Method for conferring durable water repellence to woven or non-woven fabric and water repellent composition

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for conferring durable water repellence to woven or non-woven fabric, comprising the steps of: (1) treating the fabric with an aqueous composition, the composition comprising (a) an aqueous solvent comprising at least 80 w/w % water, and 20 w/w % or less of a water miscible organic solvent comprising at least two functional OH groups, and (b) 0.1-40 w/w % of an acrylic ester having the formula 1: wherein A 1 is H or CH 3 , and A 2 is C 1 -C 30 linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon that may have an alicyclic or aromatic ring, the acrylic ester being dissolved, emulsified or dispersed in the aqueous solvent, (2) heating the treated fabric to 120-200° C. Further such a composition and fabric treated with such a composition are disclosed.

1 - 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . A method for conferring durable water repellence to woven or non-woven fabric, comprising the steps of:
 i) treating the fabric with an aqueous composition free of silicon compounds, the composition comprising:
 a. an aqueous solvent comprising at least 80 w/w % water, and 20 w/w % or less of a water miscible organic solvent comprising at least two functional OH groups, and 
 b. 0.1-40 w/w % of an acrylic ester having the formula 1: 
   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein A 1  is H or CH 3 , and A 2  is C 1 -C 30  linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon that may have an alicyclic or aromatic ring, the acrylic ester being dissolved, emulsified or dispersed in the aqueous solvent,
 ii) heating the treated fabric to 120-200° C. 
 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the water miscible solvent is selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate, ethylene glycol monoethyl ether acetate, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether acetate, propylene glycol, propylene glycol monomethyl ether, propylene glycol monoethyl ether, propylene glycol dimethyl ether, dipropylene glycol, dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether, dipropylene glycol dimethyl ether, dipropylene glycol monoethyl ether, tripropylene glycol, tripropylene glycol monomethyl ether, polypropylene glycol and hexylene glycol. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the aqueous solvent comprises 90-99.9 w/w % water and 0.1-10 w/w % of the water miscible solvent. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the composition comprises 0.2-20 w/w % acrylic ester 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein A 2  of the acrylic ester has 12 to 24 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising a polyisocyanate comprising at least 3 crosslinkable isocyanate groups. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the weight ratio acrylic ester:isocyanate is 100:5-100. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the treated fabric of step i) is dried before step ii). 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the composition further comprises a fluorinated C 2 -C 20  alkyl compound comprising a terminal acryl group. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the composition comprises in w/w % an equal amount of both non-fluorinated and fluorinated acrylic esters. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the fabric is selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyamide, acrylate, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, cotton and aramide or a mixture of two or more thereof, the fabric preferably comprising polyester and/or polyamide, more preferably polyester. 
     
     
         55 . A composition free of fluorine and silicon compounds for conferring durable water repellence to woven or non-woven fabric, the composition comprising
 a. an aqueous solvent comprising at least 80 w/w % water, and 20 w/w % or less of a water miscible organic solvent comprising at least two functional OH groups, and   b. 0.1-40 w/w % of an acrylic ester having the formula 1:   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein A 1  is H or CH 3 , and A 2  is C 1 -C 30  linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon that may have an alicyclic or aromatic ring, the acrylic ester being dissolved, emulsified or dispersed in the aqueous solvent. 
     
     
         56 . The composition of  claim 55 , wherein the water miscible solvent is selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate, ethylene glycol monoethyl ether acetate, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether acetate, propylene glycol, propylene glycol monomethyl ether, propylene glycol monoethyl ether, propylene glycol dimethyl ether, dipropylene glycol, dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether, dipropylene glycol dimethyl ether, dipropylene glycol monoethyl ether, tripropylene glycol, tripropylene glycol monomethyl ether, polypropylene glycol and hexylene glycol. 
     
     
         57 . The composition of  claim 55 , wherein the aqueous solvent comprises 90-99.9 w/w % water and 0.1-10 w/w % of the water miscible solvent. 
     
     
         58 . The composition of  claim 55 , wherein the composition comprises 0.2-20 w/w % acrylic ester. 
     
     
         59 . The composition of  claim 55 , wherein A 2  of the acrylic ester has 12 to 24 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         60 . The composition of  claim 55 , further comprising a polyisocyanate comprising at least 3 crosslinkable isocyanate groups. 
     
     
         61 . The composition of  claim 60 , wherein the weight ratio acrylic ester:isocyanate is 100:5-100. 
     
     
         62 . A woven or non-woven fabric, treated with the composition of  claim 55 . 
     
     
         63 . The woven or non-woven fabric of  claim 62 , wherein the fabric is selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyamide, acrylate, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, cotton and aramide or a mixture of two or more thereof, the fabric preferably comprising polyester and/or polyamide, more preferably polyester.