Fabric Treatments for Stain Release
First Claim
1. A method for treating fabrics in a washing machine to provide at least one fabric protective property to a fabric, comprising the steps of:
- (1) depositing a first fabric treatment composition onto the fabric in a first treatment liquor, wherein the first fabric treatment composition comprises;
a) a first amount of a hydrophobic agent that does not cause any significant color change, nor impart any discoloration to a fabric, characterized as having a melting point or glass transition temperature of less than 100°
C.;
b) a first amount of a fluoropolymer; and
c) a first effective amount of a zeta potential modifier, such that the first treatment liquor has a zeta potential that is positive and greater than zero millivolts; and
(2) curing the fabric at a drying temperature above ambient temperatures but less than 100°
C.;
wherein;
i) the fabric protective property is selected from the group comprising;
increased water repellency, increased oil repellency, increased soil and stain release, improved hand-feel, improved softness, improved resistance to damage, and any combination thereof;
ii) the hydrophobic agent is not a fluoropolymer;
iii) the zeta potential modifier comprises a cationic or cationically modified material; and
v) the ratio of hydrophobic agent to zeta potential modifier is at least 1;
3.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fabric treatment composition is provided that includes at least one zeta potential modifier, a fluoropolymer and a hydrophobic agent with a melting point or glass transition temperature below 100° C., for imparting fabric protection benefits to a fabric, such as improved stain and soil resistance, oil repellency, water repellency, softness, wrinkle and damage resistance, and better hand feel. Fabric treatment compositions can be used as a pretreatment prior to washing, through soaking, or added to the treatment liquor, that is either the wash or rinse cycle of an automatic washing machine, to first provide and then maintain and refresh the fabric protection benefits imparted to the fabric. Following use of a first treatment composition, protective benefits are maintained and refreshed by means of a second treatment operation employing a second treatment composition. The second treatment composition may have lower active levels of the protective agents to provide for economical and periodic maintenance of the imparted fabric protection benefits.
9 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method for treating fabrics in a washing machine to provide at least one fabric protective property to a fabric, comprising the steps of:
-
(1) depositing a first fabric treatment composition onto the fabric in a first treatment liquor, wherein the first fabric treatment composition comprises; a) a first amount of a hydrophobic agent that does not cause any significant color change, nor impart any discoloration to a fabric, characterized as having a melting point or glass transition temperature of less than 100°
C.;b) a first amount of a fluoropolymer; and c) a first effective amount of a zeta potential modifier, such that the first treatment liquor has a zeta potential that is positive and greater than zero millivolts; and (2) curing the fabric at a drying temperature above ambient temperatures but less than 100°
C.;wherein; i) the fabric protective property is selected from the group comprising;
increased water repellency, increased oil repellency, increased soil and stain release, improved hand-feel, improved softness, improved resistance to damage, and any combination thereof;ii) the hydrophobic agent is not a fluoropolymer; iii) the zeta potential modifier comprises a cationic or cationically modified material; and v) the ratio of hydrophobic agent to zeta potential modifier is at least 1;
3.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
wherein the second fabric treatment composition comprises; d) 0.1 to 30 weight % hydrophobic agent; e) 0.1 to 30 weight % fluoropolymer; and f) 0.1 to 30 weight % zeta potential modifier.
-
-
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic agent is selected from the group consisting of hydrophobic waxes, polymers produced from ethylenically unsaturated monomers, low molecular weight polyethylene, low density polyethylene, polypropylene, oxidized polyethylene, oxidized polypropylene, polyolefin, polyurethane, ethyl vinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride, co-polymers, and emulsifiable waxes.
-
12. The method of claim 4, wherein the hydrophobic agent is selected from the group consisting of hydrophobic waxes, polymers produced from ethylenically unsaturated monomers, low molecular weight polyethylene, low density polyethylene, polypropylene, oxidized polyethylene, oxidized polypropylene, polyolefin, polyurethane, ethyl vinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride, co-polymers, and emulsifiable waxes.
-
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the cationic material is a cationic surfactant selected from the group consisting of mono and di-methyl fatty amines, alkyl trimethyl ammonium salts, dialkyl dimethyl ammonium salts, alkyl amine acetates, trialkylammonium acetates, alkyldimethylbenzyl ammonium salts, dialkylmethylbenzyl ammonium salts, alkylpyridinium halide and alkyl (alkyl substituted) pyridinium salts, alkylthiomethylpyridinium salts, alkylamidomethylpyridinium salts, alkylquinolinium salts, alkylisoquinolinium salts, N,N-alkylmethylpyrollidinium salts, 1,1-dialkylpiperidinium salts, 4,4-dialkylthiomorpholinium salts, 4,4-dialkylthiomorpholinium-1-oxide salts, methyl bis(alkyl ethyl)-2-alkyl imidazolinium methyl sulfate (and other salts), methyl bis(alkylamido ethyl)-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulfate (and other salts), alkylamidopropyl-dimethylbenzyl ammonium salts, carboxyalkyl-alkyldimethyl ammonium salts, alkylamine oxides, alkyldimethyl amine oxides, poly(vinylmethylpyridinium) salts, poly(vinylpyridine) salts, polyethyleneimines, trialkyl phosphonium bicarbonates (and other salts), trialkylmethyl phosphonium salts, alkylethylmethylsulfonium salts, and alkyldimethylsulfoxonium salts.
-
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the cationically modified material is selected from the group consisting of cationically modified organic polymers, cationically modified biopolymers, cationically modified clays, cationically modified silicas, cationically modified nanoparticles, and mixtures thereof.
-
15. The method of claim 4, wherein the cationic material is a cationic surfactant selected from the group consisting of mono and di-methyl fatty amines, alkyl trimethyl ammonium salts, dialkyl dimethyl ammonium salts, alkyl amine acetates, trialkylammonium acetates, alkyldimethylbenzyl ammonium salts, dialkylmethylbenzyl ammonium salts, alkylpyridinium halide and alkyl (alkyl substituted) pyridinium salts, alkylthiomethylpyridinium salts, alkylamidomethylpyridinium salts, alkylquinolinium salts, alkylisoquinolinium salts, N,N-alkylmethylpyrollidinium salts, 1,1-dialkylpiperidinium salts, 4,4-dialkylthiomorpholinium salts, 4,4-dialkylthiomorpholinium-1-oxide salts, methyl bis(alkyl ethyl)-2-alkyl imidazolinium methyl sulfate (and other salts), methyl bis(alkylamido ethyl)-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulfate (and other salts), alkylamidopropyl-dimethylbenzyl ammonium salts, carboxyalkyl-alkyldimethyl ammonium salts, alkylamine oxides, alkyldimethyl amine oxides, poly(vinylmethylpyridinium) salts, poly(vinylpyridine) salts, polyethyleneimines, trialkyl phosphonium bicarbonates (and other salts), trialkylmethyl phosphonium salts, alkylethylmethylsulfonium salts, and alkyldimethylsulfoxonium salts.
-
16. The method of claim 4, wherein the cationically modified material is selected from the group consisting of cationically modified organic polymers, cationically modified biopolymers, cationically modified clays, cationically modified silicas, cationically modified nanoparticles, and mixtures thereof.
-
17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first fabric treatment composition further comprises 20 to 80 weight % of an aqueous liquid carrier that includes a low molecular weight organic solvent.
-
18. The method of claim 4, wherein the second fabric treatment composition further comprises 20 to 80 weight % of an aqueous liquid carrier that includes a low molecular weight organic solvent.
-
19. The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic agent has a melting point or glass transition temperature between 45°
- C. and 100°
C.
- C. and 100°
-
20. The method of claim 1, wherein the fabric protective property is a non-permanent fabric protective property.
Specification