Fabric treatment for stain release

Abstract

A fabric treatment composition that includes at least one zeta potential modifier and a hydrophobic agent with a melting point or glass transition temperature below 100° C. that imparts fabric protection benefits, including improved stain resistance, oil repellency, water repellency, softness, wrinkle and damage resistance, and better handfeel to treated fabrics. Particularly preferred compositions include at least one zeta potential modifier in an amount sufficient to adjust the zeta potential of the composition to be positive and greater than zero millivolts. Particularly preferred compositions also include a fluoropolymer. The composition can be used as a pretreatment prior to washing, through soaking or direct spray application, or added to the wash or rinse cycle of an automatic washing machine, or used prior to or during the drying cycle of an automatic drying machine or refresher machine, or used prior to or in conjunction with an ironing device. The fabric treatment is complete when the fabric is cured by drying and/or heating.

1 . A method of non-durably imparting transient stain resistance and oil repellency properties to a fabric that is laundered that comprises the steps of: 
 (a) immerging the fabric in a bath containing wash liquor and a detergent;    (b) removing wash liquor from the bath and thereafter;    (c) adding sufficient water to the bath to immerse the fabric in an aqueous composition wherein the aqueous composition contains a fluoropolymer that comprises 0.5 to 60 weight % of the aqueous composition and a hydrophobic agent having a melting point or glass transition temperature of less than 100° C. wherein said hydrophobic agent comprises 0.5 to 60 weight % of the aqueous composition; and    (d) curing the fabric at a temperature above ambient temperature but less than 100° C. to form a treated fabric whereby the fluoropolymer and the hydrophobic agent are reversibly cured onto the treated fabric such that the treated fabric exhibits greater stain resistance and higher oil repellency relative to an identical, but non-treated fabric and wherein the transient stain resistance and oil repellency properties are lost from the treated fabric following three subsequent laundering operations each of which comprises steps (a) and (b) but not step (c).    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the aqueous composition comprises an effective amount of a zeta potential modifier so that the aqueous composition has a zeta potential that is positive and greater than zero millivolts; and step (d) comprises (i) removing water from the bath and (ii) then curing the fabric at a temperature above ambient temperature but less than 100° C.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fluoropolymer is 5 to 30 weight % of the aqueous composition.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the hydrophobic agent is 5 to 30 weight % of the aqueous composition.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the zeta potential modifier is 0.1 to 30 weight % of the aqueous composition.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the zeta potential modifier is a cationic material.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  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, methyl bis(alkylamido ethyl)-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, alkylamidopropyl-dimethylbenzyl ammonium salts, carboxyalkyl-alkyldimethyl ammonium salts, alkylamine oxides, alkyldimethyl amine oxides, poly(vinylmethylpyridinium) salts, poly(vinylpyridine) salts, polyethyleneimines, trialkyl phosphonium bicarbonates, trialkylmethyl phosphonium salts, alkylethylmethylsulfonium salts, and alkyldimethylsulfoxonium salts.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the hydrophobic agent is at least partly insoluble in water at a temperature of about 20° C.  
     
     
         9 . 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, polyolefin, polyurethane, ethyl vinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride, co-polymers, and emulsifiable waxes.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the aqueous composition comprises an aqueous liquid carrier that includes a low molecular weight organic solvent.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the aqueous liquid carrier is between 20% and 80% weight of the composition.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the aqueous composition further comprises an additive selected from the group consisting of emulsifiers, pH adjusters, silicones, non-ionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, zwitterionic surfactants, anionic surfactants, soil release agents, soil release polymers, antistatic agents, fragrances, fragrance extenders, antimicrobial actives, preservatives, dyes, colorants, viscosity control agents, antifoaming agents, pearlizing agents, opacifying agents, antioxidants, sunscreens, dye transfer inhibitors, dye fixative agents, dispersants, chlorine scavengers, wetting agents, electrolytes, enzymes, bleaching agents, brighteners, heavy metal chelating agents, fabric softener actives, soil suspending agents, soil release agents, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the hydrophobic agent has a melting point or glass transition temperature between 45° C. and 100° C.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the aqueous composition comprises: (i) 5 to 30 weight % of a fluoropolymer; (ii) 5 to 30 weight % of the hydrophobic agent; and (iii) a liquid carrier.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fabric is made of cotton.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step (d) produces a cured fabric that exhibits greater stain resistance and higher oil repellency relative to an identical fabric that had been subject to steps (a), (b), and (c) but which had been cured by excessive heating above 100° C.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fabric is cured by heating the fabric to a temperature that is less than the melting point or glass transition temperature of the hydrophobic agent.  
     
     
         18 . A method of reversibly imparting transient stain resistance and oil repellency properties to a fabric that comprises the steps of: 
 (a) applying a composition onto the fabric wherein the composition comprises a fluoropolymer and a hydrophobic agent having a melting point or glass transition temperature of less than 100° C.; and    (b) curing the fabric at a temperature above ambient temperature but less the hydrophobic agent's melting point or glass transition temperature to form a treated fabric whereby the fluoropolymer and the hydrophobic agent are reversibly cured onto the treated fabric such that the treated fabric exhibits greater stain resistance and higher oil repellency relative to an identical, but non-treated fabric and wherein the transient stain resistance and oil repellency properties are lost from the treated fabric following three subsequent laundering operations each of which comprises the steps of (i) immerging the fabric in a bath containing wash liquor bath and (ii) removing wash liquor from the bath.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the composition comprises a zeta potential modifier.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the zeta potential modifier is a cationic material.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  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, methyl bis(alkylamido ethyl)-2-hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulfate, alkylamidopropyl-dimethylbenzyl ammonium salts, carboxyalkyl-alkyldimethyl ammonium salts, alkylamine oxides, alkyldimethyl amine oxides, poly(vinylmethylpyridinium) salts, poly(vinylpyridine) salts, polyethyleneimines, trialkyl phosphonium bicarbonates, trialkylmethyl phosphonium salts, alkylethylmethylsulfonium salts, and alkyldimethylsulfoxonium salts.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the hydrophobic agent is at least partly insoluble in water at a temperature of about 20° C.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18  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, polyolefin, polyurethane, ethyl vinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride, co-polymers, and emulsifiable waxes.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the composition further comprises an additive selected from the group consisting of emulsifiers, pH adjusters, silicones, non-ionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, amphoteric surfactants, zwitterionic surfactants, anionic surfactants, soil release agents, soil release polymers, antistatic agents, fragrances, fragrance extenders, antimicrobial actives, preservatives, dyes, colorants, viscosity control agents, antifoaming agents, pearlizing agents, opacifying agents, antioxidants, sunscreens, dye transfer inhibitors, dye fixative agents, dispersants, chlorine scavengers, wetting agents, electrolytes, enzymes, bleaching agents, brighteners, heavy metal chelating agents, fabric softener actives, soil suspending agents, soil release agents, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the hydrophobic agent has a melting point or glass transition temperature between 45° C. and 100° C.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the fabric is made of cotton.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the composition is sprayed onto the fabric.