Lubrication of textile fibres

Abstract

The present invention discloses the use of ethercarboxylates for lubricating textile fibres, preferably spinning fibres. These ethercarboxylates have the general formula (I) R—(OCH 2 CH 2 ) n —O—CH 2 COOX  (I) where: R represents a C 6 -C 22 aliphatic hydrocarbon chain, saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched, n is a number between 0.3 and 50, X is hydrogen, an alkali metal, an ammonium cation, an alkanolammonium cation or a C 6 -C 22 alkylammonium cation. In addition, the present invention provides a process for lubricating textile fibres that consist of placing in contact these textile fibres with ethercarboxylates of general formula (I).

1 . Use of ethercarboxylates to lubricate textile fibres, characterised in that the ethercarboxylates have the general formula (I)  
       R—(OCH 2 CH 2 ) n —O—CH 2 COOX  (I)  where: 
 R represents a C 6 -C 22  aliphatic hydrocarbon chain, saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched,  
 n is a number between 0.3 and 50,  
 X is hydrogen, an alkali metal, an ammonium cation, an alkanolammonium cation or a C 6 -C 22  alkylammonium cation.  
   
   
   
       2 . Use according to  claim 1 , characterised in that in the ethercarboxylates of general formula (I), R is a C 12 -C 18  aliphatic hydrocarbon chain, saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched.  
   
   
       3 . Use according to  claim 1 , characterised in that in the ethercarboxylates of general formula (I), n is a number between 0.3 and 20, preferably between 0.5 and 15.  
   
   
       4 . Use according to  claim 1 , characterised in that in the ethercarboxylates of general formula (I), X is hydrogen or an alkali metal.  
   
   
       5 . Use according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the textile fibres are spinning fibres.  
   
   
       6 . Use according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the textile fibres are of chemical or natural origin.  
   
   
       7 . Use according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the textile fibres are of a chemical origin, preferably of synthetic origin.  
   
   
       8 . Process for lubricating textile fibres characterised in that it consists of putting in contact said textile fibres with ethercarboxylates, characterised in that the ethercarboxylates have the general formula (I)  
       R—(OCH 2 CH 2 ) n —O—CH 2 COOX  (I)  where: 
 R represents a C 6 -C 22  aliphatic hydrocarbon chain, saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched,  
 n is a number between 0.3 and 50, preferably between 0.3 and 20, more preferably between 0.5 and 15  
 X is hydrogen, an alkali metal, an ammonium cation, an alkanolammonium cation or a C 6 -C 22  alkylammonium cation.  
   
   
   
       9 . Process according to  claim 8 , wherein the ethercarboxylates placed in contact with the fibres are in the form of an aqueous lubricant composition formed by diluting ethercarboxylates in water by a factor of 2 to 10000 by volume, preferably from 10 to 2000.  
   
   
       10 . Process according to  claim 8 , characterised in that the aqueous lubricant composition contains, in addition, antistatic agents, wetting agents, cohesive agents, softening agents and emulsifying agents, among other additives.  
   
   
       11 . Process according to  claim 8 , characterised in that the amount of aqueous lubricant composition placed in contact with the textile fibre is within a range between 0.05 g and 5 g of aqueous lubricant composition with 100% active matter for each 100 g of textile fibre.  
   
   
       12 . Process according to  claim 8 , characterised in that the textile fibres are spinning fibres.  
   
   
       13 . Process according to  claim 8 , characterised in that the textile fibres are of chemical or natural origin.  
   
   
       14 . Process according to  claim 8 , characterised in that the textile fibres are of chemical origin, preferably of synthetic type.