Delayed cure process using formaldehyde vapor to cause creaseproofing

Claim 2

A process according to claim 1 wherein the acidic catalyst employed in step (c) is formic acid.

Claim 3

A deferred-cure, durable-press process for making cellulosic fiber-containing fabric shape retentive, wrinkle resistant and smooth drying by applying a creaseproofing agent to a cellulosic fiber-containing fabric before fabrication of a garment therefrom and then curing said garment after fabrication thereof, which process comprises: a. contacting said cellulosic fiber-containing fabric and formaldehyde vapor at a temperature between about 65* and 150* C. until a crease-proofing amount of polymeric formaldehyde in substantially water insoluble form is affixed on said fabric in the absence of an acidic catalyst and without effecting sufficient cross-linking between formaldehyde and cellulosic fiber to produce an increase in wrinkle recovery high enough to interfere with subsequent shaping of the formaldehyde polymer-containing fabric, b. thereafter washing the fabric to remove water soluble deposits therefrom, c. fabricating a garment from said washed formaldehyde polymer-containing fabric by steps including cutting and sewing, and d. heating the resulting garment in the presence of an acidic catalyst under curing conditions at which formaldehyde reacts with the cellulose and improves its wrinkle resistance.

Claim 4

A process according to claim 4 wherein said formaldehyde polymer-containing fabric is impregnated with an aqueous solution of an acidic curing catalyst and dried subsequent to its being washed and prior to fabrication of garments therefrom.

Claim 5

A process according to claim 4 wherein the formaldehyde polymer-containing fabric is impregnated with an aqueous solution of a catalyst which is a solid selected from the group consisting of zinc chloride, ammonium chloride, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, magnesium chloride and phosphoric acid, and dried prior to fabrication of garments therefrom.

Claim 6

A deferred-cure process according to claim 4 wherein the cellulosic fiber-containing fabric is impregnated with an aqueous solution of a water soluble amide at an alkaline pH of less than about 11 and dried to produce a dry amide add-on in an amount of between about 0.5 to 25 percent by weight of dry fabric prior to exposure to formaldehyde vapor.

Claim 7

A process according to claim 7 wherein the amide is urea and is applied from an aqueous solution at a pH of between about 8 and 9.

Claim 8

A process according to claim 4 wherein the garment fabricated from the formaldehyde polymer-containing fabric is cured in a curing zone at a temperature between about 90* and 160* C. in an atmosphere containing a vaporOus acidic curing catalyst until the cellulose becomes creaseproofed.

Claim 9

A process according to claim 9 wherein the atmosphere in the curing zone contains about 0.1 to about 50 volume per cent sulfur dioxide and an effective amount of moisture.

Claim 10

A process for the sensitizing of cellulosic fiber-containing fabrics to make them suitable for use in the manufacture of garments which are to be made shape retentive by a hot cure subsequent to their manufacture, which process comprises contacting the fabric with formaldehyde vapor at a temperature between about 105* and 140* C. in the absence of catalyst until at least about 0.3 and up to about 5 percent by weight of polymeric formaldehyde in substantially water insoluble form is affixed to the cellulosic fabric based on dry fabric weight without effecting sufficient cross-linking between formaldehyde and cellulosic fiber to produce an increase in wrinkle recovery high enough to interfere with subsequent shaping of the formaldehyde polymer-containing fabric, thereafter washing the fabric to remove water soluble deposits therefrom, drying, impregnating with an aqueous solution of a latent curing catalyst and drying again under non-curing conditions.

Claim 11

A process according to claim 11 wherein the cellulosic fiber-containing fabric is impregnated with an aqueous solution of a water soluble amide at an alkaline pH of less than about 11 and dried to produce a dry amide add-on in an amount of between about 0.5 to 25 percent by weight of dry material prior to exposure to formaldehyde vapor.