Use of polymer electrolytes in textile processing, mercerization, and / or dyeing processes.

Abstract

This invention relates to an aqueous polymer electrolyte composition for (pre)treating textile materials, its preparation and use, and textile products manufactured therefrom, such as denim textiles. It has been found that textile materials pretreated with this aqueous polymer electrolyte composition have improved properties with respect to subsequent processes, such as mercerization or dyeing, because these subsequent processes are more superficial than those applied to pretreated textile materials. This enables, for example, ring dyeing of pretreated textile materials, and consequently, a more sustainable technology.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention is in the field of textile (pre)treatment for dyeing applications, and related compositions and uses.

Background Art

[0002] In the modern textile industry, numerous different processes, such as dyeing, printing, or finishing processes, are known for producing consumer textiles. Untreated natural fibers are rarely directly applied to these processes.

[0003] More generally, textiles are pretreated, for example, by scouring, bleaching, desizing, or mercerization, in order to improve their properties in these processes and further to improve the properties of the final textile.

[0004] Although many processes for such (pre)treatment are already known, all such processes have drawbacks, such as harsh conditions in bleaching or mercerization, an increase in the number of steps in each case, or an increase in waste (wastewater) production, so further improvement is still desirable.

[0005] For example, in the case of the denim industry, mainly two steps in today's processes are in need of improvement.

[0006] For example, when dyes such as sulfur dyes or vat dyes are used, these dyes tend to penetrate and move inside the yarn fibers, so first, it is to find a way to obtain extreme ring dyeing. This makes sense for the purpose of simplifying and making more sustainable subsequent processes, such as the wash-down process, and further enables the use of modern systems, such as the application of lasers, to avoid water pollution and water consumption.

[0007] The second crucial step in the dyeing process that needs improvement is the mercerization process, during which the yarn is immersed in a highly concentrated caustic soda solution, modifying its cotton structure. This results in a deeper and stronger dye. Even more advantageously, the subsequently applied dye remains surface-level, which is often desirable, for example, in sulfur dyeing. This surface dyeing is often referred to as "ring dyeing."

[0008] Since only the surface of the material is dyed, high colorfastness is required to obtain the desired deep and intense color. Therefore, especially for sulfur dyes and vat dyeing, such as indigo dyeing, it is often necessary to mercerize the yarn and optimize the dyeing conditions to achieve non-penetrating dyeing.

[0009] Mercerization is a textile process that requires the use of a highly concentrated caustic soda solution (typically >20 Baumé degrees, which is approximately 170-200 g / L). Consequently, this caustic soda must be washed off afterward, which requires a large amount of water and generates a large amount of waste salt at the end of the entire dyeing process. Although some of the washed-off caustic soda can be recovered and reused, this caustic soda has already come into contact with the yarn and therefore contains a large amount of chemical oxygen demand (COD) generated by cotton impurities. Furthermore, it is impossible to prevent losses, and therefore it is not feasible to recover all of the washed-off caustic soda.

[0010] In today's denim applications, mercerization is required when a deep color is desired. The caustic soda used alters the chemical structure of the fibers, but also requires extensive washing, recovery, and neutralization. In the prior art, several attempts have been made, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 4,051,699A or U.S. Patent No. 4,152,907A, ammonia was used instead of caustic soda, but such alternatives have not been widely adopted in the industry due to the risk costs and mechanical complexity.

[0011] On the other hand, the high tendency of the aforementioned dyes to diffuse and migrate into the yarn increases the difficulty in obtaining practical ring dyeing. Generally, the final result is partial penetration dyeing, which does not allow for the desired washdown effect and hinders the application of contaminant reduction methods such as lasers.

[0012] As an alternative, several attempts were made to reduce the amount of caustic soda used, but these attempts resulted in a clear deterioration of dyeing performance.

[0013] When textile materials are subjected to ring dyeing only, meaning only the surface of the fibers is dyed, several advantages are obtained, such as reduced dye consumption during dyeing, easier subsequent rinsing processes for color contrast, and the application of the aforementioned contaminant reduction methods such as lasers.

[0014] To produce ring-dyed fibers, several parameters can be controlled to achieve a certain degree of ring dyeing. For example, lower temperatures, minimal contact time between the material to be dyed and the dyeing bath, the use of a "wet-on-wet" system to prevent the dye solution from being directly absorbed into the fibers, or reduced compression pressure in the dyeing box can all contribute to achieving a certain degree of ring dyeing.

[0015] However, since dyes often have a high tendency to diffuse into fibers, actual ring dyeing cannot be obtained by any of the aforementioned methods. Therefore, there is a continuing need in the industry for a method to produce materials that have been actually ring-dyed, and by extension, for textile materials that are only surface-dyed by sulfur or vat dyeing. In this application, an improved (pre)treatment method using a polymer electrolyte has been found.

[0016] Polymer electrolytes are known in the prior art and have many applications, most of which involve modifying the flow properties and stability of aqueous solutions and gels. For example, polymer electrolytes can be used to destabilize colloidal suspensions and to initiate aggregation (precipitation). Polymer electrolytes can be seen used as thickeners, emulsifiers, conditioners, fining agents, and resistance reducers, and can be used in water treatment and oil recovery. Numerous soaps, shampoos, and cosmetics incorporate polymer electrolytes. Furthermore, polymer electrolytes are added to many foods and concrete mixtures (high-performance water-reducing agents). [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0017] The problem to be solved by this application is to provide an improved process for (pre)treating textile materials that are to be subjected to further treatment, for example, mercerization or dyeing with sulfur dyes or vat dyes, particularly indigo. [Means for solving the problem]

[0018] The inventors have found that (pre)treatment of textile materials using the aqueous composition according to the present invention brings about advantageous properties of the textile materials in subsequent processing steps. For example, the consumption of caustic soda is reduced during mercerization, the wash-off process is simplified due to the reduced alkalinity, and consequently, the amount of waste (wastewater) produced is reduced.

[0019] In addition, textile materials pretreated with the composition according to the present invention exhibit lower shrinkage under harsh conditions, such as those applied during mercerization.

[0020] Another unique advantage of the (pre)treatment method according to the present invention is that the dyeing process following the (pre)treatment according to the present invention results in a more superficial dyeing, i.e., ring dyeing. Therefore, dye consumption is reduced, and furthermore, more sustainable techniques can be used in post-treatment, such as laser technology in the wash-down process.

[0021] Therefore, the above problems are preferably solved by an aqueous composition for (pre)treating the textile material in the dyeing process, the composition comprising at least one polymer electrolyte, preferably at least one wetting agent, and water.

[0022] Furthermore, in the aqueous composition according to the present invention, at least one of the above-mentioned polymer electrolytes is selected from polyacrylamide polymer electrolytes; and / or at least one of the above-mentioned wetting agents is selected from phosphate esters, preferably di-(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate (DEHPA), or alkoxylate alcohols, or alkylphenols or derivatives thereof, or mixtures thereof.

[0023] Furthermore, in the aqueous composition according to the present invention, the aqueous composition comprises 0.01 to 10% by weight of at least one polymer electrolyte, 0.01 to 10% by weight of at least one wetting agent, and 75 to 99.9% by weight of water, where the weight percentage is based on the total weight of the aqueous composition.

[0024] In addition, the present invention relates to a method for producing an aqueous composition according to the present invention, comprising the following steps (a) to (c): (a) Mixing and homogenizing at least one of the above-mentioned polymer electrolytes with water; (b) swelling the above-mentioned polymer electrolyte until a viscous gel is obtained; (c) optionally, adding and mixing to the viscous gel obtained in (b) other additives, preferably at least one wetting agent.

[0025] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for (pre-)treating a textile material, comprising the following steps (A) and (B): (A) providing an aqueous composition according to the present invention, or an aqueous composition prepared by the method according to the present invention; (B) applying the aqueous composition of step (A) to the textile material and optionally repeating this step.

[0026] Furthermore, in the method according to the present invention, the method for (pre-)treating the textile material is carried out at a temperature in the range of 5 to 90 °C, preferably 10 to 40 °C, or at room temperature.

[0027] Furthermore, in the method according to the present invention, the method for (pre-)treating the textile material is carried out over a time range of 2 to 60 seconds.

[0028] Furthermore, in the method according to the present invention, the textile material is treated continuously.

[0029] Furthermore, in the method according to the present invention, this method further comprises the following steps (C) and / or (D) following step (B): (C) treating the above-mentioned textile material obtained from step (B) in a mercerizing process; (D) optionally, washing the above-mentioned textile material obtained from step (C) and / or optionally recovering excess caustic soda remaining in the above-mentioned textile material obtained from step (C); Optionally, this method further comprises the following step (E) following step (B) or step (D): (E) dyeing the above-mentioned textile material obtained from step (B) or step (D) preferably with a sulfur dye or a vat dye, such as indigo.

[0030] Furthermore, in the method according to the present invention, the textile material includes or comprises cellulose, cotton, hemp, linen, jute, viscose, modal, or a mixture thereof.

[0031] Furthermore, the present invention relates to the use of polymer electrolytes for (pre)treating textile materials, preferably in a dyeing process, and more preferably in a ring dyeing process.

[0032] Furthermore, when using the polymer electrolyte according to the present invention, this polymer electrolyte is included in the aqueous composition according to the present invention.

[0033] In addition, the present invention relates to dyed or undyed textile materials (pre)treated with an aqueous composition according to the present invention or an aqueous composition produced by the method of the present invention; or Dyed or undyed textile materials produced by the method of the present invention, The present invention relates to dyed or undyed textile materials, wherein the dyed or undyed textile material is preferably yarn, woven fabric, nonwoven fabric, or knitwear.

[0034] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing textiles, the method for manufacturing textiles using dyed or undyed textile materials according to the present invention.

[0035] Furthermore, the present invention relates to textiles manufactured by the method of the present invention; or textiles comprising or consisting of dyed or undyed textile materials according to the present invention. Preferably, the textiles relating to the present invention include denim textiles such as trousers, for example jeans; jackets; skirts; dresses; T-shirts; or similar items; or everyday wear, work clothes, safety clothing, household textiles, for example carpets, bedding, curtains, and similar items. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0036] [Figure 1a] Figure 1a shows a textile material sample dyed with a black sulfur dye (Diresul® Black RDT-K) that has not been (pre)treated with the composition according to the present invention or based on a method of (pre)treating the textile material with the composition according to the present invention. [Figure 1b] Figure 1b shows a textile material sample dyed with a black sulfur dye (Diresul® Black RDT-K) that has been (pre)treated with the composition according to the present invention, or based on a method of (pre)treating the textile material with the composition according to the present invention. [Figure 2a] Figure 2a shows a textile material sample dyed with a vat dye (leucoindigo) that has not been (pre)treated with the composition according to the present invention or based on a method of (pre)treating the textile material with the composition according to the present invention. [Figure 2b] Figure 2b shows a textile material sample dyed with a vat dye (leucoindigo) that has been (pre)treated with the composition according to the present invention, or based on a method of (pre)treating the textile material with the composition according to the present invention. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows a comparison of three dyed textile material samples (dyed with black sulfur dye, Diresul® Black RDT-K); of these, the left sample was treated according to a standard mercerization procedure before dyeing; the middle sample was (pre)treated according to the present invention and then mercerized according to the standard procedure before dyeing; and the textile material on the right was not (pre) treated according to the present invention and was not mercerized at all before dyeing. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0037] (Detailed description of the invention) The present invention relates to an aqueous composition for (pre)treating textile materials, preferably in a dyeing process, wherein the composition comprises at least one polymer electrolyte, preferably at least one wetting agent, and water.

[0038] The term "polyelectrolyte" refers to any modified or unmodified natural or unnatural polymer containing one or more negative charges or one or more positive charges in its main chain or side chains (i.e., polyelectrolytes can also be called "polyanions" or "polycations"). Due to the properties of salts of such molecules (also called "polysalts"), these molecules are usually water-soluble. Polyelectrolytes may be strong electrolytes, i.e., they can be largely dissociated in aqueous solution, or they may be weak electrolytes, i.e., they can only be partially dissociated in aqueous solution. The degree of dissociation of weak polyelectrolytes in aqueous solution can typically be controlled by controlling the pH value of the solution. Aqueous solutions of polyelectrolytes are often conductive and, depending on the degree of polymerization, highly viscous. The term "polyelectrolyte" further includes nonionic polymers, which consist in part of an uncharged hydrophilic moiety and an uncharged hydrophobic moiety. The term "natural polymer" means any polymer material that can be obtained from natural sources, such as plants or animals. The term "non-natural polymer" means any polymer material that can be obtained from non-natural sources, such as chemical or biochemical compounds.

[0039] When the polymer electrolyte is a "polycation," the molecular charge arises from an excess positively charged portion in the main chain or side groups. This positively charged group may be selected from the group consisting of ammonia.

[0040] When the polymer electrolyte is a "polyanion," the molecular charge arises from an excess load group in the main chain or side groups. This load group may be selected from the group consisting of sulfonates, carboxylates, phosphates, hydrogen phosphates, polyphosphates, or mixtures thereof.

[0041] The term "nonionic polymer electrolyte" refers to natural and unnatural polymers that possess the properties of a polymer electrolyte, such as being soluble in water but insoluble in organic solvents. Nonionic polymers do not actually have charged groups, but incorporate highly polar moieties, such as ketones, aldehydes, or similar substances.

[0042] Non-limiting examples of polyelectrolytes include those based on natural or non-natural polymers selected from the group consisting of polyacrylamide, alginates, lignin, polyvinyl, pectin, polycarboxylate, polysaccharides such as xanthan gum, guar gum, and other natural gums, polystyrene, polyethylene, polypeptides, and glycosaminoglycans.

[0043] It is also possible that at least one of the polyelectrolytes is based solely on non-natural polymers selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid and / or acrylonitrile-based polyacrylamides.

[0044] The term "(pre)treatment" is not intended to restrict the method of the present invention to being part of another process. The method according to the present invention can be integrated into any type of textile processing process, for example, before a dyeing process or before a mercerizing process, although this is not mandatory and may be an independent process step or a final process step.

[0045] The term “textile material” means any material to be used in the manufacture of textiles, which may be treated or untreated fibers, yarns, especially yarns, for making denim fabrics, fabrics, woven or nonwoven fabrics, (knitted) fabrics, and similar materials. Textile materials to be treated with the compositions according to the present invention include or consist of cellulose fibers, which may be selected from, but are not limited to, cotton, linen, jute, viscose, modal, or mixtures thereof. Further materials that may be included in the “textile blend” together with cellulose and / or cotton may be selected from, but are not limited to, any materials used in the textile industry, including, for example, polyamides, acrylics, aramids, polyesters, keratin fibers, such as wool or hair, or mixtures thereof.

[0046] The term "fabric" means any woven or nonwoven fabric, and is not limited to any specific fabric, and refers to any fabric technology produced by the textile industry, such as batiste, brocade, canvas, chiffon, chintz, Krydera, corduroy, damask, denim, Donegal, Drillich, Duchess, Enoa, Etamine (screen cloth), chambray, fill-a-fill (end-on-end), flannel, gabardine, gauze, georgette, jacquard, jersey, crepe, twill, loden, mesh, muslin, Natte (basket weave), nettle, oxford, pinpoint, pique, prisset, poplin, satin, seersucker, slub yarn, taffeta, cloth, tweed, Ventile (registered trademark), Shirley cloth, Bierry, voile, full twist, woolen fabric, Zendarine, and Zephyr.

[0047] As used in this application, the term "yarn" means an aggregate of fibers. Furthermore, this aggregate includes or consists of the fiber blends defined above. The aggregate is achieved by a spinning method. This means that, depending on the desired yarn properties, such as strength or thickness, it may contain two or more of the fibers or fiber blends defined above.

[0048] For example, when a ring-dyed textile material is particularly desired, using a textile material pretreated with the composition according to the present invention is advantageous for subsequent dyeing processes.

[0049] The prefix "ring-" used herein to further describe methods of (pre)treatment of textile materials represents the usual meaning of the treatment method, however, this method only superficially affects the treated textile material; that is, rings appear on the outer surface of the treated material, while the internal volume remains untreated. Examples include ring dyeing, i.e., ring dyeing in which only the surface of the textile material is dyed after the dyeing process, or ring-mercerizing, i.e., ring-mercerizing in which only the surface of the textile material is mercerized after the mercerizing process.

[0050] In the composition according to the present invention, at least one polymer electrolyte is present in an amount of at least 0.01% by weight, or at least 0.03% by weight, or at least 0.05% by weight, or at least 0.1% by weight, or at least 0.2% by weight, or at least 0.3% by weight, or at least 1% by weight, or up to 10% by weight, or up to 5% by weight, or up to 2.5% by weight, or up to 1% by weight. Preferably, the amount of at least one polymer electrolyte is in the range of 0.01% to 10% by weight, or 0.03% to 5% by weight, or 0.05% to 2.5% by weight, or 0.1% to 1% by weight. The amount in weight percent is based on the total weight of the composition according to the present invention in each case.

[0051] At least one type of polymer electrolyte can be Archroma's Dirsol RD®.

[0052] The compositions of the present invention further comprise at least one wetting agent. In this application, the term "wetting agent" means a hygroscopic compound. The wetting agent used in the compositions of the present invention facilitates the wetting and penetration of a polymer electrolyte solution into a textile substrate pretreated with the composition of the present invention. The wetting agent can be selected from the group consisting of phosphate esters, urea, glycols, polyglycols, and salts.

[0053] At least one wetting agent may be a phosphate ester, for example, di-(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate (DEHPA), or an alkoxylate alcohol, or an alkylphenol or derivative thereof, or a mixture thereof.

[0054] In the composition according to the present invention, at least one wetting agent may be present in an amount of at least 0.01% by weight, or at least 0.02% by weight, or at least 0.05% by weight, or at least 0.1% by weight, or at least 0.2% by weight, or up to 10% by weight, or up to 5% by weight, or up to 2.5% by weight, or up to 1% by weight. Preferably, the amount of at least one wetting agent is in the range of 0.01 to 10% by weight, or 0.1 to 5% by weight, or 0.2 to 1% by weight. The amount in weight percent is based on the total weight of the composition according to the present invention in each case.

[0055] The composition according to the present invention further comprises water, i.e., the composition is an aqueous composition. The water used for the composition can be any water, for example, tap water, deionized water, and distilled water. The water may be present in an amount of at least 70% by weight, or at least 75% by weight, or at least 80% by weight, or at least 90% by weight, or up to 99.9% by weight, or up to 99% by weight, or up to 98% by weight, or up to 97% by weight, or up to 95% by weight, or up to 90% by weight, or up to 85% by weight. The amount in weight percent is based on the total weight of the composition according to the present invention in each case. In one embodiment, no other solvents are present in the composition according to the present invention, and only water is present.

[0056] The composition according to the present invention may contain or consist of 0.01 to 10% by weight of at least one polymer electrolyte and 90 to 99.9% by weight of water.

[0057] The composition according to the present invention may contain or consist of 0.01 to 10% by weight of at least one polymer electrolyte, 0.01 to 10% by weight of at least one wetting agent, and 75 to 99.9% by weight of water. The weight percentage is based on the total weight of the composition.

[0058] The composition according to the present invention may further comprise, or consist of, 0.02 to 5% by weight of at least one polymer electrolyte, 0.02 to 5% by weight of at least one wetting agent, and 75 to 99.9% by weight of water. The weight percentage is based on the total weight of the composition.

[0059] Furthermore, the invention described herein also relates to a method for producing an aqueous composition according to the present invention. This method comprises the following steps (a) to (c): (a) Mixing and homogenizing at least one polymer electrolyte with water; (b) Swell the polymer electrolyte until a viscous gel is obtained; (c) Optionally, to the viscous gel obtained in (b), add and mix other additives, preferably at least one wetting agent, for the composition according to the present invention.

[0060] In step (a), at least one polymer electrolyte of the composition according to the present invention is mixed with water until a homogenized mixture is obtained.

[0061] The mixing in step (a) of the method for producing the composition according to the present invention can be carried out at a temperature in the range of 0 to 90°C, or 5 to 60°C, or 10 to 40°C, or 15 to 30°C, or at room temperature, preferably at room temperature.

[0062] The mixing in step (a) of the method for producing the composition according to the present invention can further be carried out over a period of at least 0.5 hours, or at least 1 hour, or at least 2 hours, or at least 3 hours, or at least 4 hours, or at least 6 hours, or at least 8 hours, or at least 12 hours, or up to 48 hours, or up to 36 hours, or up to 30 hours, or up to 24 hours, or up to 20 hours, or up to 18 hours, or up to 16 hours.

[0063] In step (b), the polymer electrolyte is swollen until a viscous gel is obtained.

[0064] The term "viscous gel" means that a viscosity of 0.005 Pa·s to 10 Pa·s (5 cps to 10,000 cps), or 0.015 Pa·s to 7.5 Pa·s (15 cps to 7,500 cps), or 0.030 Pa·s to 5 Pa·s (30 cps to 5,000 cps), or 0.15 Pa·s to 1 Pa·s (150 cps to 1,000 cps), or 0.25 Pa·s to 0.5 Pa·s (250 cps to 500 cps) is achieved. Viscosity is measured at 100 rpm at 25°C using a Brookfield viscometer with spindle L2.

[0065] Advantageously, once the swelling process is complete and a viscous gel is obtained, the polymer electrolyte composition according to the present invention forms a rheological barrier to other aqueous mixtures, even though water itself is the base material.

[0066] In step (c), optionally, other additives contained in the composition according to the present invention are added to and mixed with the viscous gel obtained from step (b). In step (c), at least one wetting agent may be added to and mixed with the composition according to the present invention.

[0067] Optionally, in step (c), other additives of the composition according to the present invention are added to the viscous gel obtained in step (c). These additives are selected from the same group as those disclosed with respect to the composition according to the present invention.

[0068] The mixing in step (c) of the method for producing the composition according to the present invention can be carried out at a temperature in the range of 0 to 90°C, or 5 to 60°C, or 10 to 40°C, or 15 to 30°C, or at room temperature, preferably at room temperature.

[0069] The mixing in step (c) of the method for producing the composition according to the present invention can further be carried out over a period of at least 1 minute, or at least 2 minutes, or at least 5 minutes, or at least 10 minutes, or at least 15 minutes, or up to 6 hours, or up to 4 hours, or up to 3 hours, or up to 2 hours, or up to 1 hour. Preferably, step (c) of the method for producing the composition according to the present invention is carried out over a period of 2 minutes to 4 hours, or 5 minutes to 2 hours.

[0070] The invention described in the claims further relates to a method for (pre)treating textile materials with a composition according to the present invention. This method comprises the following steps (A) and (B): (A) To provide an aqueous polymer electrolyte composition according to the present invention, or an aqueous polymer electrolyte composition prepared by a method for producing the composition according to the present invention; (B) Apply the aqueous composition from step (A) to the textile material, and optionally repeat this step.

[0071] The composition according to the present invention, provided in step (A), can be heated or cooled before step (B).

[0072] In step (B), the composition according to the present invention is applied to the textile material defined above by any means known in the prior art. Non-limiting examples include spraying, dipping, padding, coating, brushing, and impregnation.

[0073] The textile material obtained from step (B) can be (pre)treated with the composition according to the present invention to different degrees. For example, the extent to which the textile material obtained from step (B) is slightly moistened with the composition according to the present invention may vary from being completely immersed with the composition according to the present invention.

[0074] Furthermore, any other method known in the art for processing textile materials can be combined with step (B), including, but not limited to, dyeing, mercerizing, padding, draining, (pre) wetting, and washing.

[0075] Step (B) may be repeated to ensure that all of the textile material comes into contact with the composition according to the present invention. Step (B) may be repeated once, twice, or three times.

[0076] When the interior of the textile material is brought into complete contact with the composition according to the present invention, it is advantageous for subsequent dyeing steps to obtain ring dyeing.

[0077] Even more advantageously, when a mercerization process known to those skilled in the art is carried out following the (pre)treatment with the aqueous composition according to the present invention, it has been found that the amount of caustic soda required for the textile material treated with the composition according to the present invention is reduced by at least 60% to 70% compared to the untreated textile material. Furthermore, surprisingly, the shrinkage suffered by the textile material is less compared to the untreated textile material (see Figure 3). This also indicates less damage to the chemical structure of the fibers themselves.

[0078] The method of (pre)treating textile materials with the composition according to the present invention can be carried out at a temperature in the range of 0 to 90°C, or 5 to 60°C, or 10 to 40°C, or 15 to 30°C, or at room temperature, preferably at room temperature.

[0079] A method of (pre)treating a textile material with a composition according to the present invention can further be carried out for a sufficient time to allow the textile material to be in complete contact with the composition according to the present invention. A sufficient time may be in the range of 1 to 180 seconds, or 1 to 120 seconds, or 1 to 90 seconds, or 2 to 75 seconds, or 2 to 60 seconds, or 5 to 45 seconds.

[0080] The method for (pre)treating textile materials according to the present invention can be used to process textile materials continuously or discontinuously, for example, in a batch or consumable manner.

[0081] A method for (pre)treating a textile material with a composition according to the present invention may further include the following steps (C) and / or (D) following step (B): (C) Processing the textile material obtained from process (B) in a mercerization process; (D) Optionally, wash the textile material obtained from process (C) and / or optionally recover any excess caustic soda remaining in the textile material obtained from process (C).

[0082] In step (C), the textile material (pre)treated with the composition according to the present invention is mercerized according to a procedure known in the art. The resulting textile material can be considered ring-mercerized, that is, the mercerization process only superficially affects the textile material.

[0083] The mercerization process in step (C) of the method for (pre)treating textile materials with the composition according to the present invention can be carried out at a temperature of 0 to 100°C, or 5 to 90°C, or 10 to 80°C, or 15 to 70°C, or 20 to 60°C.

[0084] The mercerization process in step (C) of the method for (pre)treating textile material with the composition according to the present invention can be carried out at a caustic soda concentration of at least 10 Baumé degrees, or at least 15 Baumé degrees, at least 20 Baumé degrees, at least 25 Baumé degrees, or up to 30 Baumé degrees, or up to 25 Baumé degrees, or up to 20 Baumé degrees.

[0085] The resulting surface ring-mercerization process is advantageous because it results in less chemical damage to the textile material, firstly, less shrinkage, and secondly, less caustic soda consumption during mercerization.

[0086] In step (D), the ring-mercerized textile material according to the present invention is optionally washed with water to remove excess caustic soda. Furthermore, the removed excess caustic soda can be recovered and recycled for reuse in the mercerization process.

[0087] This optional recovery is even more advantageous in terms of sustainability, because the amount of caustic soda required for the method of (pre)treating textile materials with the composition according to the present invention, including steps (A) to (D), is 60 to 70 percent less than the amount required in a standard mercerizing process for textile materials that are not (pre)treated with the composition according to the present invention.

[0088] A method for (pre)treating a textile material with a composition according to the present invention further comprises the following step (E) following step (B) or step (D): (E) Dyeing the textile material obtained from process (B) or process (D).

[0089] In step (E), a textile material (pre)treated with the composition according to the present invention obtained in step (B), or a textile material (pre) treated with the composition according to the present invention obtained in step (D) and then ring-mercerized, can be applied to any common dyeing process.

[0090] To obtain dyeing, particularly ring dyeing, it is possible to use dyes commonly used in the textile dyeing industry.

[0091] Preferred dyes include sulfur dyes, vat dyes, especially indigo, reactive dyes, direct dyes, pigments, and other dyes having similar properties.

[0092] A method for (pre)treating a textile material with a composition according to the present invention can be carried out by a method comprising only steps (A) and (B), or by a method comprising steps (A), (B), (C), and (D), or by steps (A), (B), (C), (D), and (E), or by steps (A), (B), and (E).

[0093] In a method for (pre)treating a textile material with a composition according to the present invention, any textile material as defined herein can be (pre)treated.

[0094] The method of pre-treating textile materials with the composition according to the present invention is advantageous when using textile materials containing or comprising cellulose, cotton, hemp, linen, jute, viscose, modal, or mixtures thereof.

[0095] Furthermore, the present invention as described in the claims relates to the use of the polymer electrolyte defined above with respect to the (pre)treatment of textile materials, preferably in a dyeing process, and more preferably in a ring dyeing process.

[0096] A polymer electrolyte can be included in the aqueous composition according to the present invention.

[0097] The polymer electrolytes according to the present invention can further be used to (pre)treat any textile material based on the definitions used herein.

[0098] In a staining process, for example, to obtain ring staining, it is advantageous to use the polymer electrolyte according to the present invention.

[0099] The present invention further relates to dyed or undyed textile materials that have been (pre)treated with a polymer electrolyte composition according to the present invention, or with a polymer electrolyte composition produced by a method according to the present invention; or to dyed or undyed textile materials produced based on a method of (pre)treating textile materials with a composition according to the present invention.

[0100] The present invention further relates to a method for producing textiles from dyed or undyed textile materials according to the present invention.

[0101] The present invention further relates to textiles manufactured based on a method for manufacturing textiles of the present invention; or to textiles comprising or comprising dyed or undyed textile materials according to the present invention, which comprise a composition according to the present invention or are (pre)treated by a method according to the present invention.

[0102] The textiles according to the present invention may be any textile known in the prior art. In particular, the term "textile" means a finished textile product, i.e., a product that is ready to wear or use. The term "textile" includes, but is not limited to, everyday clothing, work clothes, safety clothing, household textiles, e.g., carpets, bedding, curtains, and the like; denim textiles such as trousers, e.g., jeans; jackets; skirts; dresses; T-shirts; or the like. [Examples]

[0103] Example 1 Dissolve 0.2 g of Dirsol RD®, a polyacrylamide polymer electrolyte from Arkroma, in 100 g of water while stirring for 4 hours. Once the solubilization of the polymer electrolyte is complete, a highly viscous, clear solution is obtained. Next, add 1 g of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (DEHPA).

[0104] Meanwhile, coarse cotton yarn is prepared.

[0105] In addition, a mercerization bath containing 170 g / L of caustic soda and another separate staining bath containing 150 g / L of Diresul® Black RDT-K, a commercial sulfur black dye manufactured by Arkroma, are prepared. No additional caustic soda is added. The process is carried out as follows.

[0106] A) First, thoroughly wet the cotton yarn with a polymer electrolyte mixture at room temperature, ensuring that the inside of the fibers is completely immersed in this solution, then pad the fibers and partially drain the liquid.

[0107] B) The cotton yarn obtained from A) is then passed through the mercerization bath described above, where the caustic soda interacts with the surface of the yarn. The caustic soda solution replaces and cannot remove the polymer electrolyte solution inside the fiber, so the inside of the fiber is prevented from being altered by the mercerization bath. After the mercerization treatment, the pre-treated cotton yarn is ring-mercerized. This means that it has been altered only on the surface under the influence of caustic soda. This ring-mercerized cotton yarn is then padded again and subjected to a short wash-off process using water.

[0108] C) In the washing box, any remaining excess caustic soda is removed from the surface of the yarn and recovered as a clean, clear caustic soda solution. After the above washing process, the pre-treated cotton yarn is padded again to make it ready for use in the subsequent dyeing process.

[0109] D) The ring-mercerized and washed yarn is moved at 20-90°C and passed through a dyeing solution containing black dye. Due to the ring-mercerization process, the dye interacts only with the surface of the cotton yarn. Therefore, the water and chemicals dissolved in this dyeing bath cannot replace the polymer electrolyte solution inside the cotton yarn and can only act on the surface.

[0110] E) The final ring-dyed yarn is obtained by washing, oxidizing, and drying the final yarn based on processes already known in the prior art.

[0111] This procedure was repeated with another coarse cotton yarn, but by skipping step A), a comparative fiber was obtained that had been treated based on a standard mercerization (pre) process. The resulting comparative fiber can be seen in Figure 1a.

[0112] The results of fibers treated according to the present invention can be seen in Figure 1b. The ring staining achieved by the (pre)treatment using the composition according to the present invention can be clearly seen.

[0113] This ring-dyed yarn exhibits a similar level of dark black dyeing compared to results obtained using conventional mercerization processes, but it is far more superficial.

[0114] Furthermore, the amount of caustic soda consumed in the mercerization process was reduced by 65-75% (this includes recovered amounts and depends on washing efficiency).

[0115] Surprisingly, the shrinkage of yarn pretreated with the composition according to the present invention was found to be virtually zero compared to yarn mercerized without pretreatment, which generally undergoes a shrinkage of approximately 4-10% (Figure 3). Furthermore, Figure 3 includes a comparison with unmercerized textile material, which, due to the lack of mercerization, showed less coloration and a remaining length equivalent to that measured for samples pretreated and mercerized according to the present invention. Therefore, it is clear that there are advantages in achieving both deep coloration and less shrinkage simultaneously.

[0116] Example 2 In this example, cotton yarn is dyed using a leucoindigo solution without a mercerization process. Here again, two different samples were prepared: one based on the present invention and another based on a process known in the art.

[0117] The difference between the standard dyeing process and the process according to the present invention is that in the standard process, the coarse cotton yarn is brought into contact with the dye after being pre-scouring with water containing only auxiliary agents in a wet-on-wet process.

[0118] The coarse cotton yarn to be dyed in the process according to the present invention is immersed and pre-wetted with the polymer electrolyte solution prepared in Example 1. Therefore, both processes can be considered to be similarly wet-on-wet processes.

[0119] Figure 2a shows yarn dyed according to a process known in the art. Figure 2b shows yarn dyed according to the present invention.

[0120] Similar to Example 1, advantageous surface staining, i.e., ring staining, can be clearly seen in Figure 2b, based on (pre)treatment with a polymer electrolyte.

[0121] This difference can, for example, have a significant impact on the conditions required for subsequent washdown processes.

Claims

1. Preferably, an aqueous composition for (pre)treating textile materials in a dyeing process, comprising at least the following: At least one polymer electrolyte, Preferably, at least one wetting agent, and water.

2. At least one of the aforementioned polymer electrolytes is selected from polyacrylamide polymer electrolytes; and / or At least one of the wetting agents is selected from phosphate esters, preferably di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (DEHPA), or alkoxylate alcohols, or alkylphenols or derivatives thereof, or mixtures thereof. The aqueous composition according to claim 1.

3. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the aqueous composition comprises, in weight percentage based on the total weight of the aqueous composition, the following: 0.01 to 10% by weight of at least one polymer electrolyte, At least one wetting agent in an amount of 0.01 to 10% by weight, and 75-99.9% by weight of water.

4. A method for producing the aqueous composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising the following steps (a) to (c): (a) Mixing and homogenizing at least one of the aforementioned polymer electrolytes with water; (b) Swell the polymer electrolyte until a viscous gel is obtained; (c) Optionally, add and mix other additives, preferably at least one wetting agent, to the viscous gel obtained in (b).

5. A method for (pre)treating textile material, comprising the following steps (A) and (B): (A) To provide an aqueous composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, or an aqueous composition prepared by the method described in claim 4; (B) Apply the aqueous composition from step (A) to a textile material, and optionally repeat this step.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the (pre)treatment of the textile material is carried out at a temperature in the range of 5 to 90°C, preferably 10 to 40°C, or at room temperature.

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the method of (pre)treating the textile material is carried out over a period of time ranging from 2 to 60 seconds.

8. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the textile material is processed continuously.

9. The method further includes, following step (B), the following steps (C) and / or (D): (C) Processing the textile material obtained from step (B) in a mercerization process; (D) Optionally, wash the textile material obtained from step (C) and / or optionally recover any excess caustic soda remaining in the textile material obtained from step (C); The method according to any one of claims 5 to 8, optionally further comprising the following step (E) following step (B) or step (D): (E) The textile material obtained from step (B) or step (D) is dyed preferably with a sulfur dye or a vat dye, such as indigo.

10. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein the textile material comprises or consists of cellulose, cotton, hemp, linen, jute, viscose, modal, or a mixture thereof.

11. Preferably in a dyeing process, and more preferably in a ring dyeing process, use of a polymer electrolyte for (pre)treating the textile material.

12. Use of a polymer electrolyte according to claim 11, wherein the polymer electrolyte is contained in the aqueous composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

13. Dyed or undyed textile material (pre)treated with an aqueous composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, or an aqueous composition produced by the method described in claim 4; or A dyed or undyed textile material manufactured by the method described in any one of claims 5 to 10, The dyed or undyed textile material is preferably a yarn, woven fabric, nonwoven fabric, or knitwear.

14. A method for manufacturing textiles, using dyed or undyed textile materials as described in claim 13.

15. A textile manufactured by the method described in claim 14; or a textile comprising or consisting of the dyed or undyed textile material described in claim 13, Preferably, the textile is a denim textile such as trousers, for example jeans; a jacket; a skirt; a dress; a T-shirt; or something similar; or a textile that is everyday wear, work clothes, safety clothing, or household textiles, for example carpets, bedding, curtains, and similar items.

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