Method for dyeing and/or printing textile material

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for dyeing and/or printing textile material containing non-split and/or at least partially split micro-fibres and/or micro-filaments, composed of at least one polyamide component and optionally at least one additional polymer component. According to said method, the textile material is treated with formic acid and is dyed and/or printed using at least one dye, selected from the group containing anionic acidic dyes, metal complex dyes, reactive dyes, direct dyes and cationic dyes.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for dyeing and/or printing textile material containing microfibers and/or microfilaments composed of at least one polyamide component and optionally of at least one further polymer component, 
 wherein the textile material is treated with formic acid and is dyed and/or printed using at least one dyestuff selected from the group including including acid dyestuffs, metal complex, reactive, direct, and cationic dyestuffs.    
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , 
 wherein, as a further polymer component, the microfibers and/or microfilaments have at least one natural polymer component, preferably cellulose and/or wool and/or silk.    
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 1  or  2 , 
 wherein, as a further polymer component, the microfibers and/or microfilaments have at least one semisynthetic polymer component, which is preferably selected from the group including viscose, cellulose acetate, continuous-filament cuprammonium, and lyocell.  
 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in one of claims  1  through  3 , 
 wherein, as a further polymer component, the microfibers and/or microfilaments have at least one synthetic polymer component which is preferably selected from the group including polyester, polyurethane, polyacrylonitrile, polypropylene, and polyvinyl alcohol.  
 
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 4 , 
 wherein the microfibers and/or microfilaments are composed of at least one polyamide component and of at least one polyester component and optionally of at least one polyurethane component.    
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 5 , 
 wherein the microfibers and/or microfilaments are composed of 15 to 99% by weight of at least one polyamide component and of 85 to 1% by weight of at least one polyester component and/or of at least one polyurethane component, preferably of 30 to 90% by weight of at least one polyamide component and of 70 to 10% by weight of at least one polyester component and/or of at least one polyurethane component.    
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in one of claims  4  through  6 , 
 wherein the polyester component is selected from the group including polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene terephathalate, polybutylene terephthalate, poly-lactic acid, their blends and copolyester.  
 
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in one of claims  1  through  7 , 
 wherein the polyamide component is selected from the group including polyamide 6, polyamide 66 and polyamide 11.  
 
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in one of claims  1  through  8 , 
 wherein the polyamide component has at least one group which is dyeable using anionic dyestuffs.  
 
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , 
 wherein, as a group which is dyeable using anionic dyestuffs, at least one amino group is provided which is optionally at least monosubstituted with one organic residue, preferably one aliphatic residue and/or with an optionally substituted aryl or heteroaryl group.    
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in one of claims  1  through  8 , 
 wherein the polyamide component has at least one group which is dyeable using cationic dyestuffs.  
 
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , 
 wherein the polyamide component has at least one hydroxyl, carboxyl or sulphonate group.    
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in one of claims  1  through  12 , 
 wherein the titer of the microfibers and/or microfilaments is preferably 0.02 to 0.95 dtex, preferably 0.05 to 0.8 dtex, and more preferably 0.1 to 0.5 dtex.  
 
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in one of claims  1  through  13 , 
 wherein the mass per unit area of the textile material is 15 to 400 g/m 2 , preferably 40 to 300 g/m 2 , and more preferably 50 to 200 g/m 2 .  
 
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in one of claims  1  through  14 , 
 wherein the textile material is used in the form of a woven fabric, knitted fabric, or a nonwoven fabric, preferably in the form of a nonwoven fabric.  
 
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in  claim 15 , 
 wherein the nonwoven fabric is at least partially made of split polyester/polyamide microfibers and/or of polyester/polyamide microfilaments.    
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 15  or  16 , 
 wherein the nonwoven is a staple-fiber nonwoven.  
 
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 15  or  16 , 
 wherein the nonwoven is a spunbonded nonwoven.  
 
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in one of claims  1  through  18 , 
 wherein the treatment is carried out using formic acid in aqueous liquor.  
 
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 19 , 
 wherein the pH value of the aqueous liquor is adjusted using formic acid to 1 to 3, more preferably to 1.5 to 2.5.    
     
     
         21 . The method as recited in one of claims  1  through  20 , 
 wherein the textile material is treated prior to the dyeing and/or printing with formic acid.  
 
     
     
         22 . The method as recited in one of claims  1  through  21 , 
 wherein the textile material is treated with formic acid in a discontinuous operation, preferably in accordance with the exhaust dyeing method, preferably on a jet dyeing apparatus, a winch back, or a jig.  
 
     
     
         23 . The method as recited in  claim 22 , 
 wherein the duration of the treatment using formic acid in accordance with the exhaust dyeing method is preferably 5 to 600 minutes, preferably 10 minutes to two hours, and more preferably 15 to 100 minutes.    
     
     
         24 . The method as recited in  claim 22  or  23 , 
 wherein the temperature during the treatment using formic acid in accordance with the exhaust dyeing method is 5 to 140° C., preferably 10 to 130° C., and more preferably 20 to 100° C.  
 
     
     
         25 . The method as recited in one of claims  1  through  21 , 
 wherein the treatment of the textile material using formic acid is carried out in accordance with a continuous method, preferably in accordance with the pad dyeing, immersion, slop-padding (coating), foam dyeing or spray methods, more preferably in accordance with the pad thermofixation or pad steaming method, optionally with a subsequent intermediate drying and/or optionally with a subsequent heat treatment, optionally in the presence of steam.  
 
     
     
         26 . The method as recited in  claim 25 , 
 wherein the duration of the treatment using formic acid in accordance with the pad dyeing method is not more than 10 seconds.    
     
     
         27 . The method as recited in one of claims  1  through  20 , 
 wherein the textile material is treated during the printing operation with formic acid, optionally followed by an intermediate drying and/or a heat treatment, optionally in the presence of steam.  
 
     
     
         28 . The method as recited in  claim 27 , 
 wherein the textile material is printed in accordance with a direct printing method, preferably in accordance with a film printing method, more preferably in accordance with the rotary screen or flat screen printing method, or in accordance with the ink jet method.    
     
     
         29 . The method as recited in claims  25  through  28 , 
 wherein an intermediate drying of a duration of 1 to 10 minutes is subsequently carried out.  
 
     
     
         30 . The method as recited in  claim 29 , 
 wherein the temperature during the intermediate drying is 40 to 150° C.    
     
     
         31 . The method as recited in one of claims  25  through  30 , 
 wherein a heat treatment of a duration of one second to 60 minutes is subsequently carried out.  
 
     
     
         32 . The method as recited in  claim 31 , 
 wherein the temperature during the heat treatment is 100 to 240° C.    
     
     
         33 . The method as recited in one of claims  1  through  32 , 
 wherein, following the treatment with formic acid, the textile material is preferably rinsed with water and optionally neutralized and/or optionally dried.  
 
     
     
         34 . The method as recited in one of claims  1  through  33 , 
 wherein the dyeing and/or printing is carried out using at least one dyestuff from the group including reactive, acid, and metal complex dyestuffs, preferably using at least one reactive dyestuff.  
 
     
     
         35 . A use of a textile material dyed and/or printed in accordance with a method as recited in claims  1  through  34  for manufacturing clothing.  
     
     
         36 . A use of a textile material dyed and/or printed in accordance with a method as recited in claims  1  through  34  as home textiles.  
     
     
         37 . A use of a textile material dyed and/or printed in accordance with a method as recited in claims  1  through  34  as covering fabrics.  
     
     
         38 . A use of a textile material dyed and/or printed in accordance with a method as recited in claims  1  through  34  as lining materials, preferably as lining materials for luggage.  
     
     
         39 . A use of a textile material dyed and/or printed in accordance with a method as recited in claims  1  through  34  as furnishing means of transportation, preferably for the interior appointments of means of transportation.  
     
     
         40 . A use of a textile material dyed and/or printed in accordance with a method as recited in claims  1  through  34  as textile material in the medical and/or hygienic sector.