formula (I)
used in accordance with the invention are preferably selected so
that R in formula (I) stands for an at least monounsaturated
alkylene group. In a particularly preferred embodiment, R in
formula (I) is a monounsaturated alkylene group containing 17
carbon atoms. The ethoxylated fatty acid is an ethoxylated oleic
acid which contains 0.5 to 1.5 mol EO per mol fatty acid. In this
case, a compound containing exactly 1 mol EO per mol fatty acid is
particularly preferred.
[0012] According to the invention, the compounds of formula (I) are
preferably used as smoothing agents for keratinous fibers, more
particularly for wool. Wool is generally understood to be sheep's
wool (WO for short), i.e. the 5 to 30 cm long hairs of the domestic
sheep with its various breeds (for example Merino). According to
DIN 60001: 1990-10, however, a number of other wools may be
included among these quantitatively the most important animal
textile fibers, namely the fine under fur of the South American
lama (alpaca, vicuna, lama, guanaco wool), the camel, rabbit
(angora wool), goat (mohair, cashmere wool) and cattle (yak wool),
whereas the coarse outer fur (kemp, long coarse hair) of these
animals is known as hair. For reasons of similarity, we also speak
of steel wool, metallurgical wool, slag wool, rock wool, basalt
wool, glass wool and--previously--of asbestos wool although they
have a totally different composition. As a protein fiber, wool
(sheep's wool) consists mainly of keratins belonging to the
scleroproteins, density of wool: 1.32. The water absorption at
21.degree. C. is 15-17%, the swelling value 40 to 45%. On agitation
in boiling water, the wool fibers become matted, i.e. they can be
milled and processed to felt. In a dry atmosphere, wool is stable
up to ca. 150.degree. C.; decomposition occurs at 250.degree. C.
and self-ignition at 590 to 600.degree. C. 24 Amino acids
(including the rare lanthionine) joined together as polyamides by
peptide bonds, disulfide bridges and (a few) isopeptide bonds are
involved in the formation of the long polypeptide chains. Wool
contains 10 different keratins which are divided into acidic (type
I) and neutral to basic (type II). One type I and one type II
keratin form a dimer, 4 dimers form a protofilament, 8
protofilaments form an intermediate filament (IF). In the
macrofibrils, the IFs are embedded in a sulfur-rich matrix, the
interfilament material. Macrofibrils, cell nucleus residues and
cell membrane--they provide the lipid component of wool (ca.
1%)--form the cortex cell. The plate-like cells of the cuticula or
scale layer accumulate overlappingly around the cortex or fiber
stem. The composition of wool (sheep's wool) corresponds to that
described for hair which, in principle, is the same for human hair
and animal hair. Technically, wools are classified according to
their method of production; the highest quality new wool as wool
obtained from live sheep by shearing, dead wool (from dead sheep),
slaughterhouse wool or skin wool (from slaughtered animals; known
as grease wool, lime wool or enzyme wool, depending on how the skin
is treated) and tanner's wool (wool collecting during tanning), see
also DIN 60004; 1974-11. By contrast, reclaimed wool is wool
recovered from old material. The cleaned wool is processed to
combed yarn (low crimp, 170-550 mm long) or to carded yarn (high
crimp, 36-250 mm long) according to the length and crimp of the
fibers. In addition, wool fibers are classified according to
diameter (fineness) with 10 degrees of fineness between AAAA wool
(<17 .mu.m) and F wool (>60 .mu.m). Products of "pure wool"
must consist of ca. 95% pure sheep's wool whereas products of
"wool" must consist of ca. 62% pure sheep's wool. In "wool blends",
the percentage of "wool" must be ca. 51-70%. For subsequent
processing, the wool may be subjected to a certain textile
finishing treatment such as, for example, milling, carbonizing,
chlorination or bleaching (Harris process).
[0013] In another preferred embodiment, the compounds of formula
(I) are used as smoothing agents for synthetic fibers, preferably
polyester fibers. This also includes blends of polyester or other
synthetic fibers with natural fibers, preferably keratinous fibers
and especially wool. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the
compounds of formula (I) are used as smoothing agents for
polyester/wool blends which predominantly contain wool, preferably
70 to 80%, the balance to 100% being polyester fibers or other
suitable fibers.
[0014] The present invention also relates in particular to the use
of compounds corresponding to formula (I) as lubricants for the
production of combed slivers.
[0015] The compounds of formula (I) may be used in various ways in
accordance with the present invention. On the one hand, they may be
sprayed as such onto or otherwise applied to the fibers to be
smoothed. On the other hand, they may be used in the form of
ready-made smoothing preparations, which is preferred. Besides the
compounds of formula (I) as lubricants, these ready-made smoothing
preparations may contain at least one other co-component, namely
emulsifiers, in which case the compounds of formula (I) are
preferably used in admixture with emulsifiers in a ratio by weight
of 99:1 to 30:70. Both individual components and, preferably,
mixtures of different emulsifiers may be used. Preferred quantity
ratios are in the range from 80:20 to 60:40 (compounds of formula
(I):emulsifiers).
[0016] Besides the compounds of formula (I), other compounds may be
present as lubricants in the ready-made smoothing preparations. In
a preferred embodiment, the fatty acid methyl esters disclosed in
the above-cited DE 41 14 240 A1 are used in addition to the
compounds of formula (I).
[0017] The emulsifiers in the smoothing preparations according to
the invention may be nonionic, anionic and cationic emulsifiers,
for example partial esters of di- and/or triglycerol, such as
triglycerol monooleate, alkoxylated, preferably ethoxylated and/or
propoxylated, fats, oils, C.sub.8-22 fatty acids, C.sub.8-22 fatty
alcohols and/or C.sub.8-22 fatty acid mono and/or diethanolamides,
such as optionally ethoxylated oleic acid mono- or diethanolamide,
alkoxylated, preferably ethoxylated C.sub.8-22 fatty acids of which
the OH group is replaced by a C.sub.1-4 alkoxy group, alkali metal
and/or ammonium salts of C.sub.8-22 alkyl sulfonates, alkali metal
and/or ammonium salts of C.sub.8-22 alkyl sulfosuccinates, such as
sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate. Preferred anionic surfactants are
alkyl benzenesulfonates while preferred nonionic emulsifiers are,
in particular, fatty alcohol ethoxylates corresponding to formula
(III): ##STR3## where R''' is a C.sub.8-22 alkyl group and m is a
number of 1 to 10. In addition, it can be of advantage to use
mixtures of different emulsifiers. In a preferred embodiment,
nonionic emulsifiers are used together with anionic emulsifiers,
optionally in combination with other auxiliaries, more particularly
pH adjusters.
[0018] Fatty acid methyl esters, particularly those of vegetable
origin, may advantageously be used as additional lubricants for the
ready-made smoothing preparations. Such fatty acid methyl esters
are described, for example, in applicants' DE 198 47 497 A1. If
fatty acid methyl esters or other suitable lubricants and the
compounds of formula (I) are used in combination, it has proved to
be of advantage to use them in a quantity ratio of preferably 2:1
to 1:5. Quantity ratios of other smoothing agents to compounds of
formula (I) of 1:1 to 1:3 are preferably used. Typical mixtures
contain, for example, 20 to 80% by weight of the smoothing agent of
formula (I) according to the invention and, as the balance to 100%,
the methyl esters disclosed in DE 198 47 497 A1. In another
advantageous embodiment, the compounds of formula (I) are present
in a quantitative excess over other smoothing agents.
[0019] The ready-made smoothing preparations according to the
invention contain the emulsifiers in total quantities of 1 to 70%
by weight and the compound of formula (I) and optionally other
lubricants in quantities of 30 to 99% by weight and optionally
other ingredients. In another advantageous embodiment, the
ready-made smoothing preparations additionally contain water. This
is of course particularly the case when the smoothing preparations
are formulated as aqueous emulsions. Other ingredients include in
particular--and preferably--antistatic agents, preservatives, pH
adjusters and antifoam agents. However, these ingredients may also
be separately added during the treatment of wool.
[0020] In principle, suitable thickeners, i.e. for increasing the
viscosity of the smoothing preparation, are triglycerides, such as
the relatively high-viscosity rape oil or polymeric compounds.
Winding oils which contain fatty alcohol polymethacrylates to
eliminate the tendency of the winding oil to be sprayed off are
known from DE 39 36 975. Additives containing carboxyl-free
homopolymers and/or copolymers of esters of acrylic acid and/or
methacrylic acid with intrinsic viscosities [.eta.] of at least 300
and preferably 800 ml g-1, as measured at 20.degree. C. in
tetrahydrofuran, are known from DE-A-39 24 160. The intrinsic
viscosities [.eta.] mentioned are normal and are described, for
example, in Vollmert "Grundri.beta. der Makromolekularen Chemie",
Vol. III, pages 55 to 61, Verlag E. Vollmert, Karlsruhe 1982. By
virtue of their high intrinsic viscosity, the described additives
are capable of improving the drawing and/or adhesion behavior of
oils and/or fats.
[0021] The lubricants according to the invention are produced in
known manner by mixing the ingredients mentioned in any order in
the quantities indicated at temperatures of 18 to 25.degree. C.
[0022] The present invention relates to a process for smoothing
synthetic or natural fibers, in which compounds corresponding to
formula (I) are applied to the fibers in quantities of 0.01 to 15%
by weight, preferably in quantities of 0.1 to 12% by weight and
more particularly in quantities of 0.1 to 5.0% by weight, based on
the weight of the fibers. The compounds (I) may be applied by any
of the methods known to the expert and are preferably applied by
spraying before carding.
[0023] The process according to the invention is particularly
advantageous where wool fibers are to be smoothed. In this case,
too, it has proved to be of advantage to use blends of wool and
other fibers, preferably polyester fibers.
[0024] The process according to the invention and the use of the
ethoxylated fatty acid in accordance with the invention lead on the
one hand to improved smoothness of the treated material. This may
be utilized to allow the machines involved in subsequent
processing, for example carding machines, to operate at maximum
speed without any unwanted damage to the substrate. In addition,
yield can be increased for the same processing speed. The use of
the ethoxylated fatty acids, preferably in combination with animal
or vegetable methyl esters, also leads to significantly improved
protection of the treated fibers against electrostatic charging in
the process steps of carding, drawing, combing, spinning, twisting
and needling. This may be utilized, for example, to enable the wool
to be dried to a greater extent after washing, resulting in
improved removal of vegetable wool impurities during carding
without any troublesome electrostatic charging occurring.
[0025] Overall, the use of the ethoxylated fatty acid esters
according to the invention can lead to an improvement in the
economy of the manufacturing process as a whole. It is pointed out
in this regard that even a slight improvement in the combed sliver
yield, for example of 0.3%, results in an increase of around 30,000
kg per year in the sales volume of combed wool slivers of a
medium-sized combed sliver manufacturer (assuming an output of
10,000 t/a).
EXAMPLE
[0026] A smoothing preparation according to the invention was
produced from the following constituents: TABLE-US-00001 oleic acid
+ 1EO 25% by weight fatty acid methyl ester 50% by weight
emulsifier combination based 25% by weight on low-ethoxylated fatty
alcohols
[0027] This preparation was compared with a smoothing preparation
which had the same composition, but only contained vegetable fatty
acid methyl esters (mixture of coconut oil/palm kernel oil/palm oil
fatty acid methyl ester according to Example 2 of DE 198 47
497).
[0028] Both the romaine in % (definition: romaine [%]=combing
waste100/(combing waste+combed sliver) and the electrostatic
charging of carded slivers (measuring interval 10 cm in volts) were
measured. Electrostatic charging was measured on the web leaving
the card using an ELTEX electrofield meter.
[0029] The romaine value for the known comparison product was 8.8%
and the value for the preparation according to the invention 8.2%.
With regard to electrostatic charging of the carded slivers, the
value for the comparison product was 110 volts and the value for
the preparation according to the invention 77 volts.
* * * * *