CA1126454A - Fabric treatment composition and methods of use thereof - Google Patents
Fabric treatment composition and methods of use thereofInfo
- Publication number
- CA1126454A CA1126454A CA322,938A CA322938A CA1126454A CA 1126454 A CA1126454 A CA 1126454A CA 322938 A CA322938 A CA 322938A CA 1126454 A CA1126454 A CA 1126454A
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- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- nonionic surfactant
- fabric softener
- composition
- fatty acid
- polyoxyethylene
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Softness and antistatic properties are imparted to fabrics during the drying cycle of an automatic laundry dryer by transferring to the fabrics during the drying cycle a composition having fabric soft-ening and antistatic action which comprises a cationic fabric softener to which has been added an amount of a nonionic surfactant sufficient to lower the melting point of the cationic/nonionic fabric softener mixture to a temperature range usually encountered in an automatic laundry dryer at which the composition will more efficiently transfer to the fabrics during drying.
Softness and antistatic properties are imparted to fabrics during the drying cycle of an automatic laundry dryer by transferring to the fabrics during the drying cycle a composition having fabric soft-ening and antistatic action which comprises a cationic fabric softener to which has been added an amount of a nonionic surfactant sufficient to lower the melting point of the cationic/nonionic fabric softener mixture to a temperature range usually encountered in an automatic laundry dryer at which the composition will more efficiently transfer to the fabrics during drying.
Description
~ 45 ~
The present invention relates to fabric softening and antistatlc compositions and to methods of imparting soft-ness and static-free properties to fabrics therewith while fabrics are dried during the drying cycle o~ automatic laun-dry dryers.
It is known in the æ~t that fabrics may be com-mingled with softening compositions contai.ning cationic fabric sof~eners to provide a soft, antistatic finish to the fabrics during the course of the drying operation.
It is also known in the art that quaternary ammonium fabric softeners generally have a melting point higher than the temperature range usually encountered in an automatic laundry dryer.
"Fabric softness" is an expression known in the art and is customarily understood to be that quallty of the treated fabric which is characterlzed by smoothness, plia-bil~ty and a "soft hand".
U. S. Patent No. 3,634~947 discloses fatty alkyl cationic fabric softeners which also reduce ~tatic cling and discloses composi~ions and me~hods for applying such compounds to fabrics in an automatic dryer. U, S. Patent Nos. 3,686,025 and 3,442~69~ have similar disolosures.
U. S. Patent No. 3,785,973 discloses ~riglyceride agents as abric softeners.
U. S .. Paten'c No . 3 " 676 ,199 and U . S . Patent No. 3,766,062 disclose that many of the prior art softening agen~c~ stain or discolor ~he fabrics during the course of ~ %6 ~5 ~
the drying cyele and this tendency is apparently the result of the fatty alkyl groups in the fabric softening compounds.
.Also, if the fabric softeners are distributed unevenly, there may be blotchy oily stains on the fabric and this may give rise to an oi~ feel to the Eabric which has been treated.
UO S. Patent No. 3,633,538 and V. S. Patent No. 3,698,095 disclose various methods for reducing the ten-dency of fabric softeners to stain during the drying cycle.
U. S. Patent No. 4,022,938 describes a fabr~c softening and antistatic composition which comprises a major amount of a conventional cationic fabric softening material ~nd a minor amount-of a sorbitan ester component as a fabric softening agent and release aid. It is stated that such compositions provide a synergistic fabric softening effect and an antistatic ~ffect when employed in the dryer. It is disclosed that it is essen~ial to the opera~ion of a fabric softener and static reducing agent that it melt ~nd flow at dryer operating temperatures which are generally in the range of 50 C to 100 C thereby providing for trans-fer of the softening composition to the f~brics. The sorbi-tan esters are suggested as being useful in loweri~g the melting point of the cationic fabric softeners to within the optimum dryer operating temperature range.
~ e have now made ~he surprising discovery ~hat the addition of a nonionic surfactant seleeted from a polyoxy-ethylene fat~y acid ester~ ~ polyoxyethylene fatty acid al-cohol ether or a polyoxypropylene fatty acid ester to a cationic fabrie softener results in a significantly higher ~6~5~
transfer efficiency of the cationic/nonionic fabric softener mixture to the fabrics to be conditioned when the mixture is impregnated into an open celled polyurethane foam substrate so that the mixture is releasably entrained or entrapped with-in the cellular structure of the foam than is achieved with commonly used mixtures of glyceryl mono- and di-stearates and also a greater transfer efficiency than is achieved through the use of sorbitan esters.
The present invention is therefore more particularly concerned with a composition useful for imparting softness and antistatic properties to fabrics during the drying cycle of an automatic laundry dryer which comprises 50% to 99% by weight of a cationic fabric softener, 1% to 50% by weight of a nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of a polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester, a polyoxyethylene fatty alcohol ether and a polyoxypropylene fatty acid ester, and a porous or absorbent substrate impregnated or coated with said fabric softener and said nonionic surfactant. The coated or impregnated substrate is introduced into the dryer preferably at the beginning of the drying cycle. The fabric softener and the nonionic surfactant transfer from the substrate to the fabrics being dried without any appreciable spotting, staining or discoloring of the fabrics and with no apparent damage to the dryer or fabrics.
The present invention also includes a method of impart-ing softness to fabrics and reducing static thereon during the drying cycle of an automatic laundry dryer which comprises means for transferring to the fabrics a fabric softening and a static reducing amount of a cationic fabric softener to which has been added an amount of a nonionic surfactant , ~.
- ~26~
sufficient to lower the melting point of the cationic/nonionic fabric softener mixture to a range at which said fabric softener and said nonionic surfactant will transfer to the fabrics at the operating temperature of the dryer during the drying cycle~
More particularly, this method comprises placing in an automatic laundry dryer a porous or absorbent polyurethane foam substrate i.e. open celled, impregnated with a predeter-mined amount of a composition which comprises 50% to 99% by weight of a cationic fabric softener and 1% to 50% by weight of a nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of a polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester, a polyoxyethylene fatty alcohol ether and a polyoxypropylene fatty acid ester so that the mixture of cationic fabric softener and nonionic surfact-ant are entrained or entrapped within the cellular structure of the polyurethane foam substrate. The impregnated substrate is introduced into the dryer preferably at the beginning of the drying cycle. The fabric softener and the nonionic sur-factant transfer from the substrate to the fabrics being dried without any appreciable spotting, staining or discoloring of the fabrics and with no apparent damage to the dryer or fabrics.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the cationic fabric softener is present in an amount of 50% to 90%, preferably 60% to 70%. The amount of nonionic surfactant must be sufficient to lower the melting point of the cationic/
nonionic fabric softener mixture to within the temperature range of an automatic dryer during the drying cycle. 10% to 50%, preferably 30% to 40%, nonionic surfactant may be used to achieve this effect. Stated in weight ratio terms, the weight ratio of cationic fabric softener to nonionic surfactant should . ~
~Z~4~5~
be from 1:1 to 3:1, preferably 1:1 to 2:1. The particularly preferred weight ratio of cationic fabric softener to nonionic surfactant is 62.5:37.5. The polyoxyethylene fatty acid esters, the polyoxyethylene fattv alcohol ethers, and the po]yoxypropylene fatty acid esters preEerably have 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the fatty acid chain. Those having an even number of carbon atoms in the fatty acid chain are particularly preferred~ -The cationic fabric softener is preferably a quaternary ammonium fabric softener, particularly a quaternary ammonium fabric softener in the methyl sulfate form.
Preferred cationic fabric softeners are dialkyl dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfates selected from the group consisting of di-hydrogenated tallow dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, distearyl dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, dipalmityl dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate and dibenzyl dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate.
The open celled polyurethane foam substrate is flexible, and preferably in sheet form, and has an absorbent capacity of about 15 to 30 times its weight of water and a density of about 1.2 to 1.5 pounds per cubic foot.
U.S. Pa-tent No. 4,022,938 refers to various substrates and to their degree of absorbency.
Various additives may also be utilized in the compos-itions of the present invention. Perfumes, whitening agents, shrinkage controllers, spotting agents, fungicides, fumigants, anticreasing agents, finishing agents, lubricants and sizing agents, and the like, may be added to the composition. When so added, they will generally be added in the amount of from 0.01~ to 10~ by weight of the total composition. Examples of ,",~'.
.~.`~'"1' 1~21S~.5~
useful additives may be found in any current yearbook of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists. Any additive utili~ed should, of course, be compatible with the cationic fabric softener, the nonionic surfactant, the sub-strate, the fabrics and the dryer.
While not essential~ liquids which serve as a carrier for the softening mixture of the present invention can also be employed as part of the compositions of the present invention.
Such liquids can be used to impregnate or coat the substrate more evenly with the cationic fabric softener and nonionic surfactant. Such a liquid carrier should be inert or stable with the cationic and nonionic components and the substrate of the present composition.
Moreover, the liquid carrier when so used should be substantially evaporated. Isopropyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol/water mixtures are suitable liquid carriers for substrate impregnation purposes.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cationic fabric softener and nonionic surfact-ant described above are releasably impregnated into a flexibleopen celled polyurethane foam substrate, having an absorbency as hereinafter defined of about 15 to 30 so that the cation-ic/nonionic mixture is releasably entrained or entrapped within the cellular structure of the foam. When such a substrate is placed in an automatic laundry dryer, the heat and tumbling action of the dryer result in transfer of the fabric softener and nonionic surfactant from the substrate onto -the fabrics to be softened.
The polyurethane foam thus impregnated with the fabric softener and nonionic surfactant of the present invention, is ,~' r.~
~.~Z~$~
preferably approximately 0.085 inches thick, although other thicknesses can be used. The thus impregnated product is then dried and cut into usable sheets, preferably 7 inches by 3 inches. These sheets may then be used in an automatic laundry dryer and when so used, static electricity was substantially eliminated from synthetic fabrics and towels were rated soft by expert evaluators.
The polyurethane foam above described has several ad-vantages. The absorbent and flexible characteristics of the foam facilitate entraining or entrapping the cationic/non-ionic mixture within the cellular structure of the open celled foam. The flat configuration of the foam substrate (which may conveniently be in sheet form) also provides a large surface area for contact between the sheet and the fabrics to be sof-tened. This enhances efficient transfer of softening agents from the substrate to the fabrics to be softened. Additional-ly, the porous nature of the polyurethane foam reduces res-triction of air flow in the event that the substrate becomes positioned within the dryer in such a manner as to block the air exhaust outlet of the dryer.
The polyurethane foam substrate according to the pre-sent invention, has an absorbent capacity of about 15 to 30 times its weight of water. Absorbent capacity is defined as a material's ability to take up and retain a liquid. Deter-mination of absorbent capacity is made by immersing a tared 4-inch by 4-inch foam sheet in tap water for 30 seconds while kneading the sheet to dispel air entrained or entrapped in the open cells of the foam. The sheet is then removed/ allowed to drain for 60 seconds, and reweighed. Absorbent capacity is calculated as the ~ '7~ - 7 -5~
~tal amount of water absorbed divided by the dry weight of the foam.
Preferred polyurethane foams should also have a degree of thermal stability so that the foam impregnated so that the cationic fabric softener and nonionic surfactant are en-trained or entrapped within the cellular structure of the foam will maintain its integrity at operating dryer temperatures and not be subject to deformation, distortion~ melting or disintegration.
We have found 20% to 35% by weight of foam, based on the final composition, to be particularly suitable.
Preferred nonionic surfactants, according to the present invention, include:
Polyoxyethylene (4) lauryl ether Polyoxyethylene (2) oleyl ether Polyethylene glycol 200 monooleate Polyethylene glycol 400 dioleate Polyethylene glycol 200 monostearate Polyethylene glycol 600 monostearate The following nonlimitative examples more particularly illustrate the present invention:
Example 1 Strips of polyurethane foam, approximately 0.85 inches thick, were impregnated using a laboratory roller coater with a mi~ture of Varisoft 137 (distearyl dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate from Ashland Chemical Co., owner of the trademark Varisoft 137) and polyethylene glycol 200 monostearate (Lexomul PEG 200 Monostearate from Inolex, owner of the trademark Lexomul) in a 62.5:~7.5 ratio such that the final dried product entrained or entrapped within the cellular structure of the foam had a composition by weight of:
Varisoft 137 48.08%
PEG 200 Monostearate 28.84%
Polyurethane Foam 23.08%
~ ,~ ......
5~
The impreynated product was allowed to dry in air, then cut into usable 7-inch by 3-inch sheets. These sheets were then used, one at a time, with either a 5-pound mixed towel bundle or a 5-pound mixed synthetic fabric bundle in dryers on a 50-minute drying cycle at a temperature of from 50 C to 100 C. When so used, static electricity was entirely eliminated from synthetic fabrics, towels were rated soft by expert evaluators, and an average of 77% of the fabric soft-ening mixture was transferred from the sheets to the fabrics.
Example 2 .
Following the procedure described in Example 1, the following product was produced:
Varisoft 137 44.55%
PEG (200) Monostearate 26.73%
Perfume 1.45%
Polyurethane Foam 27.27%
Example 3 Following the procedure described in Example 1, the following product was produced:
Varisoft 137 47.12%
PEG 200 Monolaurate 28.27%
(Hodag 20-L) Perfume 1.53%
Polyurethane Foam 23.U8%
Examples 4 - 7 The following compositions were compared for their transfer efficiency:
Examples % % % %
.
Polyurethane foam 23.08 23.08 23.08 23.08 Varisoft 137157.69 57.69 57A69 57.69 Drewsoft 100 19.23 -~
Span 802 3 --- 19.23 --- ---Hodag 20-L --- --- 19.23 ---Brij 304 --- --- --- 19.23 Transfer efficiency 51% 62% 71% 68%
_g_ L~
., ;~.~.
6~5~
Mixture of glyceryl mono- and di-stearates from PV0 International, owner of the trademark Drewsoft 100 Sorbitan monooleate from ICI, owner of the trademark Span 3Polyethylene glycol 200 monolaurate from Hodag, owner of the trademark Hodag 4Polyoxyethylene (4) lauryl ether from ICI, owner of the trademark Brij ~ ' .
. . .. .. .
The present invention relates to fabric softening and antistatlc compositions and to methods of imparting soft-ness and static-free properties to fabrics therewith while fabrics are dried during the drying cycle o~ automatic laun-dry dryers.
It is known in the æ~t that fabrics may be com-mingled with softening compositions contai.ning cationic fabric sof~eners to provide a soft, antistatic finish to the fabrics during the course of the drying operation.
It is also known in the art that quaternary ammonium fabric softeners generally have a melting point higher than the temperature range usually encountered in an automatic laundry dryer.
"Fabric softness" is an expression known in the art and is customarily understood to be that quallty of the treated fabric which is characterlzed by smoothness, plia-bil~ty and a "soft hand".
U. S. Patent No. 3,634~947 discloses fatty alkyl cationic fabric softeners which also reduce ~tatic cling and discloses composi~ions and me~hods for applying such compounds to fabrics in an automatic dryer. U, S. Patent Nos. 3,686,025 and 3,442~69~ have similar disolosures.
U. S. Patent No. 3,785,973 discloses ~riglyceride agents as abric softeners.
U. S .. Paten'c No . 3 " 676 ,199 and U . S . Patent No. 3,766,062 disclose that many of the prior art softening agen~c~ stain or discolor ~he fabrics during the course of ~ %6 ~5 ~
the drying cyele and this tendency is apparently the result of the fatty alkyl groups in the fabric softening compounds.
.Also, if the fabric softeners are distributed unevenly, there may be blotchy oily stains on the fabric and this may give rise to an oi~ feel to the Eabric which has been treated.
UO S. Patent No. 3,633,538 and V. S. Patent No. 3,698,095 disclose various methods for reducing the ten-dency of fabric softeners to stain during the drying cycle.
U. S. Patent No. 4,022,938 describes a fabr~c softening and antistatic composition which comprises a major amount of a conventional cationic fabric softening material ~nd a minor amount-of a sorbitan ester component as a fabric softening agent and release aid. It is stated that such compositions provide a synergistic fabric softening effect and an antistatic ~ffect when employed in the dryer. It is disclosed that it is essen~ial to the opera~ion of a fabric softener and static reducing agent that it melt ~nd flow at dryer operating temperatures which are generally in the range of 50 C to 100 C thereby providing for trans-fer of the softening composition to the f~brics. The sorbi-tan esters are suggested as being useful in loweri~g the melting point of the cationic fabric softeners to within the optimum dryer operating temperature range.
~ e have now made ~he surprising discovery ~hat the addition of a nonionic surfactant seleeted from a polyoxy-ethylene fat~y acid ester~ ~ polyoxyethylene fatty acid al-cohol ether or a polyoxypropylene fatty acid ester to a cationic fabrie softener results in a significantly higher ~6~5~
transfer efficiency of the cationic/nonionic fabric softener mixture to the fabrics to be conditioned when the mixture is impregnated into an open celled polyurethane foam substrate so that the mixture is releasably entrained or entrapped with-in the cellular structure of the foam than is achieved with commonly used mixtures of glyceryl mono- and di-stearates and also a greater transfer efficiency than is achieved through the use of sorbitan esters.
The present invention is therefore more particularly concerned with a composition useful for imparting softness and antistatic properties to fabrics during the drying cycle of an automatic laundry dryer which comprises 50% to 99% by weight of a cationic fabric softener, 1% to 50% by weight of a nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of a polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester, a polyoxyethylene fatty alcohol ether and a polyoxypropylene fatty acid ester, and a porous or absorbent substrate impregnated or coated with said fabric softener and said nonionic surfactant. The coated or impregnated substrate is introduced into the dryer preferably at the beginning of the drying cycle. The fabric softener and the nonionic surfactant transfer from the substrate to the fabrics being dried without any appreciable spotting, staining or discoloring of the fabrics and with no apparent damage to the dryer or fabrics.
The present invention also includes a method of impart-ing softness to fabrics and reducing static thereon during the drying cycle of an automatic laundry dryer which comprises means for transferring to the fabrics a fabric softening and a static reducing amount of a cationic fabric softener to which has been added an amount of a nonionic surfactant , ~.
- ~26~
sufficient to lower the melting point of the cationic/nonionic fabric softener mixture to a range at which said fabric softener and said nonionic surfactant will transfer to the fabrics at the operating temperature of the dryer during the drying cycle~
More particularly, this method comprises placing in an automatic laundry dryer a porous or absorbent polyurethane foam substrate i.e. open celled, impregnated with a predeter-mined amount of a composition which comprises 50% to 99% by weight of a cationic fabric softener and 1% to 50% by weight of a nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of a polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester, a polyoxyethylene fatty alcohol ether and a polyoxypropylene fatty acid ester so that the mixture of cationic fabric softener and nonionic surfact-ant are entrained or entrapped within the cellular structure of the polyurethane foam substrate. The impregnated substrate is introduced into the dryer preferably at the beginning of the drying cycle. The fabric softener and the nonionic sur-factant transfer from the substrate to the fabrics being dried without any appreciable spotting, staining or discoloring of the fabrics and with no apparent damage to the dryer or fabrics.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the cationic fabric softener is present in an amount of 50% to 90%, preferably 60% to 70%. The amount of nonionic surfactant must be sufficient to lower the melting point of the cationic/
nonionic fabric softener mixture to within the temperature range of an automatic dryer during the drying cycle. 10% to 50%, preferably 30% to 40%, nonionic surfactant may be used to achieve this effect. Stated in weight ratio terms, the weight ratio of cationic fabric softener to nonionic surfactant should . ~
~Z~4~5~
be from 1:1 to 3:1, preferably 1:1 to 2:1. The particularly preferred weight ratio of cationic fabric softener to nonionic surfactant is 62.5:37.5. The polyoxyethylene fatty acid esters, the polyoxyethylene fattv alcohol ethers, and the po]yoxypropylene fatty acid esters preEerably have 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the fatty acid chain. Those having an even number of carbon atoms in the fatty acid chain are particularly preferred~ -The cationic fabric softener is preferably a quaternary ammonium fabric softener, particularly a quaternary ammonium fabric softener in the methyl sulfate form.
Preferred cationic fabric softeners are dialkyl dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfates selected from the group consisting of di-hydrogenated tallow dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, distearyl dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, dipalmityl dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate and dibenzyl dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate.
The open celled polyurethane foam substrate is flexible, and preferably in sheet form, and has an absorbent capacity of about 15 to 30 times its weight of water and a density of about 1.2 to 1.5 pounds per cubic foot.
U.S. Pa-tent No. 4,022,938 refers to various substrates and to their degree of absorbency.
Various additives may also be utilized in the compos-itions of the present invention. Perfumes, whitening agents, shrinkage controllers, spotting agents, fungicides, fumigants, anticreasing agents, finishing agents, lubricants and sizing agents, and the like, may be added to the composition. When so added, they will generally be added in the amount of from 0.01~ to 10~ by weight of the total composition. Examples of ,",~'.
.~.`~'"1' 1~21S~.5~
useful additives may be found in any current yearbook of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists. Any additive utili~ed should, of course, be compatible with the cationic fabric softener, the nonionic surfactant, the sub-strate, the fabrics and the dryer.
While not essential~ liquids which serve as a carrier for the softening mixture of the present invention can also be employed as part of the compositions of the present invention.
Such liquids can be used to impregnate or coat the substrate more evenly with the cationic fabric softener and nonionic surfactant. Such a liquid carrier should be inert or stable with the cationic and nonionic components and the substrate of the present composition.
Moreover, the liquid carrier when so used should be substantially evaporated. Isopropyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol/water mixtures are suitable liquid carriers for substrate impregnation purposes.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cationic fabric softener and nonionic surfact-ant described above are releasably impregnated into a flexibleopen celled polyurethane foam substrate, having an absorbency as hereinafter defined of about 15 to 30 so that the cation-ic/nonionic mixture is releasably entrained or entrapped within the cellular structure of the foam. When such a substrate is placed in an automatic laundry dryer, the heat and tumbling action of the dryer result in transfer of the fabric softener and nonionic surfactant from the substrate onto -the fabrics to be softened.
The polyurethane foam thus impregnated with the fabric softener and nonionic surfactant of the present invention, is ,~' r.~
~.~Z~$~
preferably approximately 0.085 inches thick, although other thicknesses can be used. The thus impregnated product is then dried and cut into usable sheets, preferably 7 inches by 3 inches. These sheets may then be used in an automatic laundry dryer and when so used, static electricity was substantially eliminated from synthetic fabrics and towels were rated soft by expert evaluators.
The polyurethane foam above described has several ad-vantages. The absorbent and flexible characteristics of the foam facilitate entraining or entrapping the cationic/non-ionic mixture within the cellular structure of the open celled foam. The flat configuration of the foam substrate (which may conveniently be in sheet form) also provides a large surface area for contact between the sheet and the fabrics to be sof-tened. This enhances efficient transfer of softening agents from the substrate to the fabrics to be softened. Additional-ly, the porous nature of the polyurethane foam reduces res-triction of air flow in the event that the substrate becomes positioned within the dryer in such a manner as to block the air exhaust outlet of the dryer.
The polyurethane foam substrate according to the pre-sent invention, has an absorbent capacity of about 15 to 30 times its weight of water. Absorbent capacity is defined as a material's ability to take up and retain a liquid. Deter-mination of absorbent capacity is made by immersing a tared 4-inch by 4-inch foam sheet in tap water for 30 seconds while kneading the sheet to dispel air entrained or entrapped in the open cells of the foam. The sheet is then removed/ allowed to drain for 60 seconds, and reweighed. Absorbent capacity is calculated as the ~ '7~ - 7 -5~
~tal amount of water absorbed divided by the dry weight of the foam.
Preferred polyurethane foams should also have a degree of thermal stability so that the foam impregnated so that the cationic fabric softener and nonionic surfactant are en-trained or entrapped within the cellular structure of the foam will maintain its integrity at operating dryer temperatures and not be subject to deformation, distortion~ melting or disintegration.
We have found 20% to 35% by weight of foam, based on the final composition, to be particularly suitable.
Preferred nonionic surfactants, according to the present invention, include:
Polyoxyethylene (4) lauryl ether Polyoxyethylene (2) oleyl ether Polyethylene glycol 200 monooleate Polyethylene glycol 400 dioleate Polyethylene glycol 200 monostearate Polyethylene glycol 600 monostearate The following nonlimitative examples more particularly illustrate the present invention:
Example 1 Strips of polyurethane foam, approximately 0.85 inches thick, were impregnated using a laboratory roller coater with a mi~ture of Varisoft 137 (distearyl dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate from Ashland Chemical Co., owner of the trademark Varisoft 137) and polyethylene glycol 200 monostearate (Lexomul PEG 200 Monostearate from Inolex, owner of the trademark Lexomul) in a 62.5:~7.5 ratio such that the final dried product entrained or entrapped within the cellular structure of the foam had a composition by weight of:
Varisoft 137 48.08%
PEG 200 Monostearate 28.84%
Polyurethane Foam 23.08%
~ ,~ ......
5~
The impreynated product was allowed to dry in air, then cut into usable 7-inch by 3-inch sheets. These sheets were then used, one at a time, with either a 5-pound mixed towel bundle or a 5-pound mixed synthetic fabric bundle in dryers on a 50-minute drying cycle at a temperature of from 50 C to 100 C. When so used, static electricity was entirely eliminated from synthetic fabrics, towels were rated soft by expert evaluators, and an average of 77% of the fabric soft-ening mixture was transferred from the sheets to the fabrics.
Example 2 .
Following the procedure described in Example 1, the following product was produced:
Varisoft 137 44.55%
PEG (200) Monostearate 26.73%
Perfume 1.45%
Polyurethane Foam 27.27%
Example 3 Following the procedure described in Example 1, the following product was produced:
Varisoft 137 47.12%
PEG 200 Monolaurate 28.27%
(Hodag 20-L) Perfume 1.53%
Polyurethane Foam 23.U8%
Examples 4 - 7 The following compositions were compared for their transfer efficiency:
Examples % % % %
.
Polyurethane foam 23.08 23.08 23.08 23.08 Varisoft 137157.69 57.69 57A69 57.69 Drewsoft 100 19.23 -~
Span 802 3 --- 19.23 --- ---Hodag 20-L --- --- 19.23 ---Brij 304 --- --- --- 19.23 Transfer efficiency 51% 62% 71% 68%
_g_ L~
., ;~.~.
6~5~
Mixture of glyceryl mono- and di-stearates from PV0 International, owner of the trademark Drewsoft 100 Sorbitan monooleate from ICI, owner of the trademark Span 3Polyethylene glycol 200 monolaurate from Hodag, owner of the trademark Hodag 4Polyoxyethylene (4) lauryl ether from ICI, owner of the trademark Brij ~ ' .
. . .. .. .
Claims (46)
1. A composition useful for imparting softness and antistatic properties to fabrics during the drying cycle of an automatic laundry dryer which comprises 50% to 99% by weight of a cationic fabric softener, 1% to 50% by weight of a nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of a polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester of 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the fatty acid chain, a polyoxyethylene fatty alcohol ether of 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the fatty acid chain, and a polyoxypropylene fatty acid ester of 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the fatty acid chain, and a flexible open celled polyurethane foam substrate having an absorbent capacity of about 15 to 30 times its weight of water im-pregnated with said fabric softener and said surfactant, so that the fabric softener/surfactant mixture is releasably entrained or entrapped within the cellular structure of the foam, said substrate being capable of releasing an amount of said fabric softener and said nonionic surfactant onto the fabrics contained within an automatic laundry dryer during the drying cycle sufficient to impart softness and antistatic properties to the fabrics.
2. A compositition as defined in claim 1 which contains 50% to 90% cationic fabric softener.
3. A composition as defined in claim 1 which contains 60% to 70% cationic fabric softener.
4. A composition as defined in claims 1, 2 or 3 which contains 10% to 50% nonionic surfactant.
5. A composition as defined in claims 1, 2 or 3 which contains 30% to 40% nonionic surfactant.
6. A composition as defined in claims 1, 2 or 3 which contains an amount of said nonionic surfactant suf-ficient to lower the melting point of said cationic/nonionic fabric softener mixture to within the temperature range of an automatic dryer during the drying cycle.
7. A composition as defined in claims 1 or 2 which contains 10% to 50% nonionic surfactant wherein the surfactant is a polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester.
8. A composition as defined in claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein the nonionic surfactant is a polyoxyethylene fatty alcohol ether.
9. A composition as defined in claim 1 which con-tains 10% to 50% polyoxyethylene fatty alcohol ether as the nonionic surfactant.
10. A composition as defined in claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein the nonionic surfactant is a polyoxypropylene fatty acid ester.
11. A composition as defined in claim 1 which con-tains 10% to 50% polyoxypropylene fatty acid ester.
12. A composition as defined in claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein the nonionic surfactant is polyethylene glycol 200 monostearate.
13. A composition as defined in claim 1 which con-tains 10% to 50% polyethylene glycol 200 monostearate as the nonionic surfactant.
14. A composition as defined in claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein the nonionic surfactant is polyethylene glycol 200 monolaurate.
15. A composition as defined in claim 1 which contains 10% to 50% of a polyethylene glycol 200 mono-laurate as the nonionic surfactant.
16. A composition as defined in claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein the nonionic surfactant is polyoxyethylene (4) lauryl ether.
17. A composition as defined in claim 1 which contains 10% to 50% polyoxyethylene (4) lauryl ether as the nonionic surfactant.
18. A composition as defined in claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein the cationic fabric softener is a quaternary ammonium fabric softener.
19. A composition as defined in claim l wherein the cationic fabric softener is a quaternary ammonium fabric softener and the weight of the nonionic surfact-ant is 10% to 50%.
20. A composition as defined in claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein the cationic fabric softener is a quaternary ammonium fabric softener in the methyl sulfate form.
21. A composition as defined in claim 1 wherein the cationic fabric softener is a quaternary ammonium fabric softener in the methyl sulfate form and the weight of nonionic surfactant is 10% to 50%.
22. A composition as defined in claim 1 wherein the cationic fabric softener is di-hydrogenated tallow dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, distearyl dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, dipalmityl dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate or dibenzyl dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate.
23. A composition as defined in claim 1 wherein the polyurethane foam is impregnated with distearyl dimethyl ammonium sulfate and polyethylene glycol 200 monostearate in the ratio of 62.5:37.5.
24. A method of imparting softness to fabrics and reducing static thereon during the drying cycle of an automatic laundry dryer which comprises placing in an automatic dryer a predetermined amount of a composition which comprises 50% to 99% by weight of a cationic fabric softener, 1% to 50% by weight of a nonionic surfactant selected from a polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester of 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the fatty acid chain, a polyoxyethylene fatty alcohol ether of 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the fatty acid chain or a polyoxypropylene fatty acid ester of 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the fatty acid chain, and a flexible open celled polyurethane foam substrate having an absorbent capacity of about 15 to 30 times its weight of water im-pregnated with said fabric softener and said nonionic surfactant so that the fabric softener and surfactant are releasably entrained or entrapped within the cellular structure of the foam, said substrate being capable of releasing an amount of said fabric softener and said nonionic surfactant onto the fabrics contained within an automatic laundry dryer during the drying cycle sufficient to impart softness and antistatic properties to the fabrics.
25. A method as defined in claim 24 wherein the composition contains 50% to 90% cationic fabric softener.
26. A method as defined in claim 24 wherein the composition contains 60% to 70% cationic fabric softener.
27. A method as defined in claims 24 or 25 wherein the composition contains 10% to 50% nonionic surfactant.
28. A method as defined in claims 24 or 25 where-in the composition contains 30% to 40% nonionic surfactant.
290 A method as defined in claims 24, 25 or 26 wherein the composition contains a nonionic surfactant which is a polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester.
30. A method as defined in claim 24 wherein the composition contains 10% to 50% polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester as the nonionic surfactant.
31. A method as defined in claims 24, 25 or 26 wherein the nonionic surfactant is a polyoxyethylene fatty alcohol ether.
32. A method as defined in claim 24 wherein the composition contains 10% to 50% polyoxyethylene fatty alcohol ether as the nonionic surfactant.
33. A method as defined in claims 24, 25 or 26 wherein the nonionic surfactant is a polyoxypropylene fatty acid ester.
34. A method as defined in claim 24 wherein the composition contains 10% to 50% polyoxypropylene fatty acid ester as the nonionic surfactant.
35. A method as defined in claims 24, 25 or 26 wherein the nonionic surfactant is a polyethylene glycol 200 monostearate.
36. A method as defined in claim 24 wherein the composition contains 10% to 50% polyoxyethylene glycol 200 monostearate as the nonionic surfactant.
37. A method as defined in claims 24, 25 or 26 wherein the nonionic surfactant is polyethylene glycol 200 monolaurate.
38. A method as defined in claim 24 wherein the composition contains 10% to 50% polyoxyethylene glycol 200 monolaurate as the nonionic surfactant.
39. A method as defined in claims 24, 25 or 26 wherein the nonionic surfactant is polyoxyethylene (4) lauryl ether.
40. A method as defined in claim 24 wherein the composition contains 10% to 50% polyoxyethylene (4) lauryl ether as the nonionic surfactant.
41. A method as defined in claims 24, 25 or 26 wherein the cationic fabric softener is a quaternary ammonium fabric softener.
42. A method as defined in claim 24 wherein the cationic fabric softener is a quaternary ammonium fabric softener and the weight of nonionic surfactant is 10% to 50%.
43. A method as defined in claims 24, 25 or 26 wherein the cationic fabric softener is a quaternary ammonium fabric softener in the methyl sulfate form.
44. A method as defined in claim 24 wherein the cationic fabric softener is a quaternary ammonium fabric softener in the methyl sulfate form and the weight of nonionic surfactant is 10% to 50%.
45. A method according to claim 24 wherein the cationic fabric softener is selected from di-hydrogenated tallow dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, distearyl di-methyl ammonium methyl sulfate, dipalmityl dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate or dibenzyl dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate.
46. A method as defined in claims 24, 25 or 26 wherein the polyurethane foam is impregnated with distearyl dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate and polyethylene glycol 200 monostearate in the ratio of 62.5:37.5.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US88573778A | 1978-03-13 | 1978-03-13 | |
| US885,737 | 1978-03-13 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1126454A true CA1126454A (en) | 1982-06-29 |
Family
ID=25387582
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA322,938A Expired CA1126454A (en) | 1978-03-13 | 1979-03-07 | Fabric treatment composition and methods of use thereof |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1126454A (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4965100A (en) * | 1988-09-30 | 1990-10-23 | Unilever Patent Holdings B.V. | Conditioning of fabrics |
| CN114908573A (en) * | 2022-04-19 | 2022-08-16 | 杭州鼎辉服饰有限公司 | Post-finishing processing method of antibacterial denim garment |
-
1979
- 1979-03-07 CA CA322,938A patent/CA1126454A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4965100A (en) * | 1988-09-30 | 1990-10-23 | Unilever Patent Holdings B.V. | Conditioning of fabrics |
| CN114908573A (en) * | 2022-04-19 | 2022-08-16 | 杭州鼎辉服饰有限公司 | Post-finishing processing method of antibacterial denim garment |
| CN114908573B (en) * | 2022-04-19 | 2023-11-24 | 杭州鼎辉服饰有限公司 | Antibacterial jean garment after-finishing processing method |
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