Compositions for treating textile fibers and floor coverings comprising the same

Abstract

In one aspect, compositions are described herein which, in some embodiments, can improve or enhance the oil and soiling resistance of textile fibers, including fibers used in carpet and floor coverings. A composition described herein, in some embodiments, comprises a fluoropolymer component, a hydrophilic soil release polymeric component and a hardening component comprising one or more polymeric species having a glass transition temperature (T g ) greater than about 85° C.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composition for treating fibers comprising:
 a fluoropolymer component;   a hydrophilic soil release polymeric component comprising polyester; and   a hardening component comprising one or more polymeric species having a glass transition temperature (T g ) greater than about 85° C., wherein the hardening component and hydrophilic soil release polymeric component are provided as a product of forming polymeric species of the hardening component in the presence of the hydrophilic soil release polymeric component.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is provided as an aqueous dispersion. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the fluoropolymer component is present at an add-on level of about 0.01% to about 3.0% on weight fiber. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the fluoropolymer component is present at an add-on level of about 0.05% to about 1.5% on weight fiber. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the fluoropolymer component comprises one or more fluorourethanes, fluoroacrylates, fluorinated urethane-acrylate copolymers or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the polyester of the hydrophilic soil release polymeric component includes polyethylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic soil release polymeric component is present at an add-on level of about 0.01% to about 3.0% on weight fiber. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more polymeric species of the hardening component is water-insoluble. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the hardening component comprises an acrylate polymer. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the acrylate polymer comprises monomeric species selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, alkyl-acrylate, aryl-acrylate, alkyl-methacrylate and aryl-methacrylate. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the acrylate polymer is a copolymer. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 11 , wherein the acrylate copolymer comprises co-monomer of styrene, styrene derivatives, acrylonitrile, acrylonitrile derivatives or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 1 , where in the hardening component comprises polyacrylonitrile or polyacrylonitrile copolymer. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the polyacrylonitrile copolymer comprises co-monomer of styrene or styrene derivatives. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 8 , wherein the T g  of the one or more water-insoluble polymeric species is greater than about 100° C. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the hardening component is present at an add-on level of about 0.01% to about 2.0% on weight fiber. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising an amphiphilic component including one or more surfactants, hydrotropic species or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . A composition for treating fibers comprising:
 a fluoropolymer component;   a hydrophilic soil release polymeric component comprising polyester; and   a hardening component comprising one or more polymeric species having a glass transition temperature (T g ) greater than about 85° C., wherein the hydrophilic soil release polymeric component and the hardening component are provided as separate components.   
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 18 , wherein the composition is provided as an aqueous dispersion. 
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 18 , wherein the fluoropolymer component is present at an add-on level of about 0.01% to about 3.0% on weight fiber. 
     
     
         21 . The composition of  claim 18 , wherein the fluoropolymer component is present at an add-on level of about 0.05% to about 1.5% on weight fiber. 
     
     
         22 . The composition of  claim 18 , wherein the fluoropolymer component comprises one or more fluorourethanes, fluoroacrylates, fluorinated urethane-acrylate copolymers or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The composition of  claim 18 , wherein the polyester of the hydrophilic soil release polymeric component includes polyethylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         24 . The composition of  claim 18 , wherein the hydrophilic soil release polymeric component is present at an add-on level of about 0.01% to about 3.0% on weight fiber. 
     
     
         25 . The composition of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more polymeric species of the hardening component is water-insoluble. 
     
     
         26 . The composition of  claim 18 , wherein the hardening component comprises an acrylate polymer. 
     
     
         27 . The composition of  claim 26 , wherein the acrylate polymer comprises monomeric species selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, alkyl-acrylate, aryl-acrylate, alkyl-methacrylate and aryl-methacrylate. 
     
     
         28 . The composition of  claim 26 , wherein the acrylate polymer is a copolymer. 
     
     
         29 . The composition of  claim 28 , wherein the acrylate copolymer comprises co-monomer of styrene, styrene derivatives, acrylonitrile, acrylonitrile derivatives or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         30 . The composition of  claim 18 , where in the hardening component comprises polyacrylonitrile or polyacrylonitrile copolymer. 
     
     
         31 . The composition of  claim 30 , wherein the polyacrylonitrile copolymer comprises co-monomer of styrene or styrene derivatives. 
     
     
         32 . The composition of  claim 25 , wherein the T g  of the one or more water-insoluble polymeric species is greater than about 100° C. 
     
     
         33 . The composition of  claim 18 , wherein the hardening component is present at an add-on level of about 0.01% to about 2.0% on weight fiber. 
     
     
         34 . The composition of  claim 18 , further comprising an amphiphilic component including one or more surfactants, hydrotropic species or combinations thereof.