Finishing of textile fibers, tissues, and fabrics

Abstract

A method is provided for the application of a finishing layer to a textile support material. A water repellent or oil repellent layer, a so-called finishing layer, is applied to a textile support material selected from the group of fibers, tissues, and fabrics. The water repellent or oil repellent finishing layer comprises at least two water repellent or oil repellent components wherein a first component comprises one or more dispersants and a second component comprises one or more dispersed phases or colloids, and wherein the dispersant and the dispersed phase are present in the gel state. Additionally, textile articles are provided having the novel water repellent or oil repellent finishing layer which are equal on a high level or even superior with respect to their functional properties to products prepared according to known finishing methods and at the same time allow a complete or partial substitution of the health and environmentally hazardous standard chemicals employed nowadays by novel compounds which have not been used to date.

1 - 18 . (canceled)  
     
     
         19 . A textile article comprising textile fibers or fabrics, and a water repellent or oil repellent finishing layer onto a support material wherein the finishing layer comprises at least two components wherein a first component comprises one or more dispersant(s) and a second component comprises one or more dispersed phase(s), wherein the dispersed phase comprises at least one colloid and wherein dispersant and dispersed phase are present in a gel state and wherein the colloids of the dispersed phase are distributed in the dispersant in an anisotropic manner such that the colloids are concentrated in the area of the upper surface of the finishing layer.  
     
     
         20 . The textile article according to  claim 19  further comprising a primer layer between the support material and the water repellent or oil repellent finishing layer wherein said primer layer increases adhesion and bonding of the water repellent or oil repellent finishing layer.  
     
     
         21 . The textile article according to  claim 20  wherein said textile material comprises native materials and said primer layer comprises components which are deswelling and crosslinking with respect to the textile material.  
     
     
         22 . The textile article according to  claim 20  wherein said support material comprises synthetic and regenerated fibers, tissues, or fabrics, and that said primer layer is formed by a modified support material surface or by crosslinked natural or synthetic hydroxyl, carbonyl, amino, or thiol group containing polymers.  
     
     
         23 . A method for the application of a water repellent or oil repellent finishing layer onto a textile support material wherein the material is selected from the group consisting of fibers, tissues, and fabrics comprising the steps of: 
 applying to the material a dispersion comprising one or more dispersant(s) and a dispersed phase comprising at least two components wherein the dispersed phase comprises at least one colloid and wherein dispersant and dispersed phase are present in a gel state, and wherein the colloids of the dispersed phase are distributed in the dispersant in an anisotropic manner such that the colloids are concentrated in the area of the upper surface of the finishing layer; and    drying the material, to convert the dispersion from a sol state to a gel state.    
     
     
         24 . The method of finishing according to  claim 23  wherein said finishing layer is dried to a drying degree of almost 5%.  
     
     
         25 . The method of finishing according to  claim 23  wherein said dispersion is prepared by oil in water (O/W) emulsion of a hydrophobic dispersant in water and subsequent emulsifying of the dispersed phase therein.  
     
     
         26 . The method of finishing according to  claim 24  wherein the gel state may be transferred in at least partially reversible manner into the sol state by energy supply.  
     
     
         27 . The method of finishing according to  claim 23  further comprising the step of applying a primer layer to the material before the application of the finishing layer, wherein said primer layer improves the adhesion of the water repellent or oil repellent finishing layer.  
     
     
         28 . The method of finishing according to  claim 23  wherein reactive groups are provided for covalent binding of the water repellent or oil repellent finishing layer to the material, wherein said reactive groups are bound to the support material either directly or indirectly via the primer layer.  
     
     
         29 . The method of finishing according to  claim 27  wherein said support material is a cotton material and wherein the primer layer comprises a solution comprising a crosslinker solution which is impregnated into the material to form the primer layer to inhibit the penetration of water into the cotton fibers and thereby minimize fiber swelling.  
     
     
         30 . The method of finishing according to  claim 29  wherein said primer layer comprises partially etherified hexamethylol melamine or dimethylol ethylene urea derivatives.  
     
     
         31 . The method of finishing according to  claim 27  wherein said support material is a synthetic or regenerated material selected from the group consisting of fibers, tissues, and fabrics, wherein the surface of the support material polymer is modified to comprise bound hydroxyl or carbonyl groups.  
     
     
         32 . The method of finishing according to  claim 31  wherein said support material is a polyester material and the surface is modified by a partial saponification of 0.01 to 1%, preferably a partial saponification of 0.2 to 0.4%.  
     
     
         33 . The method of finishing according to  claim 27  wherein said support material is a synthetic or regenerated material selected from the group consisting of fibers, tissues, and fabrics, and wherein the primer layer is formed by applying reactive group containing polymers to the support material and crosslinking the polymers to form the primer layer wherein hydroxyl, carbonyl, amino and/or thiol groups bound indirectly to the polymer are generated on the surface of the support material.  
     
     
         34 . The method of finishing according to  claim 33  wherein the reactive group containing polymers are selected from the group consisting of polysaccharides, lignin, polyvinylalcohol, and the crosslinking is performed by means of compounds from the group of isocyanates and α-amylation products.  
     
     
         35 . The method of finishing according to  claim 27  wherein said dispersion comprises one or more dispersant(s), a dispersed phase and one or more binder(s).  
     
     
         36 . The method of finishing according to  claim 35  wherein the dispersion to be applied is an emulsion which contains dispersant(s) and dispersed phase emulsified into an aqueous binder containing solution.