Cellulosic Textile Crosslinking for Easier Ironing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Textiles made from cellulose, such as cotton, easily crease due to swelling and low elastic restoring forces, making ironing necessary, while existing crosslinking methods are either toxic or impractical for household use.
Innovation Solution
Amino group-containing polymers with carboxylic acid group-bearing substituents, formed by reacting aminopolysiloxanes, polyvinylamines, or polyalkyleneimines with haloalkanoic acids, are used to reduce creasing and facilitate ironing by creating covalent and ionic crosslinks with cellulose fibers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If formaldehyde-urea and formaldehyde-melamine crosslinkers are used to reduce creasing, then the tendency to crease is reduced, but toxicity increases making them unsuitable for household use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the crosslinking agents by using formaldehyde-free alternatives (melamine, isocyanates, or carboxylic acid groups) combined with specific catalysts (triazoles, hypophosphites, or phosphites). This parameter change maintains the crosslinking function while eliminating the toxicity associated with traditional formaldehyde-based crosslinkers, making the fabric suitable for household use without compromising ironing ease.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If polycarboxylic acids are used for formaldehyde-free crosslinking, then toxicity is reduced, but the process requires high temperatures and large amounts of catalysts making it impractical for household use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the reaction parameters by introducing specific catalysts (triazoles, hypophosphites, or phosphites) that enable crosslinking at lower temperatures and with reduced catalyst quantities compared to traditional polycarboxylic acid methods. This makes the formaldehyde-free crosslinking process practical for household ironing conditions while maintaining low toxicity.
3Ease of manufacture
If cellulose molecules are crosslinked to reduce creasing, then crease recovery improves, but the complexity of the finishing process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the crosslinking function from complex industrial finishing processes and integrates it into the ironing operation itself. By incorporating crosslinking agents and catalysts into the fabric or ironing system, the crosslinking occurs during or after ironing, simplifying the overall process while maintaining crease recovery benefits.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Significantly reduces the tendency of cellulose-containing textiles to crease, improving the crease recovery angle from 60° to over 80°, making ironing easier and potentially eliminating the need for frequent ironing.
Implementation Method 1
The crosslinking of the cellulose molecules increases the elasticity of the material... the reactions of the carboxyl groups of polycarboxylic acids with the hydroxyl groups of cellulose, which lead to esters
Implementation Method 2
Ion pair bonds are used to crosslink the cellulose
Data Source
AI summary
The aim of the invention is to reduce the creasing tendency of cotton or other cellulosic textiles. For this purpose, the textile is contacted with an amino-group containing polymer comprising carboxylic acid group-carrying substitutes, and is then optionally ironed.