Method for coloration and treatment of substrates

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9945072-B2
Application number	US-201414779102-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2014
Priority date	Mar 25, 2013
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

The invention provides a method for the application of a treatment agent to a substrate, the method comprising the treatment of the pre-wetted substrate in an aqueous system comprising the solid particulate treatment agent in a closed container, the treatment being carried out at a ratio of liquor to substrate which does not exceed 2:1. Typically, the method is applied to the dyeing of textile fibres at liquor ratios of ≤1:1 and is carried out in the absence of additives conventionally included for the sole purpose of promoting dye uptake by controlling electrical interactions or otherwise enhancing interactions between the substrate and the treatment agent. The invention also provides a method for the removal of surplus treatment agents following application of said treatment agents to a substrate, said method comprising not more than three wash-off treatments of said substrate with water following said application. Said wash off process most particularly comprises a two-stage process comprising performing, in order, the steps of: a first wash-off of the treated substrate with water in a closed container at a ratio of water to substrate which does not exceed 5:1; and a second wash-off of the treated substrate with water in a closed container at a ratio of water to substrate which does not exceed 10:1.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for the application of a treatment agent to a substrate, said method comprising the treatment of the substrate in an aqueous system comprising the solid particulate treatment agent in a closed container, said treatment being carried out at a ratio of liquor to substrate which does not exceed 2:1,
wherein the substrate is treated with an aqueous liquor comprising said solid particulate treatment agent, wherein said treatment agent is present in said aqueous liquor in partially or wholly dissolved form or partially or wholly suspended or dispersed form,
wherein said substrate comprises a natural or synthetic textile substrate, or a substrate comprising a blend of natural, man-made, synthetic textile fibres or a combination thereof, wherein said natural textile substrate comprises wool, cotton, silk or a combination thereof and said synthetic textile substrate optionally comprises polyester, polyamide, polyalkene, polyacrylonitrile, cellulose di- or tri-acetate or a combination thereof,
wherein said solid particulate treatment agent optionally comprises a powder or pellets,
wherein said solid particulate treatment agent is optionally added to the treatment system at a level in the region of 1-5 % w/w of the substrate being treated;
wherein said solid particulate treatment agent comprises at least one dye;
wherein said method is carried out in the absence of added dye uptake-promoting additives, wherein said added dye-uptake promoting additives are optionally selected from electrolytes, the halide or sulphate salts of alkali metals, the salts of mono-, di-, or tri-carboxylic acids or betaines, acids, buffering agents, acid donor agents, or dispersing agents.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one dye is selected from acid dyes, azoic colorants, basic dyes, direct dyes, reactive dyes, disperse dyes, vat dyes and sulphur dyes.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said solid particulate treatment agent comprises a textile finishing chemical selected from water-repelling agents, anti-creasing agents, anti-bacterial agents and fluorescent brightening agents.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said solid particulate treatment agent comprises at least one bleaching agent.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said aqueous system comprises at least one additional assisting agent selected from an alkaline material, an acid, an oxidising agent, a reducing agent and a surfactant.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said treatment comprises the wetting out of the substrate using an aqueous liquor comprising said solid particulate treatment agent, said wetting out being carried out at a ratio of liquor to substrate which does not exceed 2:1.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said treatment comprises spraying either one or both sides of said substrate with an aqueous liquor comprising said solid particulate treatment agent so as to provide a ratio of liquor to substrate which does not exceed 2:1.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said treatment comprises the wetting out of the substrate with water and the subsequent treatment of the wetted out substrate with the solid particulate treatment agent.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 which is carried out at a temperature in the range of from 20 to 140° C. or at a liquor to substrate ratio of ≤1:1 or wherein said closed container is a sealed dyepot or other sealable dyeing or fabric treatment apparatus, or wherein the aqueous system containing the substrate is agitated during the performance of the method, or wherein said treatment is carried out for a duration of between 10 to 45 minutes.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the treated substrate is subsequently washed-off or rinsed or both washed off and rinsed.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein said method comprises not more than three wash-off treatments of said substrate with water following said application.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 , said method comprising a three-stage process comprising performing, in order, the steps of:
(a) A first wash-off of the treated substrate with water in a closed container at a ratio of water to substrate which does not exceed 2:1;
(b) A second wash-off of the treated substrate with water in a closed container at a ratio of water to substrate which does not exceed 2:1; and
(c) A final wash-off of the treated substrate with water in a closed container at a ratio of water to substrate which does not exceed 20:1.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the first and second wash-off steps are carried out at ambient temperature (15-25° C.), whilst the final wash-off step is performed at a temperature of 40-80° C. or wherein the duration of each wash-off step is in the region of from 10-15 minutes.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the first and second wash-off steps are carried out at ambient temperature (15-25° C.) for a duration in the region of from 10-15 minutes and the final wash-off step is performed at ambient temperature (15-25° C.) for a duration of 15-45 minutes.

15. A method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the substrate is rinsed with tap water at ambient temperature after each wash-off step.

16. A method as claimed in claim 11 , said method comprising a two-stage process comprising performing, in order, the steps of:
(a) A first wash-off of the treated substrate with water in a closed container at a ratio of water to substrate which does not exceed 5:1; and
(b) A second wash-off of the treated substrate with water in a closed container at a ratio of water to substrate which does not exceed 10:1.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the second wash-off step is performed at ambient temperature of 15-25° C. or wherein the duration of the first wash-off step is in the region of 15 minutes or wherein the second wash-off step is performed for a duration of around 3 minutes.

18. A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein rinsing of the substrate with tap water at ambient temperature after each wash-off step is not carried out.

19. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein one or more of said wash-off processes is performed in the absence of added auxiliary treatment agents.

20. A method for the application of a treatment agent to a substrate, said method comprising the treatment of the substrate in an aqueous system comprising the solid particulate treatment agent in a closed container, said treatment being carried out at a ratio of liquor to substrate which does not exceed 2:1,
wherein the substrate is treated with an aqueous liquor comprising said solid particulate treatment agent, wherein said treatment agent is present in said aqueous liquor in partially or wholly dissolved form or partially or wholly suspended or dispersed form,
wherein said substrate comprises a natural or synthetic textile substrate, or a substrate comprising a blend of natural, man-made, synthetic textile fibres or a combination thereof, wherein said natural textile substrate comprises wool, cotton, silk or a combination thereof and said synthetic textile substrate optionally comprises polyester, polyamide, polyalkene, polyacrylonitrile, cellulose di- or tri-acetate or a combination thereof,
wherein said solid particulate treatment agent optionally comprises a powder or pellets,
wherein said solid particulate treatment agent is optionally added to the treatment system at a level in the region of 1-5 % w/w of the substrate being treated,
wherein the treated substrate is su

Assignees

• Univ Leeds Innovations Ltd

Inventors

• Burkinshaw Stephen Martin

Classifications

• D21H21/50

  characterised by form (D21H19/66, D21H21/42, D21H27/02 take precedence) · CPC title

• D06M23/08

  Processes in which the treating agent is applied in powder or granular form (adhesives for multi-layer textile fabrics D06M17/00) · CPC title

• D06P1/96 Primary

  Dyeing characterised by a short bath ratio · CPC title

• D06B19/0088

  using a short bath ratio liquor · CPC title

• D06P1/0024

  Dyeing and bleaching in one process · CPC title