Method of processing textile fabric

Abstract

FIELD: textile industry.SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the chemical treatment of textile materials. A method for treating textile fabric is proposed, which includes treating polyester textile material with an aqueous emulsion of polysiloxane, followed by fixation of the polysiloxane at elevated pressure and subsequent heat treatment, where a neutralizing wash of the fabric is first carried out with a solution containing a mixture of aliphatic amines and glycol ethers, at a temperature of 60 to 90 °C followed by rinsing with water to remove residual solution. Then the fabric is immersed in an aqueous emulsion of polysiloxane, which is capable of forming a hydrophobic coating on the surface of textile fibres, for subsequent fixation of the polysiloxane on the surface of textile fibres, heat treatment of the fabric is carried out at a temperature of about 180 °C, while a micro-rough polysiloxane coating is formed on the surface of the fibres, providing water-repellent properties.EFFECT: formation of a stable micro-rough polysiloxane coating on the surface of the fibres of a textile polyester fabric, providing pronounced water-repellent properties to the treated material.1 cl, 2 ex

Description

[0001] The invention relates to the textile industry, specifically to methods for chemically treating textile materials to form water-repellent coatings on the fiber surface. More specifically, the invention relates to methods for treating textile fabric using a polysiloxane composition that ensures the formation of a micro-rough hydrophobic layer on the fiber surface.

[0002] The claimed method is intended primarily for processing polyester textile fabrics, including polyester-based fabrics used in the manufacture of clothing, special clothing, technical textiles, interior and decorative materials, as well as other products that require a reduction in surface wettability and an increase in resistance to moisture.

[0003] This method can be used in textile finishing to impart water-repellent properties to fabrics without significantly compromising their performance characteristics. The treatment creates a hydrophobic polysiloxane coating on the surface of polyester fibers, preventing water from spreading across the material's surface, but instead forming beads and being removed.

[0004] A number of technical solutions are known for imparting water-repellent properties to textiles by treating fabrics with organosilicon compounds, silane and siloxane compounds, and multi-component water-repellent systems. These solutions are used to finish fibrous materials, including synthetic fiber-based fabrics, and are designed to form a layer on the fiber surface with reduced surface energy, preventing wetting by water. At the same time, modern technology is shifting from traditional fluorinated systems to aqueous silicone and silane compounds suitable for industrial textile processing.

[0005] US Patent 2,895,853 A discloses a method for imparting water-repellent properties to fibrous materials by applying linear polysiloxanes, specifically copolymers of dimethylsiloxane and dihydrogensiloxane, to the fabrics. These copolymers are characterized as rapidly curing hydrophobic compositions for fabrics, paper, and similar materials. This decision confirms the well-known nature of the approach based on the use of polysiloxanes as textile water repellents.However, the disadvantage of this solution in relation to the task at hand is its general nature: it does not disclose the specialized sequence of stages for preparing and processing the polyester fabric, it lacks a stage of neutralizing washing with a solution containing a mixture of amines and glycol ethers, it does not describe the fixation of polysiloxane after immersing the fabric in an aqueous emulsion at elevated pressure, and it does not disclose the formation of a micro-rough polysiloxane coating on the surface of the fibers, which ensures increased stability of the water-repellent effect.

[0006] European patent EP 1892274 B1 discloses carboxyl-containing polysiloxanes, hydrophobic systems based on them, and methods for hydrophobicizing various substrates, including paper, textiles, leather, and fur. This solution also relates to the field of imparting hydrophobic properties to textile materials through the use of polysiloxanes. However, a drawback of this analogue is that it focuses primarily on the chemical nature of the hydrophobic agent rather than on a technologically advanced method for treating a specific polyester textile fabric. It does not disclose special preparation of the fabric surface by neutralizing washing, does not mention treatment with an aqueous polysiloxane emulsion followed by fixation at elevated pressure, and does not describe the formation of a microrelief coating on the fiber surface after heat treatment at a temperature of approximately 180°C.

[0007] International application WO 2017131400 A1 discloses a silicone emulsion water-repellent agent containing silicone oil, an emulsifier, and water, as well as a method for water-repellent treatment of fabric using such a composition. The document states that the solution provides both water repellency and wash resistance. This analogue shares features with the claimed solution in terms of using an aqueous silicone emulsion for the water-repellent treatment of textile material. However, a drawback of this analogue is the lack of a process flow diagram specifically focused on the treatment of polyester fabric with a pre-neutralizing wash with a solution of amines and glycol ethers. There is also no indication of the stage of fixing the polysiloxane at elevated pressure and the subsequent heat treatment leading to the formation of a micro-rough coating on the fiber surface.In other words, the analogue solves the problem of selecting a water-repellent composition, but does not disclose the claimed sequence of operations for processing the fabric.

[0008] International application WO 2019076823 A1 proposes a method for producing a textile product with a hydrophobic surface, comprising preliminary plasma treatment of the textile surface followed by wet-chemical treatment with a hydrophobic agent. This solution is aimed at enhancing the hydrophobic effect through plasma surface activation. The disadvantage of this approach for the task at hand is its technological complexity, the need for specialized low-temperature plasma equipment, and a different logic for preparing the material's surface. For industrial finishing of polyester fabrics, the plasma-based method is more complex and capital-intensive. It also lacks the claimed sequence of steps, which includes neutralizing washing, immersion in an aqueous polysiloxane emulsion, fixation at elevated pressure, and heat treatment to form a micro-rough polysiloxane coating.

[0009] JP 2014148775 A discloses a technology for producing durable water-repellent polyester fabric, which considers processes using fluorinated compounds, organopolysiloxanes, and low-temperature plasma treatment. The description notes that previously proposed options for treating woven fabric with compositions based on organopolysiloxane and / or fluorinated compounds with an additional plasma stage. This document is important as a state-of-the-art technology specifically for polyester fabrics. However, the disadvantage of such solutions is their multi-component nature and the technological complexity associated with the use of plasma and, in some cases, fluorinated compounds. The claimed method, however, focuses on a different, more technologically advanced sequence of operations using an aqueous polysiloxane emulsion after special chemical preparation of the fabric surface.Moreover, the said solution does not imply the formation of a micro-uneven polysiloxane coating on the fibers due to a combination of features.

[0010] The closest technical solution to the claimed invention is the solution according to international application WO 2019115205 A1, which discloses superhydrophobic coatings for the treatment of textiles. The document explicitly states that an aqueous silane emulsion is used to treat textiles, preferably polyamide, polypropylene or polyester, and more preferably polyester textiles, to form a water-repellent coating on the textile. The method involves applying an aqueous silane emulsion to the textile, in particular by impregnation using the padding method, and subsequent curing; application pressure ranges of approximately 1-6 bar and curing temperatures of 130-170 °C are also specified. Common features of the prototype and the claimed solution are the treatment of predominantly polyester textile material, the use of an aqueous organosilicon emulsion and the subsequent thermal fixation of the hydrophobic coating.

[0011] However, the prototype does not disclose or suggest the sequence of stages, namely, the preliminary neutralizing wash of the fabric with a solution containing a mixture of amines and glycol ethers, the immersion of the fabric in an aqueous polysiloxane emulsion, followed by fixation of the polysiloxane under elevated pressure, and subsequent heat treatment at approximately 180°C, which forms a micro-rough polysiloxane coating on the fiber surface. Furthermore, the prototype primarily focuses on the composition of the aqueous silane emulsion and the standard impregnation / curing scheme, whereas the mechanism for achieving the result in the claimed method is associated specifically with the technologically sequential preparation of the polyester surface, fixation of the polysiloxane layer, and the formation of the coating microrelief.For this reason, the prototype does not explicitly provide the set of features that is aimed at increasing the stability of the water-repellent properties of the polyester fabric due to the formation of a micro-rough polysiloxane layer on the fibers.

[0012] Thus, an analysis of the prior art shows that known solutions are either limited to the use of hydrophobic silicone or silane compounds as such, or use technologically more complex schemes with plasma activation, or are not focused on specially prepared processing of polyester textile fabric with sequential execution of the stages of neutralizing washing, impregnation with an aqueous emulsion of polysiloxane, fixation at elevated pressure and heat treatment, leading to the formation of a micro-rough polysiloxane coating on the surface of the fibers.

[0013] The technical objective of the claimed invention is to develop a method for processing textile fabric, primarily polyester, that ensures the formation of a stable water-repellent coating on the surface of the fibers while maintaining the performance properties of the material and the technological effectiveness of the processing process.

[0014] An additional objective is to create a processing method that ensures uniform fixation of the organosilicon water-repellent coating on the surface of the fibers of the polyester textile fabric and increases the stability of the water-repellent properties of the material during operation.

[0015] The technical result achieved by implementing the claimed invention is the formation on the surface of the fibers of a textile fabric, primarily polyester, of a stable micro-rough polysiloxane coating, which provides pronounced water-repellent properties to the treated material.

[0016] Using the claimed method allows to achieve the following technical results:

[0017] • increasing the water-repellent properties of textile fabric;

[0018] • increasing the resistance of the hydrophobic coating to moisture and external factors;

[0019] • formation of a micro-rough polysiloxane structure on the surface of the fibers, which helps reduce the wettability of the surface;

[0020] • increasing the uniformity of distribution of the polysiloxane coating on the surface of the textile material;

[0021] • increasing the stability of the hydrophobic effect during operation and exposure to external factors;

[0022] • improving the technological efficiency of the polyester textile fabric processing process.

[0023] The achievement of the specified technical results is ensured by implementing a sequence of technological stages for processing textile fabric, including neutralizing washing of the fabric with a solution containing a mixture of amines and glycol ethers, at a temperature of 60 to 90 °C, subsequent immersion of the textile fabric in an aqueous emulsion of polysiloxane with fixation of the polysiloxane coating at increased pressure, as well as subsequent heat treatment of the fabric at a temperature of about 180 °C, leading to the formation of a micro-rough polysiloxane layer on the surface of the fibers, providing water-repellent properties of the textile material.

[0024] The essence of the claimed invention lies in the development of a method for processing textile fabric, primarily polyester, in which a stable micro-rough polysiloxane coating is formed on the surface of the fibers, providing pronounced water-repellent properties to the processed material.

[0025] In accordance with the claimed invention, the processing of the textile fabric is carried out sequentially in several technological stages, including preliminary chemical preparation of the surface of the fibers, application of a hydrophobic organosilicon composition and subsequent thermal fixation of the coating.

[0026] The first stage involves neutralizing the textile fabric with a solution containing a mixture of amines and glycol ethers at a temperature of 60 to 90°C. This stage removes residual process impurities, surfactants, and other compounds present on the fiber surface after previous processing stages, and also promotes surface activation of the polyester fibers and increases the effectiveness of subsequent adhesion of the organosilicon coating.

[0027] After neutralizing washing, the textile fabric is treated with an aqueous polysiloxane emulsion. This treatment is accomplished by immersing or soaking the textile fabric in the aqueous polysiloxane emulsion, followed by spinning, ensuring uniform distribution of the water-repellent composition across the fiber surface.

[0028] After applying the aqueous emulsion of polysiloxane, a stage of fixing the polysiloxane coating is carried out under increased pressure, which ensures a more dense interaction of the organosilicon compound with the surface of the fibers of the textile material and increases the stability of the resulting coating.

[0029] At the final stage, the textile fabric is heat-treated at approximately 180°C. This heat treatment permanently fixes the polysiloxane coating and forms a micro-rough structure of organosilicon layer with reduced surface energy on the fiber surface.

[0030] The formation of the specified micro-rough polysiloxane structure leads to a decrease in the wettability of the fiber surface and provides pronounced water-repellent properties of the textile fabric, in which water does not spread over the surface of the material, but forms droplets that maintain a spherical shape and are easily removed from the surface of the fabric.

[0031] Thus, the claimed method for processing textile fabric ensures the formation of a stable hydrophobic coating on the surface of predominantly polyester fibers while maintaining the technological efficiency of the processing process and the uniformity of the distribution of the polysiloxane coating over the surface of the textile material.

[0032] The claimed method for processing textile fabric is intended primarily for processing polyester textile materials and can be used in finishing fabrics used for the manufacture of clothing, technical textiles, interior materials and other products that require increased water-repellent properties.

[0033] In accordance with the claimed invention, the processing of textile fabric is carried out sequentially in several technological stages.

[0034] 1. Neutralizing wash

[0035] The first stage involves neutralizing washing of the textile fabric with a solution containing a mixture of amines and glycol ethers at a temperature of 60 to 90 °C.

[0036] This step is designed to remove residual process contaminants, surfactants, finishing agent residues, and other compounds present on the fiber surface after previous textile production stages. Furthermore, treatment with a solution of amines and glycol ethers helps neutralize residual acidic or alkaline components and improves the wettability of the fiber surface.

[0037] The amines in the solution neutralize residual acidic compounds and promote surface activation of polyester fibers. Glycol ethers act as solvents and surfactants, helping remove stains and ensure more uniform interaction between the solution and the textile surface. Aliphatic amines, such as monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, and their mixtures, can be used as amines.

[0038] After completing the neutralizing washing stage, the textile fabric is rinsed with water, if necessary, to remove any remaining solution.

[0039] 2. Treatment with aqueous polysiloxane emulsion

[0040] In the next step, the textile fabric is treated with an aqueous polysiloxane emulsion. This treatment is accomplished by immersing or soaking the textile fabric in the aqueous polysiloxane emulsion, followed by squeezing, which ensures uniform distribution of the polysiloxane composition over the fiber surface.

[0041] An aqueous polysiloxane emulsion contains an organosilicon compound capable of forming a hydrophobic coating on the surface of textile fibers. Using an aqueous emulsion ensures uniform distribution of the polysiloxane over the material surface and allows for the processing to be carried out using standard textile finishing equipment.

[0042] Polysiloxane has low surface energy and high chemical resistance, due to which the formed coating effectively reduces the wettability of the textile surface with water.

[0043] 3. Fixing the polysiloxane coating

[0044] After treatment with an aqueous emulsion of polysiloxane, a stage of fixing the polysiloxane coating is carried out under increased pressure, ensuring a more dense interaction of the polysiloxane composition with the surface of the fibers and fixing the organosilicon layer on the textile material.

[0045] Fixing the coating under increased pressure promotes a more uniform distribution of polysiloxane over the surface of the fibers and increases the stability of the formed hydrophobic coating.

[0046] 4. Heat treatment

[0047] At the final stage, the textile fabric is heat treated at a temperature of about 180 °C.

[0048] During heat treatment, the polysiloxane coating is permanently fixed to the fiber surface. Under the influence of temperature, a stable organosilicon layer with hydrophobic properties is formed.

[0049] Furthermore, heat treatment promotes the formation of a microrough structure of the polysiloxane coating on the fiber surface. This microroughness increases the contact angle of water on the material surface and reduces the area of ​​water contact with the fiber surface.

[0050] As a result, a hydrophobic surface is formed, in which water does not spread over the surface of the textile material, but forms droplets that maintain a spherical shape and are easily removed from the surface of the fabric.

[0051] Thus, the combination of the indicated processing stages ensures the formation of a stable water-repellent polysiloxane coating on the surface of the fibers of a predominantly polyester textile fabric.

[0052] To confirm the operability of the claimed method for treating textile fabrics, experimental treatments of polyester fabrics were carried out using a sequence of technological stages, including neutralizing washing, treatment with an aqueous emulsion of polysiloxane, fixation of the coating at elevated pressure and subsequent heat treatment.

[0053] Polyester textile fabric was used as the starting material in all examples.

[0054] Example 1. The starting material used was polyester plain weave textile fabric with a density of 120 g / m².

[0055] Neutralizing wash was carried out in an aqueous solution containing:

[0056] • amines - 2.0 g / l

[0057] • glycol ethers - 3.0 g / l.

[0058] The treatment was carried out in a water bath at a temperature of 70 °C for 20 minutes while stirring the solution.

[0059] After the processing was completed, the textile fabric was washed with water at a temperature of about 40 °C to remove residual solution and dried to a residual moisture content of about 10-15%.

[0060] After preliminary preparation, the textile fabric was treated with an aqueous polysiloxane emulsion. The polysiloxane concentration in the working solution was 20 g / L.

[0061] The treatment was carried out by immersing or soaking the textile fabric, followed by spinning in a spinning machine. The spinning rate was approximately 80%, ensuring uniform distribution of the emulsion across the fiber surface.

[0062] After applying the polysiloxane emulsion, the polysiloxane coating was fixed at an increased pressure of 2 bar, which contributed to a more dense fixation of the organosilicon compound on the surface of the polyester fibers.

[0063] After fixation, the textile fabric was subjected to heat treatment in a drying and heat-fixing chamber at a temperature of 180 °C for 3 minutes.

[0064] During the heat treatment, the polysiloxane coating was finally fixed and a micro-rough structure of the organosilicon layer was formed on the surface of the fibers.

[0065] The water-repellent properties of the treated textile fabric were evaluated by the water spray method according to ISO 4920, and by measuring the water contact angle using the static drop method.

[0066] Measurements were carried out at a temperature of 20–22 °C.

[0067] As a result of the treatment, the contact angle was 128–132°, which indicates the pronounced hydrophobic properties of the fabric surface.

[0068] When tested using the water spray method, the treated fabric showed a water-repellent effect of 90-100 points on the ISO 4920 scale.

[0069] When water was applied to the surface of the fabric, droplets were observed to form, maintaining a spherical shape and freely rolling off the surface of the material without penetrating the structure of the fabric.

[0070] The obtained results confirm the formation of a micro-rough polysiloxane coating on the surface of polyester fibers, which provides stable water-repellent properties of the textile fabric.

[0071] Example 2. The starting material used was polyester plain weave textile fabric with a density of 130 g / m².

[0072] Neutralizing washing of textile fabric was carried out in an aqueous solution containing:

[0073] • amines - 1.5 g / l

[0074] • glycol ethers - 2.5 g / l.

[0075] The treatment was carried out at a temperature of 80 °C for 15 minutes while stirring the solution.

[0076] After processing, the textile fabric was rinsed with water at 40–45°C to remove any remaining solution. The fabric was then dried to a residual moisture content of approximately 10–15%.

[0077] After neutralizing washing, the textile fabric was treated with an aqueous polysiloxane emulsion. The polysiloxane concentration in the working solution was 15 g / L.

[0078] The treatment was carried out by immersing or soaking the textile fabric, followed by spinning in an impregnation-spinning unit. The spinning rate was approximately 75%, ensuring uniform distribution of the water-repellent composition across the fiber surface.

[0079] After applying the polysiloxane emulsion, the polysiloxane coating was fixed at an increased pressure of 3 bar, which ensured a tighter interaction of the polysiloxane layer with the surface of the polyester fibers and increased the stability of the resulting coating.

[0080] After fixation, the textile fabric was subjected to heat treatment in a drying and heat-fixing chamber at a temperature of 180 °C for 3 minutes.

[0081] During the heat treatment, the polysiloxane coating was finally fixed and a micro-rough organosilicon structure was formed on the surface of the fibers.

[0082] The water-repellent properties of the treated textile fabric were evaluated by the water spray method according to ISO 4920, and by measuring the water contact angle using the static drop method.

[0083] Measurements were carried out at a temperature of 20–22 °C.

[0084] As a result of the treatment, the contact angle was 124-129°, which indicates the pronounced hydrophobic properties of the fabric surface.

[0085] When tested using the water spray method, the treated fabric showed a water-repellent effect of 90 points on the ISO 4920 scale.

[0086] When water was applied to the surface of the fabric, droplets were observed to form, maintaining a spherical shape and freely rolling off the surface of the material.

[0087] The obtained results confirm the formation of a stable polysiloxane coating on the surface of polyester fibers, providing pronounced water-repellent properties to the textile fabric.

Claims

A method for treating a textile fabric, which includes treating a polyester textile material with an aqueous emulsion of polysiloxane, followed by fixation of the polysiloxane at elevated pressure and subsequent heat treatment, characterized in that the fabric is first neutralized by washing with a solution containing a mixture of aliphatic amines and glycol ethers at a temperature of 60 to 90 °C, followed by rinsing with water to remove residual solution, then immersing the fabric in an aqueous emulsion of polysiloxane capable of forming a hydrophobic coating on the surface of textile fibers, for subsequent fixation of the polysiloxane on the surface of the textile fibers, heat treatment of the fabric is carried out at a temperature of about 180 °C, whereby a micro-rough polysiloxane coating is formed on the surface of the fibers, providing water-repellent properties.