Composition for permanently hydrophilizing polyolefin fibers and use thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to a composition for permanently hydrophilizing polyolefin fibers and polyolefin filaments as well as nonwoven textile fabrics made thereof for use as hygiene products such as baby diapers and sanitary napkins or medicinal products such as incontinence products, wound dressings and surgical covers. The composition contains a combination of a non-ionic surfactant, a cationic quaternary ammonium compound and a neutralized phosphoric acid ester. The fiber products finished with the composition exhibit improved resistance to wet migration and dry migration and quick fluid absorption.

1 . A composition for permanently hydrophilizing polyolefin fibers and filaments as well as nonwoven textile products made thereof, comprising
 (A) 15 to 50% by weight of at least one non-ionic surfactant, wherein the non-ionic surfactant is a compound selected from the group consisting of: alkoxylated C 6 -C 18  fatty alcohols, alkoxylated C 6 -C 18  amines, alkoxylated C 6 -C 18  amides, alkoxylated C 6 -C 18  fatty acids, alkoxylated C 6 -C 18  fatty acid esters and alkoxylated C 8 -C 18  alkylphenols, and wherein the non-ionic surfactant has one or more branched or straight-chain, saturated or unsaturated C 6 -C 18  hydrocarbon chain;   (B) 15 to 50% by weight of at least one quaternary ammonium compound of the general formula (I):
   [R 1 —C(═O)—X—(CH 2 ) n —NR 2 R 3 —(CH 2 ) m —X—C(═O)—R 1 ] + Y −   (I)
 
   wherein   R 1  is an alkyl group having 1 to 22 C atoms or an alkenyl group having 2 to 22 C atoms,   R 2  and R 3  independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 22 C atoms, hydroxyethyl or a polyglycol radical,   X is an oxygen atom, NH, N—CH 3  or a (OC 2 H 4 ) z  group with z=1 to 10,   Y −  is one of the anions CH 3 OSO 3   − , C 2 H S OSO 3   − , CH 3 COO − , Cl − , phosphate, lactate, citrate, and   m and n independently represent an integer from 1 to 6;   wherein the quaternary ammonium compound is present as a solid at room temperature of 20° C.;
 (C) 15 to 50% by weight of at least one neutralized phosphoric acid ester of the general formula (II):
   P(═O)(OR 4 )(OR 5 )(OR 6 )   (II)
 
 
   wherein   R 4 , R 5  and R 6  independently represent
 (i) an alkoxylated alkyl group having a hydrocarbon chain comprising 3 to 22 C atoms or an alkoxylated alkenyl group having a hydrocarbon chain comprising 3 to 22 C atoms, wherein the number of alkoxy groups per alkyl or alkylene group is between 1 and 10 and the alkyl groups or alkenyl groups in each case may be branched or straight-chain, saturated or unsaturated; 
 (ii) an alkyl group having 3 to 22 C atoms or an alkenyl group having 3 to 22 C atoms that in each case may be branched or straight-chain, saturated or unsaturated, and/or 
 (iii) hydrogen, 
 with at least one of the radicals R 4 , R 5  and R 6  not being hydrogen. 
   
     
     
         2 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the non-ionic surfactant of component (A) has 1 to 10 alkoxy groups in the molecule. 
     
     
         3 . The composition according to  claim 1  wherein the non-ionic surfactant of component (A) is selected from the group of fatty alcohol alkoxylates having 6 to 18 C atoms in the hydrocarbon chain. 
     
     
         4 . The composition according to  claim 3 , wherein the fatty alcohol alkoxylate has terminal hydroxyl groups. 
     
     
         5 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the radicals R 1 , R 2  and R 3  in the quaternary ammonium salt of component (B) is derived from vegetable oils or oil blends. 
     
     
         6 . The composition according to  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the radicals R 1 , R 2  and/or R 3  in the quaternary ammonium salt of component (B) is derived from palm oil or palm kernel oil. 
     
     
         7 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the quaternary ammonium salt of component (B) has a melting point of 25 to 80° C. 
     
     
         8 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the phosphoric acid ester according to component (C) has alkoxylated alkyl groups and/or alkenyl groups having 6 to 18 C atoms in the hydrocarbon chain and 1 to 6 alkoxy groups. 
     
     
         9 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the phosphoric acid ester according to component (C) has alkyl groups and/or alkenyl groups having 6 to 18 C atoms. 
     
     
         10 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the phosphoric acid ester according to component (C) is neutralized with at least one base selected from the group consisting of LiOH, NaOH, KOH, NH 3 , mono-, di- and triethanolamine. 
     
     
         11 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition is present in the form of an aqueous dispersion or paste having a content of active components of from 5 to 95% by weight. 
     
     
         12 . The composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition optionally contains at least one further additive selected from the group of cohesion agents, lubricants, corrosion inhibitors and emulsifiers as component (D). 
     
     
         13 . The use of a composition according to  claim 1 , adapted for use as a fiber preparation for permanently hydrophilizing polyolefin fibers or polyolefin filaments. 
     
     
         14 . The composition according to one of  claim 1 , adapted for use as an agent for the permanent hydrophilic finishing of textile fabrics made of polyolefin fibers or polyolefin filaments, including polyolefin fiber nonwovens. 
     
     
         15 . A polyolefin fiber or filament permanently hydrophilically finished or treated with a composition according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         16 . A nonwoven textile fabric made of polyolefin fibers or filaments permanently hydrophilically finished with a composition according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . The textile fabric according to  claim 16 , wherein the fabric is a polyolefin random-laid fiber nonwoven. 
     
     
         18 . The textile fabric according to  claim 16 , wherein the fabric is a needled polyolefin fiber nonwoven.