Making woollen materials non-felting and soft

摘要

540,613. Treating textiles with liquids. BALDWIN, A. W., LAWRIE, L. G., and IMPERIAL CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES, Ltd. April 19, 1940, No. 7107. [Class 15 (ii)] Wool is rendered non-felting and of a soft handle by treating it with an isocyanate of the formula :-R-X-NCO, wherein R is an alkyl radical of at least 8 carbon atoms and X is the divalent radical -CO-O-CH 2 -CH 2 - or is absent, and also treating it, before, during, or after the isocyanate treatment, with a reactive sulphur compound which is acid or is capable of liberating sulphuric or hydrochloric acid on hydrolysis with water, this treatment being so adjusted that the wool is not appreciably weakened. The isocyanate is preferably applied in the form of a solution or dispersion in an inert or relatively inert liquid, e.g. water, benzene, carbon tetrachloride, or white spirit. If it is applied as an aqueous emulsion before the treatment with the reactive sulphur compound, the wool must be dried between the two treatments. In an example, woollen yarn is immersed in a solution of octadecyl isocyanate and sulphuryl chloride in carbon tetrachloride. It is squeezed, rinsed in water, immersed in dilute ammonia, washed with water, and dried. Pentatriacontanyl isocyanate, stearyloxyethyl isocyanate, or tricosyl isocyanate may be used instead of octadecyl isocyanate. In another example, woollen yarn is immersed in a solution of sulphuryl chloride in carbon tetrachloride. It is squeezed and then immersed in a solution of octadecyl isocyanate in carbon tetrachloride. It is squeezed, washed, and dried. Specifications 464,503, 480,775, and 483,707 are referred to.