Fluorochemical composition for treatment of a fibrous substrate

Abstract

Fluorochemical composition for rendering fibrous substrates oil repellent, water repellent, and / or stain or soil repellent. The composition comprises a dispersion or a solution of a fluorinated compound which comprises the reaction product of the following:(i) one or more fluorinated polyethers according to the formula:RfQTk  (I)wherein Rf represents a monovalent perfluorinated polyether group having a number average molecular weight of at least 750 g / mol, Q represents a chemical bond or a divalent or trivalent organic linking group, T represents a functional group capable of reacting with an isocyanate, and k is 1 or 2;(ii) one or more polyoxyalkylene diols;(iii) one or more short chain perfluoroalkyl alcohols;(iv) one or more isocyanate component selected from a polyisocyanate compound that has at least 3 isocyanate groups or a mixture of polyisocyanate compounds wherein the average number of isocyanate groups per molecule is more than 2;(v) optionally one or more isocyanate blocking groups; and(vi) optionally one or more co-reactants capable of reacting with an isocyanate group.Also, a method of applying such composition to substrates, e.g., fibrous substrates.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to a fluorochemical composition for rendering fibrous substrates oil repellent, water repellent, and / or stain or soil repellent. Additionally, the invention also relates to a method of treating the fibrous substrate with the fluorochemical composition.BACKGROUND[0002]Compositions for making substrates, in particular fibrous substrates, such as textile, oil and water repellent have been long known in the art. When treating fibrous substrates and in particular textile such as apparel, it is desired that the textile retains its look and feel as much as possible. Therefore, the composition should normally not contain components that would affect the look of the product, i.e., the treatment should be substantially invisible to the unaided human eye. Also, the feel of the substrate should preferably be substantially unaffected. Typically this means that only low amounts of the solids of the composition can be applied. Accordingly, an o...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]The present invention provides fluorochemical compositions for imparting oil repellency, water repellency, stain release, and soil release to fibrous substrates. Compositions of the invention provide a surprising and heretofore unachieved combination of relatively low cost with durable high performance.

[0015]The invention further provides a method of treatment of a fibrous substrate with the fluorochemical composition whereby oil- and / or water repellent properties are provided to the substrate. The fluorochemical composition of the present invention can provide good to excellent repellency properties to the substrate. Moreover, durable oil- and / or water repellency properties can be obtained. The fluorochemical compositions may further provide soil repellency as well as soil or stain release properties. The term “soil and / or stain release” is used to mean that a treated substrate that becomes soiled or stained can be more easily cleaned in for example a home laundering than an untreated substrate that becomes soiled or stained. Soil / stain repellency on the other hand refers to the ability of the treated substrate to repel soil thereby reducing soiling or staining of the substrate.

[0017]Also, the fluorochemical compositions of the present inventions are generally environmentally friendly in that compositions can be obtained that are substantially free of fluorochemical components that eliminate slowly from the body of living organisms. Moreover, it is believed that fluorochemical degradation products that may form likewise eliminate well from the body of living organisms. In particular, indications show that the fluorinated polyether compounds that have a perfluorinated polyether moiety having a molecular weight of at least 750 g / mol and perfluorinated polyether degradation products that may form therefrom would eliminate more effectively from the body of living organisms. In particular, there are indications that fluorinated polyether compounds having a fluorinated polyether moiety derivable from a polycondensation of hexafluoropropylene oxide and having a molecular weight of at least 750 g / mol would more effectively eliminate from the body of living organisms compared to long chain perfluoroaliphatic compounds.

Problems solved by technology

Typically this means that only low amounts of the solids of the composition can be applied.

It was found that previously disclosed compositions based on perfluorinated polyether compounds may not be very effective in rendering a fibrous substrate oil- and / or water repellent.

Perfluorinated polyether compounds are relatively expensive and isocyanate blocking agents may inhibit oily stain release.