GB441448A - Process for the manufacture of nitrogenous cellulose derivatives - Google Patents

Abstract

Cellulose compounds containing nitrogen are obtained by subjecting cellulose materials in the presence of a non-volatile inorganic alkali to the action of epichlorhydrin and ammonia or a basic substitution derivative of ammonia such as a primary, secondary, or tertiary amine of an aliphatic, aromatic, or mixed radical, an oxyalkylamine, an amino acid, a heterocyclic base or a derivative thereof. Cotton yarn or linters, wood pulp, regenerated cellulose in the form of artificial silk, staple fibre, or films, also mercerized cellulose from cotton or wood pulp, may be used as parent material. Caustic soda or potash solution may be employed as alkali and the concentration may be low or of mercerizing strength. The epichlorhydrin and ammonia or ammonia derivative may be employed in vapour form or in solution, e.g. in benzene. The ammonia or derivative may be incorporated with the alkali lye with which the cellulose material is treated. The products retain the fibrous or other form of the parent material. They may be dyed with acid wool dyestuffs. In an example, alkali cellulose from sulphite cellulose is spread in a thin layer and subjected to the action of liquid ammonia and epichlorhydrin. The product is washed with dilute acid and water. Cotton linters or mercerized sulphite cellulose are immersed in caustic soda solution containing hydroxyethylamine, the sodium salt of glycocoll, or anthranilic acid. The pressed material is subjected to epichlorhydrin liquid or vapour in a vacuum. Viscose staple fibre is treated with caustic potash and subjected to the vapours of ammonia and epichlorhydrin in a vacuum. Cotton hanks are treated with caustic soda and then with liquid ammonia and epichlorhydrin. Viscose staple fibre is treated with caustic potash, centrifuged, subjected to ammonia vapour in a vacuum, cooled, and treated with a solution of epichlorhydrin in benzene or carbon tetrachloride. The products contain 0,2--2,7 per cent of nitrogen.