Several types of polythiol resin were applied to wool fabric from organic solvent or aqueous emulsion and cured at room temperature to give shrink resistance. The most successful polythiols were those containing polyether structures and thiol functionality greater than two. Reaction of one of these polythiols with oxygen gas was demonstrated and is believed to be the means whereby the polythiols cure on the wool surface, forming disulfide crosslinks. Organic and inorganic bases, organic peroxides and hydroperoxides, and heavy metal compounds were effective catalysts. The influence of structural differences in the polythiols on the shrink resistance is discussed.
. BatesN. A., Polyamide-Epichlorohydrin Wet-Strength Resin. II. A Study of the Mechanism of Wet-Strength Development in Paper, Tappi52, 1162–1168 (1969).
3.
. BerenbaumM. B., Polysulfide Polymers, in “Encyclopedia of Polymer Sciences and Technology,”11, Eds. MarkH. F.GaylordN. G.BikalesN. M., Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1969, pp. 425–447.
4.
. BrownT. D.RushforthM.DobinsonB.WilsonW.WinterbottomK., Treatment of Keratinous Fibers and Fabrics, U. S. Pat. 3645781 (assigned to I.W.S. Nominee Co. Ltd. and CIBA-GEIGY A.G.) Feb. 29, 1972.
5.
. CameronG. M.DukeA. J., Epoxy Resin Compositions, U. S. Pat. 3352810 (assigned to CIBA Ltd.) Nov. 14, 1967.
6.
. CameronG. M.DukeA. J., Curable Ester Compositions, U. S. Pat. 3465057 (assigned to CIBA Ltd.) Sept. 2, 1969.
7.
. CullisC. F., Oxidation of Thiols in Gas-Liquid Systems, J. Appl. Chem. (London)18, 330–344 (1968).
. DobinsonB.HopeP.StarkB. P.WinterbottomK., Process for Modifying Keratinous Material, Brit. Pat. 1314680 (assigned to CIBA-GEIGY (UK) Ltd.) Apr. 26, 1973.
10.
. DobinsonB.HopeP.WinterbottomK., Modifying Keratinous Textiles and Fibers with Mercaptan Polyesters, U. S. Pat. 3706528 (assigned to CIBA-GEIGY A.G.) Dec. 19, 1972.
11.
. DobinsonB.HopeP.WinterbottomK.ShawT., Treatment of Keratinous Fibers and Fabrics, U. S. Pat. 3703352 (assigned to CIBA-GEIGY A.G. and I.W.S. Nominee Co. Ltd.) Nov. 21, 1972.
12.
. DobinsonB.WinterbottomK., Treatment of Keratinous Fibers and Fabrics with Polythiols, U. S. Pat. 3706527 (assigned to CIBA-GEIGY A.G.) Dec. 19, 1972.
13.
. DobinsonB.WinterbottomK., Treatment of Fibrous Materials, U. S. Pat. 3865621 (assigned to CIBA-GEIGY A.G.) Feb. 11, 1975.
14.
. DobinsonB.WinterbottomK., Method of Modifying Textiles and Fibers and Products Obtained, U. S. Pat. 3856464 (assigned to CIBA-GEIGY A.G.) Dec. 24, 1974.
. EphraimS. N., Thiol Containing Polyether and Process for Preparation Thereof, U. S. Pat. 3361723 (assigned to Synergy Chemicals, Inc.) Jan. 2, 1968.
17.
. International Wool Secretariat, Test Method 185.
18.
. KrieglerA. B., Covalent Bonding between Polymers and Wool Proteins: The Extent of Covalent Bonding between Wool and a Polyurethane Prepolymer Containing Isocyanate Groups, J. Textile Inst.62, 411–414 (1971).
19.
. Le FaveG. M.HayashiF. Y., Thiol Terminated Liquid Polymers, U. S. Pat. 3278496 (assigned to Diamond Alkali. Co.) Oct. 11, 1966.
20.
. ReidE. E., “The Organic Chemistry of Bivalent Sulfur,”The Chemical Publishing Co. Inc., New York, 1967, pp' 118–120.
. RushforthM.WinterbottomK., Treatment of Keratinous Fibers and Fabrics, U. S. Pat. 3860446 (assigned to CIBA-GEIGY A.G. and I.W.S. Nominee Co. Ltd.) Jan. 14, 1975.
23.
. ShawT.LewisJ., The Finishing of Wool Fabrics, Textile Progress4, 10–37 (1972).
24.
. WallaceT. J.SchriesheimA., Solvent Effects in the Base-Catalyzed Oxidation of Mercaptans with Molecular Oxygen, J. Org. Chem.27, 1514–1516 (1967).
