Process of imparting hydrophobic properties to cellulose fibers

摘要

Cellulose fibres are rendered hydrophobe by incorporating therewith a phenol containing at least one aliphatic or cycloaliphatic residue having at least six carbon atoms and treating the fibres with an aliphatic aldehyde. The phenol and the aldehyde treatments may be effected simultaneously, or their condensation product may be used directly, and the treated fibres subjected to heat treatment. The phenol or the condensation product may be added to the spinning solution. The condensation may be effected in the presence of substances of acid or alkaline reaction, e.g. acetic or lactic acid, sodium bisulphite, sodium carbonate, or borax. Suitable phenols are isododecylphenol, di-isohexylphenol, and iso-octyl cresol. Suitable aldehydes are formaldehyde or glyoxal. If a condensation product is employed for the treatment, e.g. the methylol compounds, the aftertreatment with the aldehyde may be omitted, a simple heating sufficing. In an example, cellulose fibres are saturated with a solution of the phenol in an organic solvent, e.g. pyridine or acetone, or in an aqueous emulsion of the phenol; after drying, they are exposed to the action of formaldehyde of less than 5 per cent concentration, or the formaldehyde may be added to the impregnating solution, whereby a subsequent heating is sufficient. Samples have been furnished under Sect. 2 (5).