Amylose Starch Products as Sizing Agents for Textile Yarns

Abstract

The invention relates to the use of chemically unmodified amylose-type starch products as sizing agent for sizing natural and/or synthetic yarns. The invention also relates to a process for sizing natural and/or synthetic yarns using chemically modified amylose-type starch products as sizing agent.

1 . A method of using amylose-type starch as a sizing agent for natural cotton yarn comprising applying to a yarn a sizing agent comprising an amylose-type starch.  
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the amylose-type starch has an amylose content of at least 50%.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2  wherein the amylose-type starch is produced by transgenic potato plants.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the amylose-type starch is used in combination with at least one other sizing agent selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, carboxymethyl cellulose, and poly(meth)acrylate.  
     
     
         5 . A process for sizing natural cotton yarn or blends of cotton and polyester yarn comprising using chemically unmodified amylose-type starch as a sizing agent.  
     
     
         6 . A process for sizing natural cotton yarn or blends of cotton and polyester yarn comprising using chemically modified amylose-type starch as a sizing agent.  
     
     
         7 . A The process according to  claim 5  wherein the amylose-type starch is produced by transgenic potato plants.  
     
     
         8 . The process according to  claim 7  wherein the amylose-type starch has an amylose content of at least 50%.  
     
     
         9 . The process according to  claim 6  wherein the amylose-type starch is produced by transgenic potato plants.  
     
     
         10 . The process according to  claim 9  wherein the amylose-type starch has an amylose content of at least 50%.