GB766273A - Improvements in or relating to the curing of polyepoxides - Google Patents

Abstract

A glycidyl polyether from epichlorhydrin and a polyhydric phenol or alcohol is cured by a salt of a metal of atomic weight between 24 and 210 with an inorganic acid of the formula Ha[XwFy], wherein X is a non-metal of atomic weight above 2, w and y are integers and a is the valency of the acid. Preferred salts are fluoborates or fluosilicates of metals of Groups 1 to IV and VIII, e.g. copper, zinc, iron, cadmium, nickel, cobaltous, magnesium and strontium fluoborate and cobaltous, copper and magnesium fluosilicate. The process is particularly applicable for hardening glycidyl ethers which have been used for treating textiles (see Group IV (c)). The polyethers and curing agents may be mixed in solvents to which diluents may be added or the polyethers may be used in emulsion form. Lists of suitable solvents and diluents and emulsifying agents are given. Pigments, plasticisers and other resins may also be added. Textile softening-agents, e.g. epoxidized oils, glycidyl-D -decyl ether, pentadecyl phenol, octadecyl succinic acid, sulphonated waxes or alcohols, dimerized long-chain acids, or polyglycol fatty acid esters may be added to textile treating compositions. In Example I zinc fluoborate was used as curing agent for a glycidyl polyether from glycerol in an aqueous textile treating composition containing also methyl cellulose, a copolymer of vinyl methyl ether and maleic anhydride, and a polyglycol fatty acid ester. II. Fluoborates of a number of different metals are compared as curing agents in textile treating compositions. III. Zinc fluoborate is used as curing agent in a number of textile treating compositions containing different softening agents. IV. Films are prepared from a mixture of lead fluoborate with a glycidyl polyether prepared from epichlorhydrin and 2 - hydroxy - ethoxy methyl - 2,4 - dimethyl pentanediol-1,5. V. Films are prepared from a mixture of cadmium fluoborate with a polyether from bisphenol and epichlorohydrin. VI is similar to V but uses copper fluoborate.ALSO:Textile materials are impregnated with compositions containing a glycidyl polyether of a polyhydric phenol or alcohol and a metal fluoborate or fluosilicate and the polyether is cured. The treated materials have improved resistance to shrinkage, good wrinkle recovery, resistance to scorch and laundering properties and no chlorine retention. The polyether may be applied first and a solution of the curing salt sprayed on to the material. The compositions may be aqueous solutions or emulsions or organic solvents may be used. Solvents and emulsifying agents are listed in the Specification. Curing is effected by heating. Plasticizers or softening agents, e.g. epoxidized glyceride, epoxidized soya bean oil, glycidyl delta decyl ether, pentadecyl phenol, octadecyl or octadecenyl succinic acid, sulphonated waxes or alcohols, dimerized long chain fatty acids or nonionic fatty acid esters of higher polyglycols may be included in the compositions. The solutions may be applied to one surface only e.g. of a fabric with a silk face and cotton back. They may also be applied locally to fabrics. Repeated applications may be made, the amount of polyether added to the fabric depending on the purpose for which the fabric is required. The fabric may be for example of cotton, linen, natural or artificial silk, jute, rayon, or wool and may be woven, knitted or netted. Threads, fibres or filaments may also be treated. In examples I cotton cloth was impregnated with an aqueous solution containing a polyether from glycerol and epichlorohydrin, methyl cellulose, a copolymer of vinyl methyl ether and maleic anhydride, a polyglycol fatty acid ester and zinc fluoborate as curing agent, dried and cured at 160 DEG C. for 5 mins. The properties of the treated cloth are compared with those of cloth treated with other materials. II Fluoborates of a number of different metals were employed as curing agents in textile-treating compositions of the kind described in Example I and the wrinkle recovery values of the treated cotton sheets were compared. III A series of impregnating solutions as described in Example I but with different softening agents were used on cotton cloth and the properties of the treated cloth were compared.