Fiber-treating agent

Abstract

To provide a fiber-treating agent that improves water resistance and heat resistance in both dry and wet conditions, which are points at issue in naturally derived fibers, imparts thermal shape memory, and improves elasticity (tenacity) and surface feel.SOLUTION: A fiber-treating agent is a single agent-type fiber-treating agent formed of a single composition or a multi-agent-type fiber-treating agent formed of multiple compositions, and contains components (A)-(C) in the total compositional makeup. (A): An aromatic compound having at least one vinyl group or vinylidene group, and a coordinating functional group. (B): A radical initiator. (C): Water.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fiber treatment agent for imparting water resistance, heat resistance, and heat shape memory ability to natural-derived fibers, and preferably relates to a fiber treatment agent for natural-derived fibers used in fiber products such as hair ornaments such as wigs and extensions.

Background Art

[0002] Natural-derived fibers generally have a natural texture and appearance coming from natural materials, different from synthetic fibers. Among natural-derived fibers, regenerated protein fibers, such as regenerated collagen fibers, are obtained by solubilizing acid-soluble collagen or insoluble collagen with alkali or enzymes to form a spinning dope, and discharging it through a spinning nozzle into a coagulation bath for fiberization.

[0003] However, natural-derived fibers generally have higher hydrophilicity than synthetic fibers, so they have a high water absorption rate, and in a state containing a lot of water, they generally have low mechanical strength, especially regenerated protein fibers have extremely low mechanical strength. Therefore, during washing, due to the high water absorption rate, the mechanical strength is significantly reduced, leading to a decrease in suitability as a fiber product, such as breaking during subsequent drying.

[0004] In addition, among natural-derived fibers, regenerated protein fibers also have the problem of low heat resistance. For example, in a heat setting using a hair iron or the like, when set at a high temperature similar to human hair, shrinkage or curling occurs, spoiling the appearance.

[0005] Furthermore, in plastic synthetic fibers, the shape during heat setting by an iron or the like continues to be remembered even after subsequent washing (it has heat shape memory ability), but natural-derived fibers lose the shape during heat setting by an iron or the like after a single washing (it has no heat shape memory ability), so there is a disadvantage in terms of the degree of freedom of shape setting compared to conventional plastic synthetic fibers.

[0006] The above points have been factors hindering the spread of natural fibers, particularly regenerated protein fibers, to textile products such as headgear products. In particular, the impact of water resistance, that is, the decrease in mechanical strength when wet, was significant. On the other hand, in the field of human hair fibers, which are natural fibers, a method is known (Patent Document 1) for imparting new thermoshape memory ability to human hair fibers that originally do not have thermoshape memory ability by allowing a specific aldehyde derivative and a phenol compound to act thereon.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0007]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0008] However, in the manufacturing scene of textile products such as headgear products, the fibers may be strongly stretched, and in the technique described in Patent Document 1, the elasticity (toughness) of the fibers after treatment may not be sufficient. Therefore, in order to prevent breakage during stretching, there has been a demand to enhance the elasticity of the fibers after treatment.

[0009] Therefore, the present invention relates to a fiber treatment agent that improves water resistance and heat resistance, which are problems in natural fibers, imparts thermoshape memory ability, and also improves elasticity (toughness) and the surface feel.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0010] As a result of diligent research, the inventors have discovered that by treating natural fibers with a composition containing an aromatic compound having a vinyl group or vinylidene group and a coordinating functional group, and a radical initiator, the aromatic compound penetrates into the fiber and polymerizes, and its coordinating functional group strongly coordinates with the metal (mainly polyvalent metal) in the natural fiber. This improves the strength and heat resistance of the fiber in water while preventing leakage of the aromatic compound or its polymer from the fiber. As a result, the inventors have found that the water resistance and heat resistance in both dry and wet conditions of the natural fibers are improved, and that they can be shaped by heat setting. Furthermore, they have discovered that the elasticity (toughness) of the natural fibers is improved compared to before treatment, reaching a level close to that of human hair, thus completing the present invention.

[0011] The present invention provides a single-component fiber treatment agent comprising a single composition or a multi-component fiber treatment agent comprising multiple compositions, wherein the total composition contains the following components (A) to (C). (A): Aromatic compounds having one or more vinyl groups or vinylidene groups and a coordinating functional group. (B): Radical initiator (C):Water

[0012] Furthermore, the present invention provides a fiber treatment agent kit comprising a composition containing the following components (A) and (C), and a composition containing the following components (B) and (C). (A): Aromatic compounds having one or more vinyl groups or vinylidene groups and a coordinating functional group. (B): Radical initiator (C):Water [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a fiber treatment agent that can improve the water resistance and heat resistance of naturally derived fibers in both dry and wet conditions, impart thermal shape memory ability, and improve elasticity (toughness) and surface feel. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] [Single-drug and multi-drug formulations] The fiber treatment agents of the present invention include all forms, from mono-component fiber treatment agents composed of a single composition to multi-component fiber treatment agents composed of multiple compositions, such as two-component agents, in which fibers are sequentially immersed in these multiple compositions. The mono-component fiber treatment agent also includes those in which multiple compositions are mixed at the time of use to form a single composition. In the present invention, the content in the fiber treatment agent refers to the content in the single composition used in the case of a single-component fiber treatment agent, and refers to the content in each treatment agent used at each stage in the case of a multi-component fiber treatment agent.

[0015] [Fibers to be processed in this invention] The fibers to be treated with the fiber treatment agent of the present invention are preferably metal-containing fibers, preferably metal-containing naturally derived fibers or metal-containing synthetic fibers, and among these, metal-containing naturally derived fibers are preferred. Naturally derived fibers refer to fibers collected from natural plants and animals, or fibers artificially manufactured using polymers or oligomers such as proteins and polysaccharides derived from keratin, collagen, casein, soybeans, peanuts, corn, silk waste, silk protein (e.g., silk fibroin), etc. Of these, fibers artificially manufactured using polymers or oligomers such as proteins and polysaccharides derived from keratin, collagen, casein, soybeans, peanuts, corn, silk waste, silk protein (e.g., silk fibroin), etc. are preferred, regenerated protein fibers made from proteins derived from keratin, collagen, casein, soybean protein, peanut protein, corn protein, silk protein (e.g., silk fibroin), etc. are more preferred, regenerated protein fibers such as regenerated collagen fibers made from collagen, regenerated silk fibers made from silk fibroin, etc. are even more preferred, and regenerated collagen fibers are even more preferred.

[0016] Regenerated collagen fibers can be manufactured using known technologies, and their composition does not need to be 100% collagen; they may contain natural or synthetic polymers or additives for quality improvement. Furthermore, they may be post-processed regenerated collagen fibers. The preferred form of regenerated collagen fibers is filament. Filaments are generally removed from bobbins or boxes. Alternatively, filaments that come out of the drying process during the manufacturing of regenerated collagen fibers can be used directly.

[0017] Synthetic fibers containing metal may include metal-treated synthetic fibers. Naturally derived fibers containing metal may include those that originally contain metal, such as fibers extracted from natural plants and animals, in which case it is not necessary to add metal again. However, they may also be treated with metal salts, such as the aluminum salt-treated fibers for water resistance described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-027318.

[0018] [Component (A): Aromatic compound having a vinyl group or vinylidene group and a coordinating functional group] Component (A) is an aromatic compound having one or more vinyl or vinylidene groups and a coordinating functional group. The coordinating functional group in component (A) is preferably one containing a Pearson hard base. A Pearson hard base refers to a Lewis base classified as a hard base in the HSAB (Hard and Soft Acids and Bases) concept introduced by R.G. Pearson in the 1960s, and is considered to readily react with Lewis acids, which are classified as hard acids.

[0019] The hard bases included in the coordinating functional groups of the aromatic compound of component (A) are functional groups corresponding to the Hard Base described in Application of the Principle of Hard and Soft Acids and Bases to Organic Chemistry, Ralph G. Pearson and Jon. Songstad, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1967, 89, 8, 1827-1836, for example, COO - , O - COOH, OH, NH2, etc. are examples. Of these, COO - , O - COOH and OH are preferred, as they reduce discoloration of the fibers and improve fixability after fiber treatment (suppressing elution during washing). - COOH is more preferred. Furthermore, as the coordinating functional group in component (A), a functional group containing a carboxyl group or a group obtained by removing one hydrogen atom from the benzene ring of catechol (1,2-dihydroxybenzene) is preferred.

[0020] Below, the aromatic compounds of component (A) are (A-1) COOH and COO - Or, if it contains a salt of COOH, (A-2) the coordinating functional group is OH, O - Alternatively, examples will be given separately for cases containing OH salts.

[0021] (A-1) When the coordinating functional group contains COOH, COO-, or a salt of COOH Examples of (A-1) include (A-1-a) aromatic compounds having a vinyl group or vinylidene group as part of the styrene skeleton, and (A-1-b) aromatic compounds having a vinyl group or vinylidene group as part of the acryloyl group or methacryloyl group. Examples of cases where component (A-1) is a salt include alkali metal salts such as sodium salts and potassium salts.

[0022] (A-1-a) Coordinating functional group is COOH, COO -or contains a salt of COOH, and when a vinyl group or a vinylidene group is a part of a styrene skeleton Examples of the aromatic compound of (A-1-a) include compounds represented by the following general formula (1).

[0023] [Chemical formula] <00​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Specific examples of aromatic compounds in which the compound contains at least one group represented by general formula (2) include 4-oxo-4-((4-vinylbenzyl)oxy)butanoic acid and 2-(((4-vinylbenzyl)oxy)carbonyl)benzoic acid.

[0027] (A-1-b) Coordinating functional group is COOH, COO - or containing a COOH salt, wherein the vinyl group or vinylidene group is part of an acryloyl group or methacryloyl group. Examples of aromatic compounds of (A-1-b) include compounds represented by the following general formula (3).

[0028] [ka]

[0029] [In formula (3), R 3 B represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group. 1 ~B 4 Each of these independently represents a hydrogen atom, a carboxyl group, an acetyl group, a halogen atom, or a linear or branched alkyl group, alkenyl group, alkoxy group, or alkenyloxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms; Ph represents a phenylene group; n represents an integer from 0 to 2; and m represents 0 or 1.

[0030] Specific examples of aromatic compounds represented by general formula (3) include 2-((2-(acryloyloxy)ethoxy)carbonyl)benzoic acid, 2-((2-(methacryloyloxy)ethoxy)carbonyl)benzoic acid, and 2-(4-(2-(2-(acryloyloxy)ethoxy)ethoxy)benzoyl)benzoic acid.

[0031] (A-2) The coordinating functional group is OH, O - or when containing an OH salt Examples of (A-2) include compounds represented by the following general formula (4).

[0032] [ka]

[0033] [In formula (4), R 4 E represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group. 1 ~E 5 Each of these independently represents a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, a group represented by general formula (5), an acetyl group, a halogen atom, or a linear or branched alkyl group, alkenyl group, alkoxy group, or alkenyloxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, G 1 ~G 5 Each of these independently represents a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, an acetyl group, a halogen atom, or a linear or branched alkyl group, alkenyl group, alkoxy group, or alkenyloxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms. However, E 1 ~E 5 It contains at least one group represented by general formula (5).

[0034] A specific example of an aromatic compound represented by general formula (4) is 4-vinylbenzyl 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid.

[0035] As for component (A), a component equivalent to (A-1) is more preferable from the viewpoint of reducing the discoloration of the fibers and improving the fixability after fiber treatment (suppressing elution during washing).

[0036] Component (A) can be used alone or in combination of two or more types. The content of component (A) in the fiber treatment agent of the present invention varies depending on the pH range of the fiber treatment agent, but the range shown below is preferred. Here, when component (A) is a salt, the content of component (A) refers to the content of the corresponding undissociated form. The undissociated form refers to the content in the state in which the counterion is replaced with hydrogen in the case of an acid, for example, in the case of a COO- salt, it is the acidic COOH form; in the case of a base, it is the state in which the proton is removed, for example, in the case of an ammonium salt, it is the content of the amine form. When the fiber treatment agent is a multi-component formula, the "pH of the fiber treatment agent" referred to here refers to the pH of the treatment agent containing component (A). When there are multiple treatment agents containing component (A), the preferred content range is determined according to the pH of each treatment agent. As mentioned above, a single composition that is used by mixing multiple compositions at the time of use is included in a single-component fiber treatment agent, and the "pH of the fiber treatment agent" refers to the pH after mixing.

[0037] When the pH of the fiber treatment agent is 2.0 or higher and less than 6.5, the content of component (A) in the fiber treatment agent is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.2% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.5% by mass or more, and even more preferably 1.0% by mass or more, in the case of salt, in the non-dissociated form, from the viewpoint of imparting high shape retention, water resistance, elasticity (toughness, i.e., high elongation at break when the fiber is tensile), and heat resistance to the natural fiber after treatment. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of improving the feel of the fiber surface, it is preferably 40% by mass or less, more preferably 30% by mass or less, even more preferably 25% by mass or less, even more preferably 20% by mass or less, and even more preferably 15% by mass or less. In other words, when the pH of the fiber treatment agent is 2.0 or higher and less than 6.5, the content of component (A) in the fiber treatment agent of the present invention is, from the above viewpoint, preferably 0.1 to 40% by mass, more preferably 0.2 to 30% by mass, even more preferably 0.5 to 25% by mass, even more preferably 1.0 to 20% by mass, and even more preferably 1.0 to 15% by mass, in the case of a salt in the undissociated form.

[0038] When the pH of the fiber treatment agent is 6.5 or higher and 11.0 or lower, the content of component (A) in the fiber treatment agent is preferably 1.0% by mass or more, more preferably 2.0% by mass or more, even more preferably 5.0% by mass or more, and even more preferably 10% by mass or more, in the case of salt, in the form of a non-dissociated type, from the viewpoint of imparting high shape retention, water resistance, elasticity (toughness, i.e., high elongation at break when the fiber is tensile), and heat resistance to the natural fiber after treatment. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of improving the feel of the fiber surface, it is preferably 90% by mass or less, more preferably 80% by mass or less, even more preferably 70% by mass or less, and even more preferably 60% by mass or less. In other words, when the pH of the fiber treatment agent is 6.5 or higher and 11.0 or lower, the content of component (A) in the fiber treatment agent of the present invention is, from the above viewpoint, preferably 1.0 to 90% by mass, more preferably 2.0 to 80% by mass, even more preferably 5.0 to 70% by mass, and even more preferably 10 to 60% by mass, in the case of a salt in the non-dissociated form.

[0039] [Component (B): Radical initiator] Component (B) is a radical initiator for polymerization of component (A). Component (B) may be included in the same composition as component (A), or the fiber treatment agent used may be a multi-component, for example, two-component, and component (B) may be included in a different composition (second agent) from the composition (first agent) containing component (A). Examples of component (B) include peroxide initiators and azo initiators. A combination of an oxidizing agent and a reducing agent can also be used as a redox initiator.

[0040] Examples of peroxide initiators include sodium persulfate, potassium persulfate, ammonium persulfate, t-butyl hydroperoxide, t-amyl hydroperoxide, p-diisopropylbenzene hydroperoxide, cumene hydroperoxide, pinan hydroperoxide, p-menthane hydroperoxide, 1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl hydroperoxide, benzoyl peroxide, t-butyl perbenzoate, diisopropyl peroxydicarbonate, di-n-propyl peroxydicarbonate, di(2-ethoxyethyl) peroxydicarbonate, t-butyl peroxydecanoate, t-butyl peroxybivalate, (3,5,5-trimethylhexanoyl) peroxide, dipropionyl peroxide, and diacetyl peroxide.

[0041] Examples of azo initiators include 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile, 2,2'-azobis(2-methylbutyronitrile), 1,1'-azobis(cyclohexane-1-carbonitride), 2,2'-azobis(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile), 2,2'-azobis(2,4-dimethyl-4-methoxyvaleronitrile), dimethyl2,2'-azobis(2-methylpropionate), 2,2'-azobis(2-hydroxymethylpropionitrile), and 2,2 Examples include '-azobis[2-methyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)propionamide], 4,4'-azobis(4-cyanovaleric acid), 2,2'-azobis[2-(2-imidazolin-2-yl)propane], 2,2'-azobis[N-(2-carboxyethyl)-2-methylpropionamidine], 2,2'-azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride, and 2,2'-azobis[2-(2-imidazolin-2-yl)propane] dihydrochloride.

[0042] Oxidizing agents used as redox initiators include, in addition to the compounds listed above as peroxide initiators, hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite, potassium hypochlorite, oxygen, and ozone. Reducing agents used as redox initiators include sodium sulfite, potassium sulfite, sodium bisulfite, potassium bisulfite, sodium pyrosulfite, potassium pyrosulfite, iron(II) ions, chromium ions, ascorbic acid, formaldehyde sulfoxylate, tetramethylenediamine, and sodium hydroxymethylsulfinate.

[0043] For hydrophilic natural fiber treatment agents, aqueous solutions are preferred from the viewpoint of promoting the penetration of compounds in the solution into the fibers. Therefore, water-soluble radical initiators are also preferred as radical initiators to be incorporated into the fiber treatment agent. Preferred water-soluble azo initiators include 2,2'-azobis[2-methyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)propionamide], 4,4'-azobis(4-cyanovaleric acid), 2,2'-azobis[2-(2-imidazolin-2-yl)propane], 2,2'-azobis[N-(2-carboxyethyl)-2-methylpropionamidine], 2,2'-azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride, and 2,2'-azobis[2-(2-imidazolin-2-yl)propane] dihydrochloride.

[0044] Here, a water-soluble radical initiator refers to a radical initiator that corresponds to the following terms indicating the degree of solubility, which are defined by the volume of water (mL) required to dissolve 1 g of radical initiator powder in water when it is placed in water and shaken vigorously for 30 seconds every 5 minutes at 20°C ± 5°C, in accordance with the general rules for reagent testing methods of JIS K8001: preferably "slightly soluble" to "very soluble", more preferably "somewhat soluble" to "very soluble", even more preferably "somewhat soluble" to "very soluble", even more preferably "easy to dissolve", and even more preferably "very soluble".

[0045] <Amount of water required to dissolve 1g of radical initiator> Extremely soluble: less than 1 mL Easily soluble: 1 mL to less than 10 mL Slightly soluble: 10mL or more and less than 30mL Slightly difficult to dissolve: 30mL to less than 100mL Poorly soluble: 100mL or more but less than 1000mL Extremely poorly soluble: 1000 mL or more but less than 10000 mL Almost insoluble: 10,000 mL or more

[0046] Furthermore, for treatment agents of naturally derived fibers with low heat resistance, it is more preferable to use radical initiators with a low 10-hour half-life temperature that efficiently cleave even at low treatment temperatures and function as radical initiators. Among these, 2,2'-azobis[2-(2-imidazolin-2-yl)propane] (10-hour half-life temperature: 61°C), 2,2'-azobis[N-(2-carboxyethyl)-2-methylpropionamidine] (10-hour half-life temperature: 57°C), 2,2'-azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride (10-hour half-life temperature: 56°C), and 2,2'-azobis[2-(2-imidazolin-2-yl)propane] dihydrochloride (10-hour half-life temperature: 44°C) are preferred.

[0047] Here, the 10-hour half-life temperature of the radical initiator refers to the temperature at which 50% of the radical initiator decomposes after 10 hours. From the viewpoint of efficiently promoting the reaction at low temperatures without damaging naturally derived fibers that are sensitive to high temperatures, the 10-hour half-life temperature of the radical initiator is preferably 80°C or lower, more preferably 70°C or lower, even more preferably 60°C or lower, and even more preferably 50°C or lower. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of not exhibiting excessive reactivity during storage at room temperature and being advantageous for storage and transportation, it is preferably 0°C or higher, more preferably 10°C or higher, and even more preferably 20°C or higher.

[0048] Component (B) can be used alone or in combination of two or more types. The content of component (B) in the fiber treatment agent of the present invention is preferably 0.001% by mass or more, more preferably 0.01% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.1% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.5% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of efficiently carrying out the reaction and imparting high shape retention, water resistance, elasticity (toughness, i.e., high elongation at break when the fiber is tensile), and heat resistance to the natural fiber after treatment. In the case of salts and complexes, this is converted to the non-dissociated form of the compound that is the main component of the reaction. For example, if it is a peroxide initiator, it is converted to the non-dissociated form of the peroxide; if it is an azo initiator, it is converted to the non-dissociated form of the azo compound; and if it is a redox initiator, it is converted to the non-dissociated form of the oxidizing agent and reducing agent, respectively. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of preventing the molecular weight of the polymer produced from becoming too small due to excessive concentration, it is preferably 80% by mass or less, more preferably 60% by mass or less, even more preferably 40% by mass or less, and even more preferably 20% by mass or less. When a redox initiator is used as component (B), the content of component (B) indicates the total amount of the non-dissociated compounds of the oxidizing agent and the reducing agent.

[0049] The mass ratio (B) / (A) of component (B) to component (A) is preferably 0.001 or higher, more preferably 0.01 or higher, and also preferably 200 or lower, more preferably 50 or lower, from the viewpoint of efficiently carrying out the reaction and imparting high shape retention, water resistance, elasticity (toughness, i.e., high elongation at break when the fiber is tensile) and heat resistance to the natural fiber after treatment. In the case of a multi-component fiber treatment agent in which component (A) and component (B) are contained in separate treatment agents, it is sufficient that the mass ratio (B) / (A) in the mixed solution obtained by virtually mixing the two agents is within the above range.

[0050] [Component (C): Water] The fiber treatment agent of the present invention uses water as a medium. The content of component (C) in the fiber treatment agent of the present invention is preferably 10% by mass or more, more preferably 20% by mass or more, even more preferably 30% by mass or more, even more preferably 40% by mass or more, and also preferably 98% by mass or less, more preferably 97% by mass or less, even more preferably 96% by mass or less, even more preferably 95% by mass or less, even more preferably 90% by mass or less, and even more preferably 85% by mass or less. In other words, the content of component (C) in the fiber treatment agent of the present invention is preferably 10 to 98% by mass, more preferably 20 to 97% by mass, even more preferably 30 to 96% by mass, even more preferably 40 to 95% by mass, even more preferably 40 to 90% by mass, and even more preferably 40 to 85% by mass.

[0051] [Cationic surfactants] The fiber treatment agent of the present invention may contain a cationic surfactant to the extent that it does not impair the effects of the present invention. The cationic surfactant is preferably a monolong-chain alkylquaternary ammonium salt having one C8-C24 alkyl group and three C1-C4 alkyl groups.

[0052] Preferably, at least one monolong-chain alkylquaternary ammonium surfactant is selected from compounds represented by the following general formula (6).

[0053] [ka]

[0054] [In the formula, R 5 R is a saturated or unsaturated linear or branched alkyl group having 8 to 22 carbon atoms. 9 -CO-NH-(CH2) p - or R 9 -CO-O-(CH2) p -(R 9 (where p represents an integer from 1 to 4, and R represents a saturated or unsaturated linear or branched alkyl chain having 7 to 21 carbon atoms.) 6 , R 7 and R8 These independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or a hydroxylalkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and An - This represents chloride ions, bromide ions, metosulfate ions, or ethosulfate ions.

[0055] Suitable cationic surfactants include, for example, long-chain quaternary ammonium compounds such as cetyltrimethylammonium chloride, myristyltrimethylammonium chloride, behentrimonium chloride, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, and stearamidopropyltrimonium chloride, which can be used individually or as mixtures thereof.

[0056] The content of the cationic surfactant in the fiber treatment agent of the present invention is preferably 0.05% by mass or more, more preferably 0.10% by mass or more, and also preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 5.0% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of improving the feel of the surface of the natural fiber after treatment and further enhancing the effects of the present invention.

[0057] 〔silicone〕 Furthermore, the fiber treatment agent of the present invention may contain silicone in order to improve the feel of the surface of the treated natural fiber and to improve its cohesion. Preferably, one or more silicones are selected from dimethylpolysiloxane and amino-modified silicones.

[0058] Any cyclic or acyclic dimethylpolysiloxane polymer can be used as the dimethylpolysiloxane, and examples include the SH200 series, BY22-019, BY22-020, BY11-026, B22-029, BY22-034, BY22-050A, BY22-055, BY22-060, BY22-083, FZ-4188 (all from Toray Dow Corning Co., Ltd.), KF-9088, KM-900 series, MK-15H, and MK-88 (all from Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.).

[0059] Any silicone having an amino group or an ammonium group can be used as the amino-modified silicone. Examples include amino-modified silicone oil in which all or some of the terminal hydroxyl groups are terminally encapsulated with methyl groups, etc., and amodimethicone that is not terminally encapsulated. From the viewpoint of improving the feel of the surface of the natural fiber after treatment and improving its cohesiveness, preferred amino-modified silicones include, for example, the compound shown in the following formula.

[0060] [ka]

[0061] [In the formula, R' is a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group or R X Show, R X represents a substituted or unsubstituted monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, and J is R X , R"-(NHCH2CH2) a NH2, OR X Or it represents a hydroxyl group, R'' represents a divalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, a represents a number from 0 to 3, and b and c represent a number such that their sum is number-average of 10 or more and less than 20,000, preferably 20 or more and less than 3,000, more preferably 30 or more and less than 1,000, and even more preferably 40 or more and less than 800.

[0062] Suitable commercially available amino-modified silicones include amino-modified silicone oils such as SF8452C and SS3551 (both from Toray Dow Corning Co., Ltd.), KF-8004, KF-867S, and KF-8015 (all from Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), and amodimethicone emulsions such as SM8704C, SM8904, BY22-079, FZ-4671, and FZ4672 (all from Toray Dow Corning Co., Ltd.).

[0063] The silicone content in the fiber treatment agent of the present invention is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.2% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.5% by mass or more, and also preferably 20% by mass or less, more preferably 10% by mass or less, and even more preferably 5.0% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of improving the feel of the surface of the treated natural fiber and further enhancing the effects of the present invention.

[0064] [Cationic polymers] Furthermore, the fiber treatment agent of the present invention may contain a cationic polymer from the viewpoint of improving the surface feel of the natural fiber after treatment.

[0065] Cationic polymers are polymers having a cationic group or a group that can be ionized into a cationic group, and also include amphoteric polymers that are cationic overall. Specifically, they are aqueous solutions containing an amino group or an ammonium group in the side chain of the polymer chain, or containing diallyl quaternary ammonium salt as a constituent unit, such as cationized cellulose derivatives, cationic starch, cationized guar gum derivatives, polymers or copolymers of diallyl quaternary ammonium salt, and quaternized polyvinylpyrrolidone derivatives. Of these, from the viewpoint of improving the softness, smoothness and ease of handling during rinsing and shampooing, ease of manageability and moisturizing properties during drying, and the stability of the agent, one or more selected from polymers containing diallyl quaternary ammonium salt as a constituent unit, quaternized polyvinylpyrrolidone derivatives, and cationized cellulose derivatives are preferred, and one or more selected from polymers or copolymers of diallyl quaternary ammonium salt and cationized cellulose derivatives are more preferred.

[0066] Specific examples of suitable polymers or copolymers of diallyl quaternary ammonium salts include dimethyldiallylammonium chloride polymer (Polyquaternium-6, e.g., Merquart 100; Lubrizol Advanced Materials), dimethyldiallylammonium chloride / acrylic acid copolymer (Polyquaternium-22, e.g., Merquart 280, 295; Lubrizol Advanced Materials), and dimethyldiallylammonium chloride / acrylamide copolymer (Polyquaternium-7, e.g., Merquart 550; Lubrizol Advanced Materials).

[0067] Specific examples of suitable quaternized polyvinylpyrrolidone derivatives include polymers obtained by polymerizing vinylpyrrolidone copolymer and dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (polyquaternium-11, e.g., Gaffcut 734, Gaffcut 755, Gaffcut 755N (all from Ashland)).

[0068] Suitable examples of cationized cellulose include polymers obtained by loading hydroxycellulose with glycidyltrimethylammonium chloride (Polyquaternium-10, e.g., Leoguard G, GP (both from Lion Corporation), Polymer JR-125, JR-400, JR-30M, LR-400, LR-30M (all from Amarcol)), and hydroxyethylcellulose dimethyldiallylammonium chloride (Polyquaternium-4, e.g., Cellcoat H-100, L-200 (both from AkzoNobel)).

[0069] The content of the cationic polymer in the fiber treatment agent of the present invention is preferably 0.001% by mass or more, more preferably 0.01% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.05% by mass or more, and also preferably 20% by mass or less, more preferably 10% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of improving the feel of the surface of the natural fiber after treatment.

[0070] Furthermore, the fiber treatment agent of the present invention may contain antioxidants such as ascorbic acid; and pH adjusters such as sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, phosphoric acid, and hydrochloric acid.

[0071] [Issue] The pH of the fiber treatment agent of the present invention is preferably 2.0 or higher, more preferably 3.0 or higher, even more preferably 3.5 or higher, even more preferably 4.0 or higher, and also preferably 11.0 or lower, more preferably 10.0 or lower, and even more preferably 9.0 or lower, from the viewpoint of suppressing damage to natural fibers and improving durability. Note that the pH values ​​in the present invention are those at 25°C. In other words, the pH of the fiber treatment agent of the present invention is preferably 2.0 to 11.0, more preferably 3.0 to 10.0, even more preferably 3.5 to 9.0, and even more preferably 4.0 to 9.0, from the viewpoint of suppressing damage to natural fibers and improving their durability. In the case of multi-component fiber treatment agents, the above conditions apply to the pH of each agent. However, it is preferable that the pH of each agent be close; specifically, the difference in pH between the agent with the highest pH and the agent with the lowest pH is preferably 3.0 or less, more preferably 2.0 or less, even more preferably 1.0 or less, and even more preferably 0.5 or less. As mentioned above, a single composition made by mixing multiple compositions at the time of use is included in the single-component fiber treatment agent category, and "pH of the fiber treatment agent" refers to the pH after mixing.

[0072] [Storage method for fiber treatment agents] When transporting and storing the fiber treatment agent manufactured as described above before applying it to fibers, or when transporting and storing the raw materials before preparing the fiber treatment agent, the storage temperature may be set to cold or high, or the voids in the storage container may be filled with nitrogen, in order to prevent oxidative discoloration of the polymer of component (A), unintended reaction progression during transport, and recrystallization.

[0073] The storage temperature for the fiber treatment agent is preferably 1°C or higher, more preferably 2°C or higher, and even more preferably 5°C or higher, from the viewpoint of preventing freezing and recrystallization. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of preventing oxidative discoloration and unintended reaction progression, it is preferably 25°C or lower, more preferably 20°C or lower, and even more preferably 15°C or lower.

[0074] Furthermore, the storage temperature of the fiber treatment agent is preferably 20°C or higher, more preferably 30°C or higher, and even more preferably 40°C or higher, from the viewpoint of preventing recrystallization of high-concentration solutions, and preferably 80°C or lower, more preferably 70°C or lower, and even more preferably 60°C or lower, from the viewpoint of preventing oxidative discoloration and unintended reaction progression.

[0075] [Fiber processing method] (Basic procedures) By treating naturally derived fibers using the fiber treatment agent of the present invention in a method including the following step (i), it is possible to improve the water resistance and heat resistance, which are problems of naturally derived fibers, impart thermal shape memory ability, and improve elasticity (toughness) and surface feel. Step (i) Step of immersing natural fibers in the fiber treatment agent of the present invention.

[0076] When the fiber treatment agent of the present invention is a multi-component type, an example of a multi-component fiber treatment agent is a two-component fiber treatment agent comprising a first agent containing component (A) and a second agent containing component (B). When using such a multi-component fiber treatment agent, step (i) is a multi-stage treatment step in which natural fiber is sequentially immersed in each agent. For example, when using the two-component fiber treatment agent described above, step (i) is a two-stage treatment step in which natural fiber is immersed in a first agent containing component (A), and then the natural fiber after treatment with the first agent is immersed in a second agent containing component (B), or a two-stage treatment step in which natural fiber is immersed in a second agent containing component (B), and then the natural fiber after treatment with the second agent is immersed in a first agent containing component (A).

[0077] In step (i), the natural fibers to be immersed in the fiber treatment agent may be dry or wet. The amount of fiber treatment agent used to immerse the natural fibers is preferably 2.0 or more, more preferably 3.0 or more, even more preferably 5.0 or more, even more preferably 10 or more, even more preferably 20 or more, and also preferably 500 or less, more preferably 250 or less, and even more preferably 100 or less, from the viewpoint of improving water resistance, heat resistance, imparting thermal shape memory ability, and improving elasticity (toughness) and surface feel, in terms of the bath ratio to the mass of the natural fibers (mass of fiber treatment agent / mass of natural fibers). In other words, from the above viewpoint, the bath ratio is preferably 2.0 to 500, more preferably 3.0 to 250, even more preferably 5.0 to 100, even more preferably 10 to 100, and even more preferably 20 to 100.

[0078] Furthermore, in step (i), the natural fibers may be fixed in advance with a curler or the like, and then immersed in the fiber treatment agent of the present invention under heating. In this way, the natural fibers can be given a desired shape simultaneously, in addition to thermal shape memory and high durability.

[0079] In step (i), the immersion of the natural fiber into the fiber treatment agent is preferably carried out under heating, and this heating is performed by warming the fiber treatment agent. This heating may be carried out by immersing the natural fiber into the heated fiber treatment agent, or by immersing the natural fiber into the low-temperature fiber treatment agent and then heating it. The temperature of the fiber treatment agent is preferably 20°C or higher, more preferably 35°C or higher, and even more preferably 45°C or higher, in order to obtain the effects of the present invention by increasing the interaction between component (A) and the fiber constituent molecules in the natural fiber, such as protein molecules. Furthermore, in order to prevent the natural fiber from denatured and degraded by heat, the temperature is preferably less than 100°C, more preferably 80°C or lower, even more preferably 70°C or lower, and even more preferably 60°C or lower.

[0080] The immersion time in step (i) is adjusted as appropriate depending on the heating temperature, but for example, from the viewpoint of exhibiting an effect of improving the elasticity of natural fibers, it is preferably 15 minutes or more, more preferably 30 minutes or more, and even more preferably 1 hour or more, and in order to suppress damage to natural fibers, it is preferably 48 hours or less, more preferably 24 hours or less, and even more preferably 12 hours or less.

[0081] Step (i) is preferably carried out in an environment in which the evaporation of moisture is suppressed. Specific means of suppressing the evaporation of moisture include covering the container of the fiber treatment agent in which the natural fibers are immersed with a film-like substance, cap, lid, etc., made of a material that does not allow water vapor to pass through.

[0082] In the case of multi-stage processing using a multi-component fiber treatment agent, the aforementioned bath ratio, temperature, immersion time, and other conditions are applied to each stage. In addition, rinsing, drying, etc. may be performed between stages in the case of multi-stage processing.

[0083] After step (i), the natural fibers may be rinsed, or they may not be rinsed. However, rinsing is preferable from the viewpoint of preventing a decrease in the surface feel of the natural fibers due to excess component (A) or its polymers.

[0084] These processes are thought to cause various effects by allowing component (A) to penetrate and polymerize within the naturally derived fibers, and by strongly coordinating with metals within the fibers, such as polyvalent metals.

[0085] [Further processing may be added] In addition to the above-mentioned step (i), one or more additional treatments may be performed, selected from decolorization, dyeing, surface finishing for hydrophobicity and friction reduction, and heat treatment for further improvement of fiber elasticity (toughness).

[0086] In this case, the decolorization and dyeing processes may be performed before or after step (i) described above. Furthermore, multiple processes can be combined and added. If both decolorization and dyeing are added, the order of the processes does not matter, except that decolorization must be performed before dyeing. Another process can also be performed between decolorization and dyeing.

[0087] On the other hand, surface finishing for hydrophobicity and friction reduction, and heat treatment for further improvement of fiber elasticity (toughness) must be performed after step (i) described above, but the order of these processes with decolorization and dyeing is not particularly limited. Also, surface finishing for hydrophobicity and friction reduction, and heat treatment for further improvement of fiber elasticity (toughness) may be performed in either order.

[0088] (bleaching) Decolorization is carried out by immersing natural fibers in a decolorizing agent composition containing an alkaline agent, an oxidizing agent, and water. The decolorizing agent composition is usually in two parts: the first part contains an alkaline agent and water, and the second part contains an oxidizing agent and water. These two parts are typically stored separately and mixed before immersing the natural fibers.

[0089] Suitable alkaline agents include, but are not limited to, ammonia and its salts; alkanolamines (monoethanolamine, isopropanolamine, 2-amino-2-methylpropanol, 2-aminobutanol, etc.) and their salts; alkanediamines (1,3-propanediamine, etc.) and their salts; and carbonates (guanidine carbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, etc.) and mixtures thereof.

[0090] The content of the alkaline agent in the decolorizing agent composition (in the case of a two-part type, a mixture of the first and second components) is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.5% by mass or more, even more preferably 1.0% by mass or more, and also preferably 15% by mass or less, more preferably 10% by mass or less, and even more preferably 7.5% by mass or less.

[0091] Suitable oxidizing agents include, but are not limited to, hydrogen peroxide, urea peroxide, melamine peroxide, and sodium bromate. Among these oxidizing agents, hydrogen peroxide is preferred.

[0092] The content of the oxidizing agent in the decolorizing agent composition is preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 2% by mass or more, and also preferably 15% by mass or less, more preferably 12% by mass or less, and even more preferably 9% by mass or less.

[0093] When the first and second agents are stored separately, the pH of the second agent at 25°C is preferably 2 or higher, more preferably 2.5 or higher, and also preferably 6 or lower, more preferably 4 or lower. This pH can be adjusted with a suitable buffer. The pH of the decolorizing agent composition at 25°C is preferably 6 or higher, more preferably 6.5 or higher, even more preferably 6.8 or higher, and also preferably 11 or lower, more preferably 10.5 or lower, and even more preferably 10 or lower.

[0094] (staining) Dyeing is carried out by immersing natural fibers in a dyeing composition. The dyeing composition contains dyes and may optionally contain alkaline agents, acids, oxidizing agents, etc. Examples of dyes include direct dyes, oxidation dyes, and combinations thereof.

[0095] The type of direct dye is not particularly limited, and any direct dye suitable for dyeing can be used. Examples of direct dyes include anionic dyes, nitro dyes, disperse dyes, cationic dyes, and dyes having an azophenol structure selected from the group consisting of HC Red 18, HC Blue 18, and HC Yellow 16, as well as salts thereof and mixtures thereof.

[0096] [ka]

[0097] Examples of cationic dyes include, but are not limited to, Basic Blue 6, Basic Blue 7, Basic Blue 9, Basic Blue 26, Basic Blue 41, Basic Blue 99, Basic Brown 4, Basic Brown 16, Basic Brown 17, Natural Brown 7, Basic Green 1, Basic Orange 31, Basic Red 2, Basic Red 12, Basic Red 22, Basic Red 51, Basic Red 76, Basic Violet 1, Basic Violet 2, Basic Violet 3, Basic Violet 10, Basic Violet 14, Basic Yellow 57, and Basic Yellow 87, as well as mixtures thereof. Basic Red 51, Basic Orange 31, Basic Yellow 87, and mixtures thereof are particularly preferred.

[0098] Examples of anionic dyes include Acid Black 1, Acid Blue 1, Acid Blue 3, Acid Blue 5, Acid Blue 7, Acid Blue 9, Acid Blue 74, Acid Orange 3, Acid Orange 4, Acid Orange 6, Acid Orange 7, Acid Orange 10, Acid Red 1, Acid Red 14, Acid Red 18, Acid Red 27, Acid Red 33, Acid Red 50, Acid Red 52, Acid Red 73, Acid Red 87, Acid Red 88, Acid Red 92, Acid Red 155, Acid Red 180, Acid Violet 2, Acid Violet 9, Acid Violet 43, Acid Violet 49, Acid Yellow 1, Acid Examples include, but are not limited to, Yellow 10, Acid Yellow 23, Acid Yellow 3, Food Yellow No. 8, D&C Brown No. 1, D&C Green No. 5, D&C Green No. 8, D&C Orange No. 4, D&C Orange No. 10, D&C Orange No. 11, D&C Red No. 21, D&C Red No. 27, D&C Red No. 33, D&C Violet 2, D&C Yellow No. 7, D&C Yellow No. 8, D&C Yellow No. 10, FD&C Red 2, FD&C Red 40, FD&C Red No. 4, FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Blue 1, Food Black 1, Food Black 2, as well as alkali metal salts of these (sodium salts, potassium salts, etc.) and mixtures thereof.

[0099] Among these, preferred anionic dyes are Acid Black 1, Acid Red 52, Acid Violet 2, Acid Violet 43, Acid Red 33, Acid Orange 4, Acid Orange 7, Acid Red 27, Acid Yellow 3, and Acid Yellow 10, as well as their salts. More preferred anionic dyes are Acid Red 52, Acid Violet 2, Acid Red 33, Acid Orange 4, and Acid Yellow 10, as well as their salts and mixtures.

[0100] Examples of nitro dyes include HC Blue No. 2, HC Blue No. 4, HC Blue No. 5, HC Blue No. 6, HC Blue No. 7, HC Blue No. 8, HC Blue No. 9, HC Blue No. 10, HC Blue No. 11, HC Blue No. 12, HC Blue No. 13, HC Brown No. 1, HC Brown No. 2, HC Green No. 1, HC Orange No. 1, HC Orange No. 2, HC Orange No. 3, HC Orange No. 5, HC Red BN, HC Red No. 1, HC Red No. 3, HC Red No. 7, HC Red No. 8, HC Red No. 9, HC Red No. 10, HC Red No. 11, HC Red No. 13, HC Red No. 54, HC Red No. 14, HC Violet BS, HC Examples include, but are not limited to, Violet No. 1, HC Violet No. 2, HC Yellow No. 2, HC Yellow No. 4, HC Yellow No. 5, HC Yellow No. 6, HC Yellow No. 7, HC Yellow No. 8, HC Yellow No. 9, HC Yellow No. 10, HC Yellow No. 11, HC Yellow No. 12, HC Yellow No. 13, HC Yellow No. 14, HC Yellow No. 15, 2-amino-6-chloro-4-nitrophenol, picramic acid, 1,2-diamino-4-nitrobenzol, 1,4-diamino-2-nitrobenzol, 3-nitro-4-aminophenol, 1-hydroxy-2-amino-3-nitrobenzol, and 2-hydroxyethylpicramic acid, as well as mixtures thereof.

[0101] Examples of disperse dyes include, but are not limited to, Disperse Blue 1, Disperse Black 9, and Disperse Violet 1, and mixtures thereof.

[0102] These direct dyes can be used individually or in combination of two or more, and direct dyes with different ionic properties can also be used together.

[0103] From the viewpoint of obtaining sufficient dyeing properties, the content of direct dyes in the dyeing agent composition is preferably 0.001% by mass or more, more preferably 0.01% by mass or more, and even more preferably 0.05% by mass or more. From the viewpoint of compatibility, it is preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 7.5% by mass or less, even more preferably 5.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 3.0% by mass or less.

[0104] If the dyeing composition contains only direct dyes as dyes, an oxidizing agent is not necessary to dye natural fibers. However, if you want to lighten the color of natural fibers, you can include an oxidizing agent in the composition.

[0105] When a dyeing composition contains an oxidative dye, it is usually a two-part system. The first part contains an oxidative dye intermediate (precursor and coupler) and an alkaline agent, while the second part contains an oxidizing agent such as hydrogen peroxide. These two parts are usually stored separately and mixed before immersing the natural fiber.

[0106] There are no particular restrictions on the oxidation dye intermediate; any known precursor and coupler commonly used in dyed products can be suitably used.

[0107] Precursors include, for example, paraphenylenediamine, toluene-2,5-diamine, 2-chloro-paraphenylenediamine, N-methoxyethyl-paraphenylenediamine, N-phenylparaphenylenediamine, N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-paraphenylenediamine, 2-(2-hydroxyethyl)-paraphenylenediamine, 2,6-dimethyl-paraphenylenediamine, 4,4'-diaminodiphenylamine, 1,3-bis(N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-(4-aminophenyl)amino)-2-propanol, PEG-3,3,2'-paraphenylenediamine, para-aminophenol, para-methylaminophenol, 3 Examples include, but are not limited to, methyl-4-aminophenol, 2-aminomethyl-4-aminophenol, 2-(2-hydroxyethylaminomethyl)-4-aminophenol, orthoaminophenol, 2-amino-5-methylphenol, 2-amino-6-methylphenol, 2-amino-5-acetamidophenol, 3,4-diaminobenzoic acid, 5-aminosalicylic acid, 2,4,5,6-tetraaminopyrimidine, 2,5,6-triamino-4-hydroxypyrimidine, 4,5-diamino-1-(4'-chlorobenzyl)pyrazole, 4,5-diamino-1-hydroxyethylpyrazole, and salts of these substances and mixtures thereof.

[0108] Examples of couplers include metaphenylenediamine, 2,4-diaminophenoxyethanol, 2-amino-4-(2-hydroxyethylamino)anisole, 2,4-diamino-5-methylphenethole, 2,4-diamino-5-(2-hydroxyethoxy)toluene, 2,4-dimethoxy-1,3-diaminobenzene, 2,6-bis(2-hydroxyethylamino)toluene, 2,4-diamino-5-fluorotoluene, 1,3-bis(2,4-diaminophenoxy)propane, metaaminophenol, 2-methyl-5-aminophenol, 2-methyl-5-(2-hydroxyethylamino)phenol, 2,4-dichloro-3-aminophenol, 2-chloro-3-amino-6-methylphenol, 2-methyl-4-chloro-5-aminophenol, N-cyclopentyl-methaminophenol, 2-methyl-4-methoxy-5-(2-hydroxyethylamino)phenol, 2-methyl-4-fluoro-5-aminophenol, para-amino-o-toxylethanolamine Zol, resorcinol, 2-methylresorcinol, 4-chlororesorcinol, 1-naphthol, 1,5-dihydroxynaphthalene, 1,7-dihydroxynaphthalene, 2,7-dihydroxynaphthalene, 2-isopropyl-5-methylphenol, 4-hydroxyindole, 5-hydroxyindole, 6-hydroxyindole, 7-hydroxyindole, 6-hydroxybenzomorpholine, 3,4-methylenedioxyphenol, 2-bromo-4,5-methylenedioxyphenol Examples include, but are not limited to, 3,4-methylenedioxyaniline, 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)amino-3,4-methylenedioxybenzene, 2,6-dihydroxy-3,4-dimethylpyridine, 2,6-dimethoxy-3,5-diaminopyridine, 2,3-diamino-6-methoxypyridine, 2-methylamino-3-amino-6-methoxypyridine, 2-amino-3-hydroxypyridine, 2,6-diaminopyridine, and salts of these substances and mixtures thereof.

[0109] The content of precursor and coupler in the dyeing agent composition is preferably 0.01% by mass or more, more preferably 0.1% by mass or more, and also preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 7.5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 5.0% by mass or less.

[0110] If the dyeing composition contains an oxidation dye, it further contains an alkaline agent. Suitable alkaline agents include, but are not limited to, ammonia and its salts; alkanolamines (monoethanolamine, isopropanolamine, 2-amino-2-methylpropanol, 2-aminobutanol, etc.) and their salts; alkanediamines (1,3-propanediamine, etc.) and their salts; and carbonates (guanidine carbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, etc.); and mixtures thereof.

[0111] The content of the alkaline agent in the dyeing agent composition is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.5% by mass or more, even more preferably 1.0% by mass or more, and also preferably 15% by mass or less, more preferably 10% by mass or less, and even more preferably 7.5% by mass or less.

[0112] When the dyeing composition contains an oxidative dye, the oxidizing agent composition (second agent) is stored separately from the oxidative dye composition (first agent) and mixed before immersing the natural fiber. Suitable oxidizing agents include, but are not limited to, hydrogen peroxide, urea peroxide, melamine peroxide, and sodium bromate. Among these oxidizing agents, hydrogen peroxide is preferred.

[0113] The content of the oxidizing agent in the dyeing agent composition is preferably 1% by mass or more, more preferably 2% by mass or more, and also preferably 15% by mass or less, more preferably 12% by mass or less, and even more preferably 9% by mass or less.

[0114] When the first and second agents are stored separately, the pH of the second agent at 25°C is preferably 2 or higher, more preferably 2.5 or higher, and also preferably 6 or lower, more preferably 4 or lower. This pH can be adjusted with a suitable buffer. The pH of the dyeing composition obtained by mixing the first and second agents at 25°C is preferably 6 or higher, more preferably 6.5 or higher, even more preferably 6.8 or higher, and also preferably 11 or lower, more preferably 10.5 or lower, and even more preferably 10 or lower.

[0115] If the dyeing composition contains an oxidation dye, it may further contain the direct dyes exemplified above.

[0116] The dyeing composition may preferably further contain the following surfactants, conditioning components, etc., and may preferably take the form of a solution, emulsion, cream, paste, or mousse.

[0117] The temperature of the dyeing agent composition is preferably 0°C or higher, more preferably 10°C or higher, even more preferably 20°C or higher, and also preferably 90°C or lower, more preferably 80°C or lower, from the viewpoint of efficiently penetrating and diffusing the dyeing agent composition into the natural fiber and further enhancing the dyeing effect.

[0118] (Post-heating: Heat treatment to further improve fiber elasticity (toughness)) Furthermore, from the viewpoint of more effectively improving the elasticity of natural fibers, natural fibers can be heated while being stretched under tension. For small quantities of natural fibers, it is preferable to use a hair iron for this heating, and for large quantities, equivalent results can be obtained by applying tension with a winding machine while heating with hot air.

[0119] The fiber stretch rate during heating is preferably 0.1% or more, more preferably 0.2% or more, and even more preferably 0.5% or more, from the viewpoint of more effectively improving the elasticity of the fibers, and from the viewpoint of suppressing damage to the fibers, it is preferably 10% or less, more preferably 5.0% or less, and even more preferably 2.0% or less.

[0120] The heating temperature is preferably 120°C or higher, more preferably 140°C or higher, and even more preferably 160°C or higher, from the viewpoint of more effectively improving the elasticity of the fibers, and preferably 240°C or lower, more preferably 220°C or lower, and even more preferably 200°C or lower, from the viewpoint of suppressing damage to the fibers.

[0121] The heating time is preferably 1 second or more, more preferably 3 seconds or more, and even more preferably 5 seconds or more, from the viewpoint of more effectively improving the elasticity of the fibers, and from the viewpoint of suppressing damage to the fibers, it is preferably 60 seconds or less, more preferably 30 seconds or less, and even more preferably 20 seconds or less.

[0122] After heating, the natural fibers can be subjected to tension and stretched while being left to stand in water, in order to more effectively improve their elasticity.

[0123] The elongation rate in this case is preferably 0.1% or more, more preferably 0.2% or more, and even more preferably 0.5% or more, from the viewpoint of more effectively improving the elasticity of the fibers, and from the viewpoint of suppressing damage to the fibers, it is preferably 10% or less, more preferably 5.0% or less, and even more preferably 2.0% or less.

[0124] From the viewpoint of more effectively improving the elasticity of the fibers, the water temperature is preferably 5°C or higher, more preferably 20°C or higher, and even more preferably 30°C or higher. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of suppressing damage to the fibers, the water temperature is preferably 80°C or lower, more preferably 60°C or lower, and even more preferably 50°C or lower.

[0125] The standing time in water is preferably 1 minute or more, more preferably 5 minutes or more, and even more preferably 30 minutes or more, from the viewpoint of more effectively improving the elasticity of the fibers, and from the viewpoint of suppressing damage to the fibers, it is preferably 48 hours or less, more preferably 24 hours or less, and even more preferably 3 hours or less.

[0126] This operation, depending on the processing conditions in step (i), can achieve elasticity comparable to human hair during fiber drying.

[0127] (Suppression or removal of discoloration) Furthermore, the coordinating functional group of component (A) is OH or O - If the group has the properties of the present invention, it can be treated with a composition containing a salt for the purpose of suppressing or removing discoloration in naturally derived fibers treated with the fiber treatment agent of the present invention. Either an organic salt or an inorganic salt can be used as the salt. Specifically, examples of organic salts include chelating organic salts such as disodium etidronate, disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, disodium catechol-3,5-disulfonate monohydrate, and sodium phytate, as well as sodium mercaptoethanesulfonate and sodium 2-naphthalenesulfonate. Examples of inorganic salts include sulfites such as sodium sulfite, as well as sodium chloride and aluminum chlorohydrate. Preferred salts for this purpose include reducing salts (such as salts of thiol compounds) and metal chelating salts (such as sodium salts of edetate such as disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate and sodium salts of etidronic acid such as disodium etidronate) among organic salts, and reducing salts (such as sulfites such as sodium sulfite) among inorganic salts. In particular, it is preferable to use a reducing salt in combination with a metal chelating salt.

[0128] The fiber discoloration resulting from treatment with the fiber treatment agent of the present invention is thought to consist of both brownish oxidative discoloration (which can be treated with reducing salts) and yellowish catechin metal complex coloration (which can be treated with chelating agents). It is believed that the discoloration of the fibers can be better suppressed by performing decolorization treatments corresponding to each type of discoloration.

[0129] The composition containing salt is preferably an aqueous solution. Furthermore, the pH of this composition is preferably 2.0 or higher, more preferably 3.0 or higher, even more preferably 4.0 or higher, and also preferably 9.0 or lower, more preferably 7.0 or lower, and even more preferably 6.0 or lower, from the viewpoint of not reducing the water resistance, elasticity (toughness, i.e., high elongation at break when the fiber is tensile) and heat resistance of the natural fibers.

[0130] The salt content in the composition is preferably 0.5% by mass or more, more preferably 1.0% by mass or more, and even more preferably 2.0% by mass or more, from the viewpoint of exhibiting the effect of suppressing or removing discoloration of natural fibers, and preferably 20% by mass or less, more preferably 10% by mass or less, and even more preferably 5.0% by mass or less, from the viewpoint of not reducing the water resistance, elasticity (toughness, i.e., high elongation at break when the fiber is tensed) and heat resistance of natural fibers due to the reducing action.

[0131] The treatment temperature with the salt-containing composition is preferably 5°C or higher, more preferably 10°C or higher, and even more preferably 20°C or higher, from the viewpoint of exhibiting the effect of suppressing or removing discoloration of naturally derived fibers, and preferably 100°C or lower, more preferably 60°C or lower, and even more preferably 40°C or lower, from the viewpoint of avoiding damage to the fibers.

[0132] The treatment time with the salt-containing composition is preferably 1 second or more, more preferably 30 seconds or more, and even more preferably 1 minute or more, from the viewpoint of exhibiting the effect of suppressing or removing discoloration of natural fibers, and from the viewpoint of avoiding damage to the fibers, it is preferably 60 minutes or less, more preferably 30 minutes or less, and even more preferably 15 minutes or less.

[0133] The fibers that have undergone the various treatments described above can then have their texture improved by conventional post-treatments, such as treatment with fabric softeners or other fiber treatment agents, or treatment with conditioners or hair treatments.

[0134] By processing natural fibers using the above fiber processing method, polymers of component (A) are incorporated into the fibers, allowing them to be shaped by heat setting, resulting in fibers with excellent water resistance, heat resistance, and tensile modulus, and highly improved elasticity (toughness) compared to natural fibers. These fibers, preferably for headwear products, can be manufactured, and various textile products, preferably headwear products, can be manufactured using these fibers. Suitable headwear products in this invention include, for example, hair wigs, hairpieces, weaving, hair extensions, braided hair, hair accessories, doll hair, and the like.

[0135] With respect to the embodiments described above, preferred embodiments of the present invention are further disclosed below.

[0136] <1> A single-component fiber treatment agent comprising a single composition or a multi-component fiber treatment agent comprising multiple compositions, wherein the total composition contains the following components (A) to (C). (A): Aromatic compounds having one or more vinyl groups or vinylidene groups and a coordinating functional group. (B): Radical initiator (C):Water

[0137] <2> The coordinating functional group in component (A) is preferably a group containing Pearson's Hard Base. <1> The fiber treatment agent described above.

[0138] <3> The coordinating functional group in component (A) is preferably COO - , O -, a group containing COOH, OH or NH2, more preferably COO - , O - , a group containing COOH or OH, more preferably a group containing a carboxyl group or a group obtained by removing one hydrogen atom from the benzene ring of catechol (1,2-dihydroxybenzene), <1> or <2> The fiber treatment agent described above.

[0139] <4> Component (A) is either component (A-1) or (A-2) below. <1> ~ <3> A fiber treatment agent as described in any one of the items. (A-1) Coordinating functional groups are COOH, COO - or aromatic compounds that are groups containing a salt of COOH (A-2) Coordinating functional groups are OH, O - or aromatic compounds containing an OH salt

[0140] <5> Component (A-1) is preferably one of the following components (A-1-a) or (A-1-b): <4> The fiber treatment agent described above. (A-1-a) Aromatic compounds having a vinyl group or vinylidene group as part of the styrene skeleton (A-1-b) Aromatic compounds having a vinyl group or vinylidene group as part of an acryloyl group or methacryloyl group

[0141] <6> Component (A-1-a) is preferably a compound represented by the following general formula (1), more preferably 2-vinylbenzoic acid, 3-vinylbenzoic acid, 4-vinylbenzoic acid, or a mixture of two or three selected therefrom, 4-oxo-4-((4-vinylbenzyl)oxy)butanoic acid, or 2-(((4-vinylbenzyl)oxy)carbonyl)benzoic acid. <5> The fiber treatment agent described above.

[0142] [ka]

[0143] [In formula (1), R 1A represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group. 1 ~A 5 Each of these independently represents a hydrogen atom, a carboxyl group, a group represented by general formula (2), an acetyl group, a halogen atom, or a linear or branched alkyl group, alkenyl group, alkoxy group, or alkenyloxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms. In formula (2), R 2 This represents a linear or branched saturated or unsaturated divalent hydrocarbon group or divalent hydrocarbon oxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an o-phenylene group, an m-phenylene group, a p-phenylene group, a benzylidene group, or a phenyl C2-C4 alkylene group. However, A 1 ~A 5 It contains at least one carboxyl group or a group represented by general formula (2).

[0144] <7> Component (A-1-b) is preferably a compound represented by the following general formula (3), more preferably 2-((2-(acryloyloxy)ethoxy)carbonyl)benzoic acid, 2-((2-(methacryloyloxy)ethoxy)carbonyl)benzoic acid, or 2-(4-(2-(2-(acryloyloxy)ethoxy)ethoxy)benzoyl)benzoic acid. <5> The fiber treatment agent described above.

[0145] [ka]

[0146] [In formula (3), R 3 B represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group. 1 ~B 4 Each of these independently represents a hydrogen atom, a carboxyl group, an acetyl group, a halogen atom, or a linear or branched alkyl group, alkenyl group, alkoxy group, or alkenyloxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms; Ph represents a phenylene group; n represents an integer from 0 to 2; and m represents 0 or 1.

[0147] <8> Component (A-2) is preferably a compound represented by the following general formula (4), more preferably 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid 4-vinylbenzyl. <4> The fiber treatment agent described above.

[0148] [ka]

[0149] [In formula (4), R 4 E represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group. 1 ~E 5 Each of these independently represents a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, a group represented by general formula (5), an acetyl group, a halogen atom, or a linear or branched alkyl group, alkenyl group, alkoxy group, or alkenyloxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, G 1 ~G 5 Each of these independently represents a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, an acetyl group, a halogen atom, or a linear or branched alkyl group, alkenyl group, alkoxy group, or alkenyloxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms. However, E 1 ~E 5 It contains at least one group represented by general formula (5).

[0150] <9> Component (B) is a peroxide initiator, an azo initiator, or a redox initiator. <1> ~ <8> A fiber treatment agent as described in any one of the items.

[0151] <10> The peroxide initiator is preferably one or more selected from sodium persulfate, potassium persulfate, ammonium persulfate, t-butyl hydroperoxide, t-amyl hydroperoxide, p-diisopropylbenzene hydroperoxide, cumene hydroperoxide, pinan hydroperoxide, p-menthane hydroperoxide, 1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl hydroperoxide, benzoyl peroxide, t-butyl perbenzoate, diisopropyl peroxydicarbonate, di-n-propyl peroxydicarbonate, di(2-ethoxyethyl) peroxydicarbonate, t-butyl peroxydecanoate, t-butyl peroxybivalate, (3,5,5-trimethylhexanoyl) peroxide, dipropionyl peroxide, and diacetyl peroxide. <9> The fiber treatment agent described above.

[0152] <11> The azo initiator is preferably 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile, 2,2'-azobis(2-methylbutyronitrile), 1,1'-azobis(cyclohexane-1-carbonitride), 2,2'-azobis(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile), 2,2'-azobis(2,4-dimethyl-4-methoxyvaleronitrile), dimethyl2,2'-azobis(2-methylpropionate), or 2,2'-azobis(2-hydroxymethylpropionate). Azobis(2-methyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)propionamide), 2,2'-Azobis(4-cyanovaleric acid), 2,2'-Azobis(2-(2-imidazoline-2-yl)propane), 2,2'-Azobis(N-(2-carboxyethyl)-2-methylpropionamidine), 2,2'-Azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride, and 2,2'-Azobis(2-(2-imidazoline-2-yl)propane) One or more selected from [n] dihydrochloride, more preferably 2,2'-azobis[2-methyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)propionamide], 4,4'-azobis(4-cyanovaleric acid), 2,2'-azobis[2-(2-imidazolin-2-yl)propane], 2,2'-azobis[N-(2-carboxyethyl)-2-methylpropionamidine], 2,2'-azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride, and 2,2'-azobis[ One or more selected from 2-(2-imidazolin-2-yl)propane] dihydrochloride, more preferably one or more selected from 2,2'-azobis[2-(2-imidazolin-2-yl)propane], 2,2'-azobis[N-(2-carboxyethyl)-2-methylpropionamidine], 2,2'-azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride, and 2,2'-azobis[2-(2-imidazolin-2-yl)propane] dihydrochloride. <9> The fiber treatment agent described above.

[0153] <12> The redox initiators are sodium persulfate, potassium persulfate, ammonium persulfate, t-butyl hydroperoxide, t-amyl hydroperoxide, p-diisopropylbenzene hydroperoxide, cumene hydroperoxide, pinan hydroperoxide, p-menthane hydroperoxide, 1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl hydroperoxide, benzoyl peroxide, t-butyl perbenzoate, diisopropyl peroxydicarbonate, di-n-propyl peroxydicarbonate, di(2-ethoxyethyl) peroxydicarbonate, and t-butyl peroxydecanoate. This is a combination of an oxidizing agent selected from t-butyl peroxybivalate, (3,5,5-trimethylhexanoyl) peroxide, dipropionyl peroxide, diacetyl peroxide, hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite, potassium hypochlorite, oxygen, and ozone, and a reducing agent selected from sodium sulfite, potassium sulfite, sodium bisulfite, potassium bisulfite, sodium pyrosulfite, potassium pyrosulfite, iron (II) ion, chromium ion, ascorbic acid, formaldehyde sulfoxylate, tetramethylenediamine, and sodium hydroxymethylsulfinate. <9> The fiber treatment agent described above.

[0154] <13> The content of component (B) in the fiber treatment agent (or, in the case of a multi-component fiber treatment agent, the content of component (B) in the composition containing component (B)) is preferably 0.001% by mass or more, more preferably 0.01% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.1% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.5% by mass or more, and also preferably 80% by mass or less, more preferably 60% by mass or less, even more preferably 40% by mass or less, and even more preferably 20% by mass or less. <1> ~ <12> A fiber treatment agent as described in any one of the items.

[0155] <14> The content of component (C) is preferably 10% by mass or more, more preferably 20% by mass or more, even more preferably 30% by mass or more, even more preferably 40% by mass or more, and also preferably 98% by mass or less, more preferably 97% by mass or less, even more preferably 96% by mass or less, even more preferably 95% by mass or less, even more preferably 90% by mass or less, and even more preferably 85% by mass or less. <1> ~ <13> A fiber treatment agent as described in any one of the items.

[0156] <15> The pH of the fiber treatment agent is preferably 2.0 or higher, more preferably 3.0 or higher, even more preferably 3.5 or higher, even more preferably 4.0 or higher, and also preferably 11.0 or lower, more preferably 10.0 or lower, and even more preferably 9.0 or lower. <1> ~ <14> A fiber treatment agent as described in any one of the items.

[0157] <16> The pH of the treatment agent containing component (A) is 2.0 or higher and less than 6.5, and the content of component (A) in the fiber treatment agent is preferably 0.1% by mass or more, more preferably 0.2% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.5% by mass or more, even more preferably 1.0% by mass or more, and also preferably 40% by mass or less, more preferably 30% by mass or less, even more preferably 25% by mass or less, even more preferably 20% by mass or less, and even more preferably 15% by mass or less. <1> ~ <15> A fiber treatment agent as described in any one of the items.

[0158] <17> The pH of the treatment agent containing component (A) is 6.5 or higher and 11.0 or lower, and the content of component (A) in the fiber treatment agent is preferably 1.0% by mass or more, more preferably 2.0% by mass or more, even more preferably 5.0% by mass or more, even more preferably 10% by mass or more, and also preferably 90% by mass or less, more preferably 80% by mass or less, even more preferably 70% by mass or less, and even more preferably 60% by mass or less. <1> ~ <15> A fiber treatment agent as described in any one of the items.

[0159] <18> In the fiber treatment agent (in the case of a multi-component fiber treatment agent, where component (A) and component (B) are contained in separate treatment agents, in the mixed solution obtained by virtually mixing the two agents), the mass ratio (B) / (A) of component (B) to component (A) is preferably 0.001 or more, more preferably 0.01 or more, and also preferably 200 or less, more preferably 50 or less. <1> ~ <17> A fiber treatment agent as described in any one of the items.

[0160] <19> A fiber treatment agent kit comprising a composition containing the following components (A) and (C), and a composition containing the following components (B) and (C). (A): Aromatic compounds having one or more vinyl groups or vinylidene groups and a coordinating functional group. (B): Radical initiator (C):Water

[0161] <20> A fiber processing method including the following step (i). Step (i) A step of immersing natural fibers in a single or multiple composition containing the following components (A) to (C) in its entirety. (A): Aromatic compounds having one or more vinyl groups or vinylidene groups and a coordinating functional group. (B): Radical initiator (C):Water

[0162] <21> A fiber processing method including the following step (i). Step (i) A step of immersing natural fibers in a single or multiple composition containing the following components (A) to (C) in its entirety. (A): Aromatic compounds having one or more vinyl groups or vinylidene groups and coordinating functional groups (excluding vinylbenzoic acid and its salts) (B): Radical initiator (C):Water

[0163] <22> Use as a fiber treatment agent for a single or multiple compositions containing the following components (A) to (C) in the overall composition. (A): Aromatic compounds having one or more vinyl groups or vinylidene groups and a coordinating functional group. (B): Radical initiator (C):Water

[0164] <23> Use as a fiber treatment agent for a single or multiple compositions containing the following components (A) to (C) in the overall composition. (A): Aromatic compounds having one or more vinyl groups or vinylidene groups and coordinating functional groups (excluding vinylbenzoic acid and its salts) (B): Radical initiator (C):Water [Examples]

[0165] Example 1, Comparative Examples 1-3 The compositions shown in Table 1 were used to treat regenerated collagen fibers according to the method described below, and various evaluations were performed. The pH of each composition was measured directly using a pH meter (HORIBA F-52) at room temperature (25°C) after preparation.

[0166] <Processing method> 1. A 22cm long bundle of 0.50g of regenerated collagen fiber (*) was immersed in a container containing the amount of fiber treatment agent shown in the bath ratio in the table. The container was then sealed and the container was immersed in a water bath at the temperature shown in the table (manufacturer: Toyo Seisakusho Co., Ltd. / model number: TBS221FA) and heated for the time shown in the table. * Kaneka Corporation's regenerated collagen fibers were purchased in the form of commercially available hair extension products, and the fibers were cut and divided into small bundles for evaluation. For this evaluation, the extension products used were those labeled as using 100% Ultima fiber, with a color count of 30 (white) and a straight shape. 2. Remove the container containing the hair bundles from the water bath and allow them to return to room temperature. 3. Remove the hair strands from the container, rinse with 30°C running tap water for 30 seconds, lather with the evaluation shampoo for 60 seconds, rinse with 30°C running tap water for 30 seconds, lightly towel dry, and then dry the hair strands with a warm air dryer (Tescom Nobby White NB3000) while combing.

[0167] <Formula for the evaluation shampoo> Ingredients (mass%) Sodium laureth sulfate 15.5 Lauramide DEA 1.5 EDTA-2Na 0.3 Amount of phosphoric acid to adjust pH to 7 Ion-exchanged water Balance Total 100

[0168] <Increase in average elongation at break during fiber tension> As indicators of water resistance and elasticity (toughness), the average elongation at break during fiber tension, that is, the percentage of the original fiber length at which breakage occurs when the fiber is stretched under tension, was evaluated using the average value obtained from multiple fibers (10 fibers). The evaluation was performed using hair bundles immediately after treatment with the above-mentioned <treatment method>, following the procedure below. 1. Ten fibers were cut from the base of the hair bundle. A 3cm fiber piece was taken from the middle of the base and tip of each fiber, resulting in a total of 10 3cm hair pieces. 2. The fiber samples were placed in a DIA-STRON limited "MTT690 Automatic Fiber Tensile Tester". After being left immersed in water for 30 minutes, automatic measurement was started, and the average elongation at break while the fibers were immersed in water was determined. A higher value indicates greater elasticity, superior toughness, and superior durability. According to the following formula, the average elongation at break (A%) when fibers are pulled in their untreated state (untreated; Comparative Example 1) is used as the baseline. The table shows the percentage increase (C%) in the average elongation at break (B%) of treated hair bundles compared to the untreated state, as indicated in "Percentage increase in average elongation at break [%]". C(%) = B(%) - A(%)

[0169] <Increase in average breaking load during fiber tension> As an indicator of water resistance, the average breaking load under fiber tensile stress was used. The evaluation was performed using fiber bundles immediately after treatment using the above-described <treatment method>. Furthermore, the average value obtained when evaluating multiple fibers (10 fibers) was used as the numerical value. The evaluation was performed according to the following procedure. 1. Ten fibers were cut from the base of the hair bundle. A 3cm fiber piece was taken from the middle of the base and tip of each fiber, resulting in a total of 10 3cm hair pieces. 2. The fiber samples were placed in a DIA-STRON limited "MTT690 Automatic Fiber Tensile Testing Machine". After being left immersed in water for 30 minutes, automatic measurement was started, and the breaking load when the fiber was stretched while immersed in water was determined. A higher value indicates greater stiffness and resilience, greater resistance to stretching by external forces, and superior durability. According to the following formula, the average breaking load (W0(gf)) when the fibers were tensed in their untreated state (untreated; Comparative Example 1) was used as the baseline. The table shows the increase in the average breaking load (W1(gf)) of the treated fiber bundles from the untreated state, indicated as "Increase in average breaking load when fibers are tensed [gf]". Y(gf) = W1(gf) - W0(gf)

[0170] <Shrinkage rate when using a high-temperature iron> As an indicator of heat resistance, the shrinkage rate during high-temperature ironing was used. The evaluation was performed using hair bundles immediately after treatment using the above-described <treatment method>. Furthermore, the average value obtained when evaluating multiple fibers (5 strands) was used as the numerical value. The evaluation was performed according to the following procedure. 1. Immediately after the above processing method, five fibers were cut from the base of the hair bundle and marked. The length of these five processed fibers was measured and the average value was recorded (let's call it length L1). Next, these five marked processed fibers were bundled together with two separate bundles of unprocessed regenerated collagen fibers (totaling 1g) to create a new hair bundle (hereinafter referred to as the large hair bundle). A flat iron (manufactured by Miki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. / model number: AHI-938) set to 180°C was applied to the entire large hair bundle 10 times at a speed of 5cm / sec. 2. After the ironing process, five marked treated fibers were taken from the large bundle of hair, and the length of each of these five marked treated fibers was measured again and the average value was recorded (denoted as length L2). 3. Shrinkage rate when ironing at high temperature: S dry We defined it as = { 1 - (L2 / L1)} x 100 [%]. dry The closer the value is to 0%, the less likely it is to shrink due to dry heat, indicating superior heat resistance.

[0171] <Shrinkage rate when heated with hot water> As an indicator of water resistance and heat resistance, the shrinkage rate during hot water heating was used. The evaluation was performed using hair bundles immediately after treatment using the above-described <treatment method>. Furthermore, the average value obtained when evaluating multiple fibers (5 strands) was used as the numerical value. The evaluation was performed according to the following procedure. 1. Five fibers were cut from the base of the hair bundle, the average length of each fiber was recorded (referred to as length L1), and then the bundle was immersed in a 90°C water bath (manufacturer: Toyo Seisakusho Co., Ltd. / model number: TBS221FA) and heated for 1 minute. 2. After the heating process, five fibers were removed, lightly dried with a towel, and dried at room temperature and humidity for 30 minutes. The average length of each fiber was then recorded (denoted as length L2). 3. The shrinkage rate during hot water heating was defined as Swet = { 1 - (L2 / L1)} x 100 [%]. The closer Swet is to 0%, the less shrinkage due to moist heat occurs, indicating superior heat resistance.

[0172] <Thermal shape memory ability> The thermal shape memory ability was evaluated using hair bundles immediately after being treated with the above-described processing method. If the result of "I: Shape imparting (curl)" was 5% or less, it was considered to have no effect, and no further processing or evaluation was performed. • I: Shaping (curling) 1. A 22cm long bundle of 0.5g of regenerated collagen fiber was wet with 30°C tap water for 30 seconds, then the wet bundle was wrapped around a 14mm diameter plastic rod and secured with a clip. 2. The hair bundles wrapped around the rod were immersed in a 60°C water bath (manufacturer: Toyo Seisakusho Co., Ltd. / model number: TBS221FA) and heated for 1 minute. 3. Remove the hair bundles from the water bath, immerse them in 25°C water for 1 minute, remove them from the water, and allow them to return to room temperature. 4. Remove the hair bundle from the rod, comb it through three times, and then, three minutes after taking it out of the water, take a picture of it hanging from the side.

[0173] (Evaluation Criteria) Let L0 be the length of the untreated hair bundle (22 cm) and L be the length of the treated hair bundle. The curl-up rate = hair bundle length reduction rate (I) (%), calculated according to the following formula, was defined as the curl strength. I = [(L0 - L) / L0] × 100

[0174] • II: Reshaping (Straight) 1. After detangling the hair strands evaluated in step I with a comb, a flat iron (manufactured by Miki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. / model number: AHI-938) set to 180°C was slid through them 6 times at a speed of 5 cm / sec. 2. Rinse with running tap water at 30°C for 30 seconds, lather with the evaluation shampoo for 60 seconds, rinse with running tap water at 30°C for 30 seconds, and towel dry. 3. The items were hung up and air-dried at 20°C and 65% RH for 12 hours. After combing them through, they were visually inspected from the side while still hanging.

[0175] (Evaluation Criteria) The straightening rate (ST) (%), calculated according to the following formula, is defined as the degree of straightening achieved, with the untreated hair bundle length being L0 (22 cm) and the treated hair bundle length being L. When ST = 100%, the hair bundle is completely straightened. ST = [1 - (L0 - L) / L0] × 100

[0176] • III: Reshaping (curling) 1.II The hair bundles evaluated were wet with 30°C tap water for 30 seconds, then the wet hair bundles were wrapped around a 14mm diameter plastic rod and secured with a clip. 2. The hair bundles wrapped around the rod were immersed in a 60°C water bath (manufacturer: Toyo Seisakusho Co., Ltd. / model number: TBS221FA) and heated for 1 minute. 3. Remove the hair bundles from the water bath, immerse them in 25°C water for 1 minute, remove them from the water, and allow them to return to room temperature. 4. Remove the hair bundle from the rod, comb it through three times, and then, three minutes after taking it out of the water, take a picture of it hanging from the side.

[0177] (Evaluation Criteria) Let L0 be the length of the untreated hair bundle (22 cm) and L be the length of the treated hair bundle. The curl-up rate = hair bundle length reduction rate (I) (%), calculated according to the following formula, was defined as the curl strength. I = [(L0 - L) / L0] × 100

[0178] <Good surface texture> The surface texture was evaluated using hair strands immediately after treatment using the <treatment method>. Five expert panelists evaluated the smoothness of the texture when touched by hand according to the following criteria, and the sum of the five evaluations was used as the final result. (Evaluation Criteria) 5: It has an extremely smooth texture compared to untreated fibers (Comparative Example 1). 4: It has a smoother feel compared to untreated fibers (Comparative Example 1). 3: It has a slightly smoother texture compared to the untreated fibers (Comparative Example 1). 2: The texture is the same as the untreated fiber (Comparative Example 1). 1: It is rougher and has a less pleasant feel than untreated fibers (Comparative Example 1).

[0179] <Suppression of discoloration of fibers> 1. For both the front and back of each hair strand, the color was measured near the root, mid-length, and tip using a colorimeter (Konica Minolta CR-400), and the average of the six points was used as the color value (L, a, b). 2. The degree of coloring was evaluated using ΔE*ab, with untreated hair strands of color no. 30 white (*) (Comparative Example 1) as the baseline. Color measurements were taken on the same day the treatment was performed. (*) Untreated hair bundles of color number 30 white We purchased Kaneka Corporation's regenerated collagen fibers in the form of commercially available hair extension products, cut the fibers from these products, and divided them into small bundles for evaluation. For this evaluation, we used extension products that were labeled as using 100% Ultima fiber, with a color count of 30 (white) and a straight shape. ΔE*ab is calculated by taking the measurements of an untreated hair bundle with color number 30 white as (L0, a0, b0) and the measurements of a treated hair bundle as (L1, a1, b1), where (L1-L0) 2 +(a1-a0) 2 +(b1-b0) 2 ] 1 / 2 The color-inhibiting effect was determined according to the following criteria, as defined by [the formula]. 5:ΔE*ab ≤ 5.0 4:5.0 < ΔE*ab ≤ 10.0 3:10.0 < ΔE*ab ≤ 15.0 2:15.0 < ΔE*ab ≤ 20.0 1:20.0< ΔE*ab

[0180] [Table 1]

[0181] Examples 2-11 The first and second formulations shown in Table 2 were used to treat regenerated collagen fibers according to the method described below, and various evaluations were performed. The pH of each composition was measured directly using a pH meter (HORIBA F-52) at room temperature (25°C) after preparing the compositions. Note that the concentrations of each component listed in the table are the concentrations in the first and second formulations, respectively.

[0182] <Processing method> 1. A 22cm long hair bundle containing 0.5g of regenerated collagen fiber (*) was immersed in a container containing the amount of the first agent in the bath ratio shown in the table. The container was then sealed and the container was immersed in a water bath at the temperature shown in the table (manufacturer: Toyo Seisakusho Co., Ltd. / model number: TBS221FA) and heated for the time shown in the table. * Kaneka Corporation's regenerated collagen fibers were purchased in the form of commercially available hair extension products, and the fibers were cut and divided into small bundles for evaluation. For this evaluation, the extension products used were those labeled as using 100% Ultima fiber, with a color count of 30 (white) and a straight shape. 2. Remove the container containing the hair bundles from the water bath and allow them to return to room temperature. 3. Remove the hair strands from the container, rinse with 30°C running tap water for 30 seconds, lather with the evaluation shampoo for 60 seconds, rinse with 30°C running tap water for 30 seconds, lightly towel dry, and then dry the hair strands with a warm air dryer (Tescom Nobby White NB3000) while combing. 4. The hair bundles were immersed in a container containing the amount of the second agent corresponding to the bath ratio shown in the table, the opening of the container was sealed, and the container was immersed in a water bath at the temperature shown in the table (manufacturer: Toyo Seisakusho Co., Ltd. / model number: TBS221FA) and heated for the time shown in the table. 5. Remove the container containing the hair bundles from the water bath and allow them to return to room temperature. 6. Remove the hair strands from the container, rinse with 30°C running tap water for 30 seconds, lather with the evaluation shampoo for 60 seconds, rinse again with 30°C running tap water for 30 seconds, lightly towel dry, and then dry the hair strands with a warm air dryer (Tescom Nobby White NB3000) while combing. At this point, the hair strands remained straight.

[0183] [Table 2]

[0184] Furthermore, visual inspection of the hair bundles treated in the above examples revealed no discoloration except for Examples 9 and 10. Examples 9 and 10 showed slight discoloration (pale yellow), but ΔE*ab was 5.0 or less (rating 5).

[0185] Comparative Example 4 The regenerated collagen fibers were treated using the formulation shown below, according to the <treatment method> in Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1-3. The degree of coloration of the treated hair bundles was evaluated in the same manner as described above, and a brownish-red coloration was observed (Evaluation 1). Raw material name Amount [mass%] Formaldehyde 10.0 Resorcinol 15.0 Water level pH adjuster (hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide) (pH adjustment amount) Total 100.0 pH (25℃): 5.5 Bath ratio: 40 Heating conditions: 50℃ 3h

Claims

1. A single-component fiber treatment agent comprising a single composition or a multi-component fiber treatment agent comprising multiple compositions, wherein the total composition contains the following components (A) to (C). (A): Aromatic compounds having one or more vinyl groups or vinylidene groups and a coordinating functional group. (B): Radical initiator (C):Water

2. The fiber treatment agent according to claim 1, wherein the coordinating functional group in component (A) is a group containing Pearson's hard base.

3. The coordinating functional group in component (A) is COO - , O - The fiber treatment agent according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the group is a COOH or OH group.

4. The fiber treatment agent according to claim 3, wherein component (A) is the following component (A-1) or (A-2). (A-1) Coordinating functional group is COOH, COO - or aromatic compounds that are groups containing a salt of COOH (A-2) Coordinating functional groups are OH, O - or aromatic compounds containing an OH salt

5. The fiber treatment agent according to claim 4, wherein component (A) is component (A-1).

6. The fiber treatment agent according to claim 1 or 2, wherein component (B) is an azo initiator.

7. The fiber treatment agent according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pH of the fiber treatment agent containing component (A) is 2.0 or more and less than 6.5, and the content of component (A) in the fiber treatment agent is 0.1% by mass or more and 40% by mass or less as a non-dissociated form.

8. The fiber treatment agent according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pH of the fiber treatment agent containing component (A) is 6.5 or more and less than 11.0, and the content of component (A) in the fiber treatment agent is 1.0% by amount or more and 90% by mass or less as a non-dissociated form.

9. A fiber treatment agent kit comprising a composition containing the following components (A) and (C), and a composition containing the following components (B) and (C). (A): Aromatic compounds having one or more vinyl groups or vinylidene groups and a coordinating functional group. (B): Radical initiator (C):Water