Fade Resistant Water and Soil Repellent Composition for Fabric

An acrylate solution (Rohm & Haas B72) was mixed with Riedel-DeHaen AG film and plastic discoloration UV inhibitor compounds Type HMB ("Riedel" 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone) soluble in and non-reactive in the acrylate solution, in the ratio of approximately 4 parts to 98 parts of acrylate solution, and the combination was thoroughly admixed and mutually dispersed. The mixture was reduced with solvent to spraying viscosity. The same was then sprayed from an atomizing spray device in droplets of average size of about 5 microns as a thin layer (of the order of about 20 microns) on dry polyester fabric, and permitted to dry in an adhered thin film form.

The fabric was subjected to ultra-violet rays from a carbon arc lamp for 100 hours with noticeable improvement in fading properties. Water and oil droplets applied to the protected fabric were readily wiped off without strain both before and after the UV tests.

Three grams of o-hydroxyphenylbenzotriazole UV-absorber material (C.sub.27 H.sub.36 Cl O.sub.3 --5-tertiary butyl-3-(5-chloro-2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-hydroxy-benzene-propionic acid octyl ester--Ciba Geigy "Tinuvin 109", sometimes referred to as T-109) were dissolved, as above, in 50 grams of a fluorinated binder solution containing 12% solids (340 grams solution, 41 grams solids), as marketed under the trademark "Scotchguard", before referenced, to form a sprayable composition of about 5% UV screening agent and 95% repellent solution. The same was used as a spray with fluorinated hydrocarbon (DuPont's "Freon" solvents and "Freon"-ethanol mixtures) producing spray particles of the order of a few microns. Two sprayings upon dyed fabric, from about 6 inches away, were found to apply a thin adherent solid layer or coating that in dried spray particle form (1.2 grams of solid admixed coating consisting of 0.4 grams T-109) produced satisfactory fade stability and stain repellency results similar to those now reported for Example 3.

Another Ciba-Geigy o-hydroxyphenylbenzotriazole UV absorber ("Tinuvin 343") was mixed in the same "Scotchguard" type repellent solution of Example 2 (20% solids) and stirred to get all of the UV-absorber into solution, but in the ratio of 2 grams of T-343 to 50 grams of repellent solution. The solution was placed in a 100 ml bottle attached to a Chromist Spray apparatus (Gelman Instrument Co., Ann Arbor, Michigan), and a fine spray of several micron particle size was directed on dyed fabric (of nylon and cotton and polyester fibers) of red, blue and yellow colors for comparison with (1) unsprayed areas of the fabric and (2) unsprayed fabric areas fronted with an opaque cardboard layer. The fabric was exposed to a carbon arc generating substantial UV radiation for 160 hours with the following results as determined by fadeometer observations: 8 of 9 of the unsprayed fabric samples of all three colors showed definite photodegradation or fading effects as compared with the areas covered by the opaque cardboard; while all of the sprayed fabric samples showed either no signs of fading whatsoever or negligible degradation. The sprayed fabric simultaneously maintained its water repellency, as well.

A screening agent of o-hydroxybenzophenones ("Cyasorb 24" of American Cyanamid Co.) dissolved in "Scotchguard" fluorinated binder in the ratio of 7 to 93%, and spray-dried upon fabric.

"Tinuvin" 343 and/or 109 in hydrophobic polystyrene methyl methacrylate repellent solution (in proportions as in Example 2), with a "Freon TA" propellant.

The formulation of Example 3 with a fugitive dye indicator (phenolphthalein-ammonia) to show the sprayed areas combined with an ammonia volatile base. Alternatively, thymolphthalein indicator may be used that changes from blue to colorless on pH change.

With UV screening elements of the type of the T-109 and T-343, etc. preferred limits of weight per square foot are from about 0.1 gm/ft.sup.2 to about 1 gram, if slight yellowing is not desired. For brown or red colored fabrics that do not show the yellowing or shade shift, up to several grams can be used. The preferred limits of the "Scotchguard" type repellent is from a few tenths to about 3 grams/ft.sup.2 depending upon the degree of repellency protection desired. The dried spray particle combination layer, indeed, appears to make more effective use of the UV absorber than without the repellency product combined therewith.

Further embodiments will occur to those skilled in this art, and such are considered to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.