US1080718A - Process for bleaching articles. - Google Patents

Description

UNITED v STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTE J. ROSSI, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, AS SIGNOB TO THE TITANIUM ALLOY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

PROCESS FOR BLEACHING ARTICLES.

1,080,718. Specification of Letters Patent.

No Drawingi To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST-E J. -Ross1, 'a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Niagara Falls, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes for Bleachin- Articles, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to what is broadly termed bleaching, including the discharging from fabrics of undesired natural or artificial coloring matters or pig origin, silk for instance, renders its use thereon hazardous and In mostcases unde f sirable or impossible.

The use of sulfur dioxid for bleaching is also, in many instances, far' from satis tory, some fabrics treated therewith, particularly those previously dyed, coming out less urely white than is desirable, and showing off, when ironed, too many traces of their original colors.

By the cautious and skilful use of certain well known bleaching powders, such for instance as depend largely on chlorin liberated from hypochlorites, better results are often obtained, but the presence of such chlorin causes such deterioration in the fiber and appearance of the silken portions of' the fabric as to cause loss to the manufacturer.

I have long shared with others the conception that chlorid of titanium might possibly be used with advantage as a substitute for v the aforesaid bleaching agents, and have experimented in hopes of realizing this.

roduced the tetrachlorid of ti-' To this end I tanium, Ti 1,, by the well known method which consists in passing chlorin gas over .a mixture of carbon and titanic acid heated to redness, thereby obtaining a yellowish liquid Patented Dec. 9, 191 3.

Application filed January 31, 1912. Serial No. 674,544. i

smelling strongly of chlorin because contaming free chlorin in solution. On applying this solution experimentally to some textiles, I found them bleached to an ex vegetable origin, such as cotton, etc. I resorted next to well known methods by which I was enabled to eliminate free chlorin therefrom to an extent. On applying the solution thus freed I found that it had no bleaching effect, from which I infer that the scribed, a bleaching agent uninjurious to animal substances such as silks, or wool,etc., whether in raw condition, or manufactured as textiles, etc.

My said solution containing the desired sesquichlorid of titanium in any required amount may be economically and readily produced by dissolving, in hydrochloric acid at normal temperature, an alloy of iron and titanium commonly known as ferro-titanium. The said solution so produced is exceptionally well adapted to bleaching purposes, not only because of its said content of said sesquichlorid, but also because of absence therefrom of free chlorin injurious to animal substances, this being due to its content of ferrous chlorid which is not only itself non-injurious but also contributes to the stability of the solution.

I produce said solution as follows :In a vessel lined preferably with porcelain or like resistant material, I dissolve, at below boiling temperature, in hydrochloric acid dibatedwith its weight of water or less, an alloy of iron and titanium as high, in titanium as desired, for example the alloy for which were granted to me Letters Patent No. 648,439, dated May 1, 1900. The resuiting liquor should be of a violet color,

tanium has been formed. I next filter the liquor to remove therefrom such small quantities of silica, carbon, or other impurities, including the titanium oxid which should be formed but to a small extent. Ordinary fil-- ter presses, or any other similar contrivances, can be used with advantage for this pur ose. The liquid thus filtered is then rea y for use.

As will be readily understood by those skilled in the art, the respective proportions of the respective ingredients of the charge in producing said solution will depend upon the respective ascertained characteristics and proportions of each; that is to say the amount b weight of commercial hydrochloric acid charged will, in each case, depend upon its HCl content and upon the amount of-the latter required to satisfy the respective chemical aflinlties therefor of all the iron and titanium in the charge.

Careful tests have demonstrated that the presence of the chlorid of iron interferes in no respect with the bleaching properties of my said solution, these being exceptionally perfect, and non-injurious to the materials of animal origin to which applied; also that it is characterized as containing substantially no free chlorin; also that it-is very notably stable as compared with previous solutions containing compounds of chlorin. Its chlorids appear to part with their chlorin only in proportion as the bleaching proceeds, and when sufficiently proximate to the coloring matter with which it promptly 'combines, thus precluding the presence of free chlorin in the solution at any stage. This comparative stability of my solution seems attributable only to its content of ferrous chlorid which principally distinguishes it from all previous solutions containing titanous chlorids, for example such. as have heretofore been suggested as able. to discharge color from fabrics. It seemsv that the titanous chlorids of such previous solutions have, owing to their nature and environment, proved too, if not prohibitorily, unstable, their titanium content tending to separate and combine with oxygen resent to form titanic acid, thus prohibitorily liberating in the solution free chlorin to injure animal substances if thereby treated; whereas, in my said novel solution, such free chlorin if any so liberated combines promptly with the ferrous chlorid present to form ferric chlorid, whereby free chlorin is sub stantially prevented from reachin and deterioratin the bleaching animal filiers, such as that o silk, which would otherwise be ruined thereby.

The methods of applying my said solution tothe materials treated thereby will of course be readily understood by those skilled in the bleaching art. The violet solution is of course diluted with water to meet the special requlrements of the particular materials or particular dyes therein contained,

such dilution causing the violet color to assume lighter shades in proportion to the water added. Should the solution in any case prove too strongly acid, its acidity may be counteracted by additions of any proper alkali, such as ammonia for example. To avoid injury to the materials it is of course preferable that the solution employed should be but slightly acid. The solution will be applied to; the materials treated in substantially the same way as any other solution employed for bleaching purposes. Such methods of application are too well understood to require description here. For instance the usual bleaching vats are employed, the solution charged thereinto and the materials soaked therein as usual, or the solution may be otherwise applied in any convenient manner. The temperatures employed will depend upon the preference and experience of the individual operators. Normal temperatures involve longer exposure to the solution and higher temperatures shorterexposure as will be well understood. It is preferable to avoid boiling temperature except in cases in which the solution is very considerably diluted. It goes without saying that the fabrics, after application thereto of the solution, are thoroughly washed, etc., according to the usual procedure of the art.

Applications of my said bleaching solution, derived as aforesaid from an iron titanium alloy containing about 16 per cent. titanium, made to a cotton fabric of-slightly lavender color containing stripes of silk of a deeper shade ave the following results. Said fabric, boiled ,in my said solution diluted ten times with water to meet the special requirements of this particular fabric was rapidly bleached a ure white, notwithstanding which the brilliancy of the 511k stripes was unimpaired. Other specimens of the same fabric, treated as usual with sulfur dioxid solutions emerged not comletely bleached, the white having a grayish Blue hue prohibiting the use thereof as a white fabric 'and' ob'ectionable for dyeing in certain delicate li t colors. Other specimens of the same abrics treated as usual with chlorin, or bleachi'n powders, above referred to, presented a eteriorated appearance, and, thou h nearer to pure white their silk stripes ha lost much of their original brilliancy. 1

It is preferable in my experience that the ferro-titanium employed should contain not less than 16 per cent. of titanium,'and be dissolved as aforesaid in hydrochloric'acid diluted by about its own weight of water to produce, prior to further ilution for use,

an initial solution containing not less than about 25 per cent. of the sesquichlorid of titanium.

Maintenance of the bath at substantially normal, 5. 6. below boiling, temperature is, I have discovered, essential in order to produce the desired sesquichlorid of titanium from the ferro-titanium treated under the conditions mentioned. My experiments have demonstrated that if the temperature of the bath rises to approximately, or above, boiling, the titanium content goes to make titanium oxid, more or less precipitated, which, like other compounds of titanium except the sesquichlorid, appears unable to bleach, as desired, the fabric or other material treated, thus Wasting the chlorin content notwithstanding surplus free chlorin so liberated is promptly taken up by the ferrous chlorid present as aforesaid.

It will of course be understood that my said method, and my solution containing both titanous and ferrous chlorids, are equivalently applicable, as above described, to not onl bleachin specifically, but also to the discharging of colors previously artificially applied, and also to the restoring of colors. In each of these applications the reducing action of the titanous chlorid is similarly relied upon; 1'. e. in bleaching it deoxidizes as required to improve the appearance of the fabric wherever it has been undesirably affected by oxidizing agents; in discharging, it also deoxidizes to remove. the color rom previously applied artificial dyes; in restoring, it also deoxidizes to restore original color to portions of the fabric which, by reason of previous finishing or bleaching treatments, have been unduly oxidized and consequently dimmed or altered.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is the following, viz

1. The method of bleaching materials which comprises applying thereto a solution containing sesquichlorid of titanium (Ti Cl and ferrous chlorid.

2. The method of bleaching materials which comprises applyin thereto a solution containing titanous chTorid and ferrous chlorid.

3. The method of bleaching materials which comprises dissolving titanium and iron in dilute hydrochloric acid, filtering the resulting solution, and applying it to said material.

4. The method of bleaching materials which comprises dissolving an alloy of iron and titaniumin dilute h drochloric acid, filtering the resulting solution, and applying it to the said material.

5. The method of bleaching materials which comprises dissolvin in dilute hydrocloric acid at below norma boiling temperature an alloy of iron and titanium, filtering the resulting liquor to remove therefrom impurities including titanium oxid, and carbon, and then applying it to said materials.

6. The method which comprises dissolving titanium and iron in dilute hydrochloric acid at below normal boiling temperature, filtering the resulting liquor to remove therefrom impurities including titanium oxid, and carbon, and then applying it to said materials.

AUGUSTE J. ROSSI.

Witnesses:

WALTER D. EDWARDS, PHILIP G. Pnox.

of bleaching materials

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