Process for improving the sun protection factor of cellulosic fibre material

Abstract

A process for improving the sun protection factor (SPF) of cellulosic fibre materials and blends thereof, which comprises contacting said materials with at least one compound of the formula (1): (Formule 1); in which M is hydrogen, an alkali metal atom, ammonium or a cation formed from an amine; R, and R,′ independently of each other are —NH—R 3 , —N(R 3 ) 2 or -0-R 3 , wherein R 3 is aryl substituted by —CO—X—R 5 , wherein X is O or NH and R 5 is optionally substituted C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, R 2 is a group of formula -0-R 4 wherein R 4 is hydroxy alkyl, alkoxy alkyl or hydroxy alkoxy alkyl, and R 2 ′ has the meaning of R 1 or R 2 .

1 . A process for improving the sun protection factor (SPF) of cellulosic fibre materials and blends thereof, which comprises contacting said materials with at least one compound of the formula  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       in which M is hydrogen, an alkali metal atom, ammonium or a cation formed from an amine; 
 R 1  and R 1 ′ independently of each other are —NH—R 3 , —N(R 3 ) 2  or —O—R 3 , wherein R 3  is aryl substituted by —CO—X—R 5 , wherein X is O or NH and R 5  is optionally substituted C 1 -C 4 -alkyl,  
 R 2  is a group of formula —O—R 4  wherein R 4  is hydroxy alkyl, alkoxy alkyl or hydroxy alkoxy alkyl,  
 and R 2 ′ has the meaning of R 1  or R 2 .  
 
     
     
         2 . A process according to  claim 1  wherein, in the compound of formula (1), R 1  and R 1 ′ are identical.  
     
     
         3 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the compound of formula (1), R 2  and R 2 ′ are identical.  
     
     
         4 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the compound of formula (1), R 1  and R 1 ′ are each —NH—R 3 , —N(R 3 ) 2  or —O—R 3 , wherein R 3  is phenyl substituted by —CO—X—R 5 , wherein X is O or NH and R 5  is optionally substituted C 1 -C 4 -alkyl.  
     
     
         5 . A process according to  claim 4 , wherein, in the compound of formula (1), R 1  and R 1 ′ are —NH—R 3 , wherein R 3  is phenyl substituted by —CO—X—R 5 , wherein X is O or NH and R 5  is 2-hydroxyethyl.  
     
     
         6 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the compound of formula (1), R 2  and R 2 ′ are identical and are each —O—R 4  , wherein R 4  is C 1 -C 4 -hydroxyalkyl or C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy-C 1 -C 4 -alkyl.  
     
     
         7 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein the fibre material is additionally contacted with at least one UV absorber.  
     
     
         8 . A compound of the formula  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       in which M is hydrogen, an alkali metal atom, ammonium or a cation formed from an amine; 
 R 1  and R 1 ′ independently of each other are —NH—R 3 , —N(R 3 ) 2  or —O—R 3 , wherein R 3  is aryl substituted by —CO—X—R 5 , wherein X is O or NH and R 5  is optionally substituted C 1 -C 4 -alkyl,  
 R 2  is a group of formula —O—R 4  wherein R 4  is hydroxy alkyl, alkoxy alkyl or hydroxy alkoxy alkyl,  
 and R 2 ′ has the meaning of R 1  or R 2 .  
 
     
     
         9 . A compound according to  claim 8 , wherein R 1  and R 1 ′ are identical and are each —NH—R 3 , —N(R 3 ) 2  or —O—R 3 , wherein R 3  is phenyl substituted by —CO—X—R 5 , wherein X is O or NH and R 5  is optionally substituted C 1 -C 4 -alkyl, 
 R 2  and R 2 ′ are identical and are each —O—R 4 , wherein R 4  is C 1 -C 4 -hydroxyalkyl or C 1 -C 4 -alkoxy-C 1 -C 4 -alkyl.    
     
     
         10 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein the amount of the compound of formula (1) used is from 0.001 to 2% by weight, based on the weight of the fibre material.  
     
     
         11 . A process according to  claim 10 , wherein the amount of the compound of formula (1) used is from 0.005 to 1% by weight, based on the weight of the fibre material.  
     
     
         12 . A process according to  claim 10 , wherein the amount of the compound of formula (1) used is from 0.01 to 0.5% by weight, based on the weight of the fibre material.  
     
     
         13 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein the cellulosic fibre materials used have a density of between 30 and 200 g/m 2 .  
     
     
         14 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein the cellulosic fibre materials used have a porosity of between 0.1 and 3%.  
     
     
         15 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein the cellulosic fibre material used is cotton or a cotton blend.  
     
     
         16 . Cellulosic fibre material whenever treated according to a process according to  claim 1 .  
     
     
         17 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein the cellulosic fibre materials used have a density of between 100 and 150 g/m 2 .  
     
     
         18 . A process according to  claim 1 , wherein the cellulosic fibre materials used have a porosity of between 0.1 and 1.5%.