Method using flock alternative for providing finished textile surfaces

Abstract

An article has a finished fabric having two finished surfaces. A non-foamed aqueous composition is applied to one or both finished surfaces to provide a flock substitute at a dry coverage of 0.5-15 g/m 2 per finished surface. This flock substitute improves anti-blocking characteristic and masks any tacky feel of the treated finished surface. The non-foamed aqueous composition has 0.5-20% solids and includes: (i) hollow glass particles of 5-100 μm average particle size in an amount of 0.25-20 weight %, and which have a crush strength >50 MPa; (ii) a water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder that has a T g of less than 25° C.; (iii) a crosslinking agent if needed; and (iv) porous particles in an amount of less than 0.1 weight %. The weight ratio of the (i) hollow glass particles to the (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder can be from 1:5 to and including 10:1.

1 . A method for providing an article, comprising:
 A) providing a finished fabric having two finished surfaces, and   B) treating the one or both of the two finished surfaces by applying a non-foamed aqueous composition as a flock substitute directly to the finished fabric on one or both of the two finished surfaces to provide the flock substitute at a dry coverage of at least 0.5 g/m 2  and up to and including 15 g/m 2  per finished surface, to improve the anti-blocking characteristic of the one or both finished surfaces, and to mask any tacky feel of the finished fabric on the treated one or both of the two finished surfaces,
 wherein the non-foamed aqueous composition has at least 0.5% solids and up to and including 20% solids, and comprises the following components (i), (ii), (iii), and (iv): 
 (i) hollow glass particles having an average particle size of at least 5 μm and up to and including 100 μm, that are present in an amount of at least 0.25 weight % and up to and including 20 weight %, based on the total weight of the non-foamed aqueous composition, the hollow glass particles having a crush strength of greater than 50 MPa; 
 (ii) a water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder that has a glass transition temperature of less than 25° C.; 
 (iii) a crosslinking agent if it is needed to crosslink the (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder; and 
 (iv) porous particles that are present in an amount of less than 0.1 weight %, if at all, based on the total weight of the non-foamed aqueous composition, 
 wherein the weight ratio of the (i) hollow glass particles to the (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder is from 1:5 to and including 10:1. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-foamed aqueous composition further comprises one or more of a defoaming agent, an anti-foaming agent, a lubricant, a flame retardant, and a tinting agent, all of which are different from all of the components (i), (ii), (iii), and (iv). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the (i) hollow glass particles are present in the non-foamed aqueous composition in an amount of at least 5 weight % and up to and including 15 weight %, based on the total weight of the non-foamed aqueous composition, and the (i) hollow glass particles have an average particle size of at least 20 μm and up to and including 60 μm. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the (i) hollow glass particles in the non-foamed aqueous composition have a density of at least 0.1 g/cm 3  and up to and including 0.8 g/cm 3 . 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the (iv) porous particles are completely absent from the non-foamed aqueous composition. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the (i) hollow glass particles are present in the non-foamed aqueous composition in relation to the (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder at a weight ratio of from 1:3 to and including 8:1. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder is a poly(vinyl alcohol), a partially hydrolyzed poly(vinyl acetate), a cellulosic polymer, a poly(ethylene oxide), a poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), an acrylic polymer, an acrylamide polymer, a fluorinated polymer, a chlorinated polymer, a polymer containing siloxane moieties, gelatin or a gelatin derivative, a polysaccharide, a polyurethane, a polyester ionomer, or a combination of two or more of these recited polymeric materials. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder is an acrylic polymer, a partially hydrolyzed poly(vinyl acetate), a chlorinated polymer, and a combination of two or more of these recited polymeric materials. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder is an acrylic polymer that is derived at least from one or more (meth)acrylates and N-methylol (meth)acrylamide. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-foamed aqueous composition further comprises a coating aid in an amount of at least 0.01 weight % and up to and including 5 weight %, based on the total weight of the non-foamed aqueous composition. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-foamed aqueous composition has a density greater than 0.9 g/cm 3 . 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-foamed aqueous composition further comprises a thickener. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric is a woven fabric, optionally comprising one or more flame retardants. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the finished fabric comprises woven fiberglass. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 C) providing a design either on the applied non-foamed aqueous composition or on a finished surface of the finished fabric having no applied non-foamed aqueous composition, or on both the applied non-foamed aqueous composition and on the finished surface of the finished fabric having no applied non-foamed aqueous composition.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-foamed aqueous composition is applied to only one of the two finished surfaces of the finished fabric. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing an adhesive composition on at least one of the two finished surfaces of the finished fabric. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising after step B), applying an adhesive composition over the applied non-foamed aqueous composition. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising step B) applying the non-foamed aqueous composition to both finished surfaces of the finished fabric. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein step B) comprises spraying the non-foamed aqueous composition onto the one or both finished surfaces of the finished fabric.