Stain Remover Containing Fluoropolymer

Abstract

A stain remover which comprises a copolymer made from as essential ingredients (a) a polymerizable monomer having a polyfluoroalkyl group with less than 8 carbon atoms and represented by the general formula H 2 C═CXCOO—Y-Rf and (b) a fluorine-free polymerizable monomer represented by the following general formula: H 2 C═CXCOO—(RO) n —X. The stain remover is effective in minimizing the amount of an organic solvent to be used. It imparts to a substrate the excellent property of removing stains therefrom and a satisfactory texture.

1 . A copolymer comprising:
 (a) a fluorine-containing acrylate having a linear or branched polyfluoroalkyl group having less than 8 carbon atoms wherein a hydrogen atom at alpha-position may be substituted, and   (b) a fluorine-free (meth)acrylate having an oxyalkylene group.   
     
     
         2 . The copolymer according to  claim 1 , wherein the component (a) is of the general formula (1):
   H 2 C═CXCOO—Y-Rf   wherein X is a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, a iodine atom, a CFX 1 X 2  group (wherein X 1  and X 2  is a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom or a chlorine atom), a cyano group, a linear or branched fluoroalkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted benzyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group;   Y is an aliphatic group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, an aromatic or cycloaliphatic group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, a —CH 2 CH 2 N(R 1 )SO 2 — group (in which R 1  is an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms) or a —CH 2 CH(OY 1 )CH 2 — group (in which Y 1  is a hydrogen atom or an acetyl group); and   Rf is a linear or branched polyfluoroalkyl group having less than 8 carbon atoms.   
     
     
         3 . The copolymer according to  claim 2 , wherein X is a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, a iodine atom, a CFX 1 X 2  group (wherein X 1  and X 2  is a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom or a chlorine atom), a cyano group, a linear or branched fluoroalkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted benzyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group. 
     
     
         4 . The copolymer according to  claim 1 , wherein the component (b) is of the general formula (2):
   H 2 C═CXCOO—(RO) n —X   wherein X is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group,   R is an alkylene group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms, and   n is an integer of 1 to 50.   
     
     
         5 . The copolymer according to  claim 1 , wherein the amount of the component (a) may be from 20 to 90% by weight, and the amount of the component (b) is from 10 to 80% by weight, based on the copolymer. 
     
     
         6 . The copolymer according to  claim 1 , wherein the number-average molecular weight of the copolymer is from 1,000 to 1,000,000. 
     
     
         7 . The copolymer according to  claim 1 , wherein the component (b) comprises the following combination of two components:
 Component (b-1): a compound wherein R in the general formula (2) is ethylene, and   Component (b-2): a compound wherein R in the general formula (2) is propylene.   
     
     
         8 . The copolymer according to  claim 7 , wherein the weight ratio of the component (b-1) to the component (b-2) is from 95:5 to 5:95. 
     
     
         9 . A soil release agent comprising the copolymer according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . The soil release agent according to  claim 9 , which further contains a liquid medium. 
     
     
         11 . A method of treating a substrate, which comprises treating the substrate with the soil release agent according to  claim 9 . 
     
     
         12 . A textile treated with the soil release agent according to  claim 9 .