PROCESS FOR THE TREATMENT OF FINISHING COTTON FABRICS WITH POLYCARBOXYLIC ACIDS FREE OF FORMAL ALDEIDE, FOR THE END OF THEM CONFERING RESISTANCE TO WRINKLE FORMATION, AND FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FIBER CELLULOSE TEXTILE MATERIALS

摘要

Catalysts for the rapid esterification and crosslinking of fibrous cellulose in textile form by polycarboxylic acids at elevated temperatures are disclosed. The catalysts are acidic or weakly basic salts selected from the alkali metal salts of phosphorous, hypophosphorous, and polyphosphoric acids. Suitable polycarboxylic acids include saturated, unsaturated and aromatic acids, as well as alpha-hydroxy acids. The textiles so treated exhibit high levels of wrinkle resistance and smooth drying properties durable to repeated laundering in alkaline detergents, and do not contain or release formaldehyde.