GB450208A - Improvements in the manufacture of artificial textile materials - Google Patents

Abstract

The process of the parent Specification is modified in that the fluid applied to or incorporated in filaments, threads, and like materials comprising organic derivatives of cellulose contains an oil and an ether, which is a solvent or softening agent for the cellulose derivative, obtainable by the condensation of an aldehyde with an aliphatic hydroxy compound, in such amounts that the products contain the fluid in a proportion of more than 15 per cent of their weight when free from the fluid. The oil may be an oxidized oil or a normal animal, vegetable, or mineral oil. The process of the parent Specification may also be modified by employing a fluid containing a normal oil, an oxidized oil, and an ether as specified above. The aldehyde used in forming the ether may be formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, butyraldehyde, or benzaldehyde. Formaldehyde may be employed in the form of formalin, paraformaldehyde, or trioxymethylene. The aliphatic hydroxy compound may be a polyhydric alcohol or partial ether thereof, or a hydroxy carboxylic acid. Glycerin, ethylene-, propylene-, or diethylene-glycol, monochlorhydrin, monomethyl or ethyl ether of ethylene-, propylene-, or diethylene-glycol, glycollic acid, lactic acid, a -hydroxy isobutyric acid, or a -hydroxy n-butyric acid may be used. The condensation to form the ethers may be effected in the presence of an acid catalyst such as hydrochloric, sulphuric, or phosphoric acid, or ferric chloride. The ethers employed are preferably soluble or miscible with water and preferably have a boiling point above 140 DEG C. The treated yarns may subsequently be scoured to remove the conditioning fluid. The ethers may be used together with other solvents or softeners such as ethyl oxybutyrate, benzyl alcohol, diacetone alcohol, acetins, acetyl carbinol, cyclopentanone, or dimethyl tartrate. The oil may be olive, castor, teaseed, egg, soya bean, peanut, palm, or cotton seed oil. Free acid such as oleic or stearic acid, or xylol may be added to increase the miscibility of the oil with the ether and any water present. Specified oxidized oils are olive and castor oil. Oxidation of the oil may be obtained by injecting oxygen into the oil or spraying the oil into oxygen. The ether may constitute 50 per cent or more of the conditioning liquid. Hygroscopic substances such as glycerine, glycol, diethylene glycol, or glycol ethers may be added in aqueous solution to the conditioning liquid. The treatment renders the materials more amenable to weaving or knitting. The yarns may have a subdued lustre due to the presence of metal oxide pigments, starch, or other insoluble compounds. Yarns of cellulose acetate, formate, propionate, or butyrate, or methyl, ethyl, or benzyl cellulose may be treated. In an example, the ether formed by condensation of formaldehyde with ethylene glycol monomethyl ether is mixed with olive oil, and oxidized olive oil. The solution is applied by wicks, rollers, or discs to cellulose acetate filaments after they leave a dry spinning machine prior to being wound or twisted, or during any subsequent operation. If desired a part of this conditioning liquid may be incorporated in the spinning solution, and the remainder may be applied to the yarns before knitting.