Indian Patents. 249483:"PROCESSING AGENTS AND METHODS FOR SYNTHETIC FIBERS"

Title of Invention	"PROCESSING AGENTS AND METHODS FOR SYNTHETIC FIBERS"
Abstract	A processing agent for synthetic fibers contains four specified kinds of component (Components A, B, C and D), each in a specified amount, and also in a specified total amount, so as to have the improved characteristics of preventing the occurence of fluffs, yarn breaking and uneven dyeing when applied to synthetic fibers in a specified amount.

Full Text	PROCESSING AGENTS AND METHODS FOR SYNTHETIC FIBERS Background of the Invention This invention relates to agents for the processing of synthetic fibers and methods of processing synthetic fibers. With the recent increase in the speed of spinning and fabrication processes for synthetic fibers, occurrence of fluffs and breaking in produced yarns, as well as dyeing specks on textiles.is becoming even more frequent. In order to prevent such occurrence of fluffs, yam breaking and dyeing specks, it has been known to increase the content of a functional improvement agent serving as a processing agent for the synthetic fibers to be applied thereto, or to increase the amount of such a processing agent to be applied, but such prior art attempts have not been sufficiently successful in view of the recent increase in the speed. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide improved processing agents and methods for synthetic fibers capable of sufficiently preventing the occurrence of fluffs, yarn breaking and dyeing specks in response to the recent increase in the production and processing speed. It has been known to use processing agents containing a lubricant and a functional improvement agent for synthetic fibers. Known examples of processing agents containing a functional improvement agent for preventing the occurrence of fluffs and yam breaking include those described in Japanese Patent Publications Tokkai 60-9971, 1-298281,2-47372, 60-181368,2000-136448, 3-97961 and 6-207379 and US patent 6,432,144B1. These processing agents are not sufficiently capable of preventing the occurrence of fluffs, yam breaking and dyeing specks in view of the requirement of the recent years due to increased processing speed. Summary of the Invention It is therefore an object of this invention to provide processing agents and .methods capable of sufficiently successfully preventing the occurrence of fluffs, yarn breaking and dyeing specks corresponding to the recent increase in the speed in the spinning and fabrication processes for synthetic fibers. The present invention is based on the discovery by the present inventors, as a result of their studies in view of the object described above, that use should be made of a processing agent containing four specified components at specified ratios and that a specified amount of such an agent should be applied to the synthetic fibers. Detailed Description of the Invention The invention firstly relates to a processing agent for synthetic fibers characterized as containing 70 weight % or more of a base oil composition which is comprised of Component A, Component B, Component C and Component D as defined • below, containing 50-90 weight % of Component A, 3-30 weight % of Component B, 0.1-10 weight % of Component C and 0.1-20 weight % of Component D such that ; Components A, B, C and D together make up 100 weight %. In the above, Component A is one or more selected from alkyleneoxide addition compounds simultaneously satisfying Conditions 1, 2 and 3 wherein Condition 1 is the condition of having a number average molecular weight of 1000-12000 and being obtainable by adding alkylene oxide(s) with 2-4 carbon atoms to monohydric-trihydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 1-24 carbon atoms, Condition 2 is the condition of having polyoxyalkylene groups comprising oxyalkylene units of which 10-80 weight % are oxyethylene units, and Condition 3 is the condition of containing 35 weight % or more of alkyleneoxide addition compounds obtainable by adding ethylene oxide and propylene oxide to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 6-10 carbon atoms; Component B is one or more selected from alkyleneoxide addition compounds with a number average molecular weight of 140-800 and obtainable by adding ethylene oxide or both ethylene oxide and propylene oxide to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 6-10 carbon atoms, having polyoxyalkylene groups of which more than 30 weight % of all constituent oxyalkylene units are oxyethylene units; Component c is one or more-selected from ionic surfactants; and Component D is one or mere selected from the group consisting of ether type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 210-950 and having ethylene oxide and propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic alcohoi(s) with 11-24 carbon atoms; ether type non-ionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 900-2000 and having ethylene oxide or propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 6-10 carbon atoms; ether type non-ionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 150-2500 and having ethylene oxide or propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 11-24 carbon atoms; ester type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 200-2000 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic acid(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms; nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 700-10000 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to animal oils and vegetable oils; aminoether type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 200-2500 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to aliphatic amine(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms; amidoether type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 250-2500 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to aliphatic amide(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms; partial ester type nonionic surfactants having dihydric-hexahydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 2-6 carbon atoms partially esterified with aliphatic acid(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms, and ether-ester nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 400-6000 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to partial ester(s) having trihydric-hexahydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 3-6 carbon atoms partially esterified with aliphatic acid(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms. The invention also relates to a method of processing synthetic fibers characterized by the step of applying a processing agent for synthetic fibers according to this invention to the synthetic fibers in an amount of 0.1-3 weight % with respect to the synthetic fibers. The processing agent for synthetic fibers according to this invention (hereinafter referred to simply as the processing agent of this invention) will be explained next in more detail. As explained summarily above, the processing agent of this invention is characterized as containing a base oil composition which is comprised of Component A, Component B, Component C and Component D, and Component A is one or more selected from aliyleneoxide addition compounds which simultaneously satisfy three specified conditions (Conditions 1-3). Condition 1 on Component A is a requirement that the alkyleneoxide addition compounds, of which Component A is one or more, should have a number average molecular weight of 1000-12000 and be obtainable by adding alkylene oxide(s) with 2-4 carbon atoms to monohydric-trihydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 1-24 carbon atoms. Examples of such monohydric-trihydric aliphatic alcohols with 1-24 carbon atoms include (1) monohydric straight-chain saturated aliphatic alcohols such as methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, propyl alcohol, butyi alcohol, pentyl alcohol, hexyl alcohol, heptyl alcohol, octyl alcohol, nonyl alcohol, decyl alcohol, undecyl alcohol, dodecyl alcohol, tridecyl alcohol, tetradecyl alcohol, pentadecyl alcohol, hexadecyl alcohol, heptadecyl alcohol, octadecyl alcohol, nonadecyl alcohol, eicosyl alcohol, heneicosyl alcohol, docosyl alcohol, tricosyl alcohol and tetracosyl alcohol; (2) monohydric branched saturated aliphatic alcohols such as isopropyl alcohol, isobutyl alcohol, isopentyl alcohol, 2-methyl-pentyl alcohol, 2-ethyl-hexyl alcohol, 2-propyl-heptyl alcohol, 2-butyl-octyl alcohol, 2-pentyl-nonyl alcohol, 2-hexyl-decyl alcohol, 2-heptyl-undecyl alcohol, 2-octyl-dodecyl alcohol, 2-nonyl-tridecyl alcohol, 2-decyl-tetradecyl alcohol, 2-undecyl-pentadecyl alcohol and 2-dodecyl-hexadecyl alcohol; (3) monohydric straight-chain unsaturated aliphatic alcohols such as 10-undecenyl alcohol, 9c-tetradecenyl alcohol, 9c-hexadecenyl alcohol, 9c-octadecenyl alcohol, 9t-octadecenyl alcohol, 9c,12c-octadecadienyl alcohol, 9c, 12c, 15c-octadecatrienyl alcohol, 9c-eicosenyl alcohol, 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraenyl alcohol, 13c-docosenyl alcohol and 13t-docosenyl alcohol; (4) dihydric aliphatic alcohols such as ethylene glycol, 1,2-propane diol, 1,3-propane diol, 1,4-butane diol, 1,6-hexane diol and neopentyl glycol; and (5) trihydric aliphatic alcohols such as glycerol and trimethylol propane. Examples of alkylene oxides with 2-4 carbon atoms in Condition 1 include ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, 1,2-butylene oxide and 1,4-butylene oxide, but ethylene oxide and propylene oxide are preferred. These alkylene oxides may be used singly or as a mixture. If they are used as a mixture, the type of addition of alkylene oxide(s) to monohydric-trihydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 1-24 carbon atoms may be random addition, block addition or random-block addition. The. number average molecular weight of alkyleneoxide addition compounds satisfying Condition 1 as described above is in the range of 1000-12000, and preferably 1000-10000. Condition 2 on Component A is a requirement that the alkyleneoxide addition compounds should have polyoxyalkylene groups comprising oxyalkylene units of which 10-80 weight % are oxyethylene units. Condition 3 on Component A is a requirement of containing 35 weight % or more of alkyleneoxide addition compounds obtained by adding ethylene oxide and propylene oxide to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 6-10 carbon atoms. Examples of such monohydric aliphatic alcohols with 6-10 carbon atoms include (1) straight-chain saturated \| aliphatic alcohols such as hexyl alcohol, heptyl alcohol, octyl alcohol, nonyl alcohol and decyl alcohol; and (2) branched saturated aliphatic alcohols such as 2-methyl-pentyl alcohol, 2-ethyl-hexyl alcohol and 2-propyl-heptyl alcohol. Component A is one or more selected from alkyleneoxide addition compounds simultaneously satisfying aforementioned Conditions 1, 2 and 3, but those containing Component E and Component F described below in a total amount of 50 weight % or more at a weight ratio of 50/50-90/10 are preferred, where Component E is an alkyleneoxide addition compound with a number average molecular weight of 1000-12000, obtainable by adding ethylene oxide and propylene oxide to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 6-10 carbon atoms in a weight ratio of 35/65-80/20 and Component F is an alkyleneoxide addition compound with a number average molecular weight of 1000-12000, obtainable by adding ethylene oxide and propylene oxide to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 11-16 carbon atoms in a weight ratio of 10/90-80/20. Examples of monohydric aliphatic alcohols with 6-10 carbon atoms for Component E include (1) straight-chain saturated aliphatic alcohols such as hexyl alcohol, heptyl alcohol, octyl alcohol, nonyl alcohol and decyl alcohol; and (2) branched saturated aliphatic alcohols such as 2-methyl-pentyl alcohol, 2-ethyl-hexyl alcohol and 2-propyl-heptyl alcohol. Examples of monohydric aliphatic alcohols with 11-16 carbon atoms for Component F include undecyl alcohol, dodecyl alcohol, tridecyl alcohol, tetradecyl alcohol, pentadecyl alcohol, hexadecyl alcohol, 2-propyl-heptyl alcohol, 2-butyl-octyl alcohoL 2-pentyi-nonyl alcohol, 2-hexyi-decyi alcohoL 9c-tetradecenyi alcohol and 9c-hexadecenyi alcohoL Among these, however, those containing 70 molar % or more of straight-chain aliphatic, alcohol(s) such as dodecyl alcohol, tridecyl alcohol, tetradecyl alcohol, pentadecyl alcohol arid hexadetyl alcohol are preferred. These alkyleneoxide addition compounds serving as Component A themselves can be synthesized by commonly known methods such as the method of causing alkylene oxide(s) with 2-4 carbon atoms to sequentially undergo addition reactions to aliphatic alcohol(s) in the presence of an alkaline catalyst. Component B is one or more selected from alkyleneoxide addition compounds obtainable by adding ethylene oxide or ethylene oxide and propylene oxide to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 6-10 carbon atoms. Examples of monohydric aliphatic alcohols with 6-10 carbon atoms include (1) straight-chain saturated aliphatic alcohols such as hexyl alcohol, heptyl alcohol, octyl alcohol, nonyl alcohol and decyl alcohol; and (2) branched saturated aliphatic alcohols such as isooctyl alcohol, 2-methyl-pentyl alcohol, 2-ethylhexyl alcohol, 3,3,5-trimethyl-hexyl alcohol, 2-methyloctyl alcohol and 2-propyl-heptyl alcohol. The number average molecular weight of alkyleneoxide addition compound adducts as Component B is 140-800, and is more preferably 200-700. The ratio of oxyethylene units to all oxyalkylene units that form the poly oxyalkylene group of the alkyleneoxide adduct is 30 weight % or more, and is more preferably 50 weight % or more. There is no particular limitation on the form of addition of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide'to the aliphatic alcohol(s). Component C is an ionic surfactant. Ionic surfactants of known kinds can be used for the purpose of this invention. Examples thereof include (1) anionic surfactants including organic salts of sulfonic acids such as sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate, organic esters of sulfuric acid such as sodium laurylpoly(oxyethylene) sulfate, organic esters of phosphoric acid such as potassium polyoxyiauryl phosphate, and organic salts of aliphatic acids such as sodium oleate and potassium alkenyl succinate; (2) cationic surfactants including quaternary ammonium salts such as lauryl trimethyl ammonium sulfate and surfactants such as 2-heptadecenyl-hydroxyethyl-imidazoline; and (3) amphoteric surfactants such as octyldimethyl amrnonio acetate, lauryl amino propionate and lauryl amine oxide. Among these, anionic surfactants are preferred. • Component D is a specified kind of nonionic surfactant. Examples thereof include (1) ether type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 210-950 having ethylene oxide and propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 11-24 carbon atoms; (2) ether type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 900-2000 and having ethylene oxide or propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 6-10 carbon atoms; (3) ether type non-ionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 150-2500 and having ethylene oxide or propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 11-24 carbon atoms; (4) ester type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 200-2000 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic acid(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms; (5) nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 1700-10000 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to animal oils and/or vegetable oils; (6) aminoether type nonionic surfactants with • a number average molecular weight of 200-2500 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to aliphatic amine(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms; (7) amidoether type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 250-2500 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to aliphatic amide(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms; (8) partial ester type nonionic surfactants having dihydric- hexahydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 2-6 carbon atoms partially esterified with aliphatic acid(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms; and (9) ether-ester nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 400-6000 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to partial ester(s) having trihydric-hexahydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 3-6 carbon atoms partially esterified with aliphatic acid(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms. Examples of ether type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 210-950 and having ethylene oxide and propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 11-24 carbon atoms, serving as Component D, include a- undecyl--hydroxy-poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene), α-dodecyl--hydroxy-poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene), α-tridecyl--hydroxy-poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene), α-tetradecyl--hydroxy-poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene), α-pentadecyl--hydroxy-poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene), α-hexadecyl--hydroxy-poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene), α-heptadecyl-o-hydroxy- poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene), α-octadecyl-w-hydroxy-poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene), α-nonadecyl-w-hydroxy-poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene), α-eicosyl--hydroxy-poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene), α-eicosenyl--hydroxy-poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene) and α-docosyl--hydroxy-poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene). Examples of ether type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 900-2000 and having ethylene oxide or propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 6-10 carbon atoms, serving as Component D, include a-hexyl-w-hydroxy-poryoxyethylene, a-octyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, a-nonyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, a-decyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, a-hexyl--hydroxy-polyoxypropylene, a-octyl-w-hydroxy-polyoxypropylene, a-nonyl-w-hydroxy-polyoxypropylene and a-decyl-w-hydroxy-polyoxypropylene. Examples of ether type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 150-2500 and having ethylene oxide or propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 11-24 carbon atoms, serving as Component D, include α-undecyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, α-dodecyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethylene.α-tridecyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, α-tetradecyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, α-pentadecyl-w-hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, α-hexadecyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, α-heptadecyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, α-octadecyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethyIene, α-nonadecyl-w-hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, α-eicosyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, α-eicosenyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, α-docosyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, α-dodecyl-w-hydroxy-polyoxypropylene, α-tridecyl-w-hydroxy- polyoxypropylene, α-tetradecyl--hydroxy-polyoxypropylene, α-pentadecyl-w-hydroxy- polyoxypropylene, α-hexadecyl-w-hydroxy-polyoxypropylene, α-heptadecyl-w-hydroxy- polyoxypropylene, α-octadecyl-w-hydroxy-polyoxypropylene, α-nonadecyl-w-hydroxy- polyoxypropylene, α-eicosyl--hydroxy-polyoxypropylene, α-eicosenyl-w-hydroxy- polyoxypropylene and α-docosyl--hydroxy-polyoxypropylene. Examples of ester type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 200-2000 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic acid(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms, serving as Component D, include poly(oxyethylene) caprylate, poly(oxyethylene) laurate, poly(oxyethylene) myristate, po!y(oxyethylene) palmitate, poly(oxyethylene) stearate, poly(oxyethylene) oleate, poly(oxyethylene) linolate poly(oxyethylene) erucate, poly(oxyethylene) recinolate, poly(oxyethylene) lignocerate, poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene) caprylate, poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene) laurate, poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene) myristate, poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene) palmitate, poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene) stearate, poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene) oleate, poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene) linolate, poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene) erucate, poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene) recinolate, poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene) lignocerate, poly(oxypropylene) laurate, poly(oxypropylene) myristate, poly(oxypropylene) palmitate, poly(oxypropylene) stearate and poly(oxypropylene) oleate. Examples of nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 700- 10000 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to animal oils and/or vegetable oils, serving as Component D, include (1) ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide adducts of vegetable oils such as soy bean oil, sunflower seed oil, cotton seed oil, sesame seed oil, rape seed oil, rice bran oil, castor oil, hydrogenated castor oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil and coconut oil; and (2) ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide adducts of animal oils such as beef tallow, lard and mutton tallow. Examples of-aminoether type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 200-2500 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to aliphatic amine(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms, serving as Component D, include N,N-bis (2-hydroxyethyl) octylamine, N,N-bis (2-hydroxyethyl) nonylamine, N,N-bis (2-hydroxyethyl) lauiylamine, N,N-bis (2-hydroxyethyl) myristylamine, N,N-bis (2-hydroxyethyl) cetylamine, N,N-bis (2-hydroxyethyl) stearylamine, N,N-bis (2-hydroxyethyl) aralkylamine, N-(2-hydroxyethyl) dioctylamine, N-(2-hydroxyethyl) dinonylamine, N-(2-hydroxyethyl) dilaurylamine, N-(2-hydroxyethyl) dimyristylamine, N-(2-hydroxyethyI) dicetylamine, N-(2-hydroxyethyl) distearylamine, N,N-bis (2-hydroxypropyl) octylamine, N,N-bis (2-hydroxypropyl) nonylamine, N,N-bis (2-hydroxypropyl) laurylamine, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene) octylamine, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene) nonylamine, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene) laurylamine, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene) myristylarnme, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene) cetylamine, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene) stearylamine, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene) aralkylamine, N-(polyoxyethylene) dioctylamine, N-(polyoxyethylene) dinonylamine, N-(polyoxyethylene) dilaurylamine, N-(polyoxyethylene) dimyrisitylamine, N-(polyoxyethylene) dicetylamine, N-(polyoxyethylene) distearylamine, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene polypropylene) octylamine, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene polypropylene) nonylamine, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene polypropylene) laurylamine, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene polypropylene) myristylamine, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene polypropylene) cetylamine, NJNf-bis (polyoxyethylene polypropylene) stearylamine, N,N-bis (polypropylene) octylamine, N,N-bis (polypropylene) nonylamine, N,N-bis (polypropylene) laurylamine, N,N-bis (polypropylene) myristylamine, N,N-bis (polypropylene) cetylamine and N,N-bis (polypropylene") stearylamine. Examples of amidoether type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 250-2500 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to aliphatic amide(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms, serving as Component D, include N,N-bis (hydroxyethyl) octanamide, N,N-bis (hydroxyethyl) dodecanamide, N,N-bis (hydroxyethyl) octadecanamide, N,N-bis (hydroxyethyl) octadecenamide, N,N-bis (hydroxyethyl) docosanamide, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene) octanamide, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene) dodecanamide, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene) octadecanamide, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene) octadecenamide, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene) docosanamide, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene) octanamide, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene) dodecanamide, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene) octadecanamide, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene) octadecenamide, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene) docosanamide, N,N-bis (polyoxypropylene) octanamide, N,N-bis (polyoxypropylene) dodecanamide, N,N-bis (polyoxypropylene) octadecanamide, N,N-bis (polyoxypropylene) octadecenamide and N,N-bis (polyoxypropylene) docosanamide. Examples of partial ester type nonionic surfactants having dihydric-hexahydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 2-6 carbon atoms partially esterified with aliphatic acid(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms, serving as Component D, include (1) partial esters of ethyleneglycol such as ethyleneglycol monolaurate, ethyleneglycol monopalmitate, ethyleneglycol monooleate and ethyleneglycol behenate; (2) partial esters of propyleneglycol such as propyleneglycol monomyristate, propyleneglycol monopalmitate, propyleneglycol monostearate and propyleneglycol monooleate; (3) partial esters of glycerol such as glycerol monolaurate, glycerol monopalmitate, glycerol monooleate, glycerol monolinolate, glycerol dilaurate, glycerol dioleate, glycerol laurate myristate and glycerol palmitolate stearate; (4) partial esters of trimethylol propane such as trimethylol propane monolaurate, trimethylol propane palmitate, trimethylol propane monooleate and trimethylol propane monobehenate; (5) partial esters of pentaerythritol such as pentaerythritol monomyristrate, pentaerythritol monooleate, pentaerythritol dilaurate, pentaerythritol dilinolate, pentaerythritol laurate myristate, pentaerythritol trioleate, pentaerythritol dilaurate myristate, pentaerythritol dipalmitolate stearate and pentaerythritol dipalmitolate oleate; (6) partial esters of diglycerol such as diglycerol monolaurate, diglycerol monooleate, diglycerol dipalmitate, diglycerol trilaurate, diglycerol dilaurate myristate and diglycerol stearate dipalmitolate; (7) partial esters of sorbitan such as sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monostearate, sorbitan monooleate, sorbitan monolinolate, sorbitan dimyristate, sorbitan dipalmitate, sorbitan dioleate, sorbitan palmitolate, sorbitan tripalmitate, sorbitan trioleate, sorbitan rririnoleate, sorbitan dilaurate myristate and sorbitan dipalmitolate; (8) partial esters of triglycerol such as triglycerol monolaurate, triglycerol monooleate, triglycerol dioleate, triglycerol trilaurate, triglycerol trioleate and triglycerol palmitolate dioleate; (9) partial esters of tetraglycerol such as tetraglycerol monolaurate, tetraglycerol monooleate and tetraglycerol dioleate; and (10) partial esters of dipentaerythritol such as dipentaerythritol monomyristate, dipentaerythritol monorinoleate and dipentaerythritol dioleate. Examples of ether-ester nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 400-6000' and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to partial ester(s) having trihydric-hexahydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 3-6 carbon atoms partially esterified with aliphatic acid(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms, serving as Component D,. include ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide adducts of partial esters such as glycerol partial esters, trimethylol propane partial esters, pentaerythritol partial esters, diglycerol partial esters, ethyleneglycol diglycerylether partial esters, sorbitan partial esters, triglycerol partial esters, tetraglycerol partial esters and dipentaerythritol partial esters. Processing agents according to this invention are characterized as containing 7U weight % or more of a base oil composition that contains 50-90 weight % of Component A, 3-30 weight % of Component B, 0.1-10 weight % of Component C and 0.1-20 weight % of Component D such that said Components A-D together make up a total 100 weight % but those containing 80 weight % or more of a base oil composition that contains 55-90 weight % of Component A, 5-20 weight % of Component B, 0.3-5 weight % of Component C and 1-20 weight % of Component D such that Components A-D together make up a total of 100 weight % are preferred. It is further preferable that the processing agents further contain Component G, which is one or more selected from aliphatic ester compounds shown by R*-X-R2 (Formula 1) and aliphatic ester compounds shown by R3-R4 (Formula 2) where R1 and R3 are each the residual group obtainable by removing the hydrogen atom from an aliphatic monohydric alcohol with 8-18 carbon atoms, R2 is the residual group obtainable by removing the hydrogen atom from an aliphatic carboxylic acid with 8-18 carbon atoms and R4 is the residual group obtainable by removing the hydroxyl group from an aliphatic carboxylic acid with 8-18 carbon atoms. X is the residual group obtainable by removing all hydroxyl groups from a (poly)alkyleneglycol having a (poly)oxyalkylene group formed with a total of 1-10 oxyethylene units and/or oxypropylene units. In Formula 1, R1 is the residual group obtainable by removing the hydrogen atom from an aliphatic monohydric alcohol with 8-18 carbon atoms such as octyi alcohol, lauryl alcohol, tridecyl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol and oleyl alcohol. R2 is the residual group obtainable by removing the hydrogen atom from an aliphatic monohydric carboxylic acid with 8-18 carbon atoms such as capronic acid, caprylic acid, caprinic acid, undecanoic acid, lauric acid, tridecanoic acid, myristic acid, pentadecanoic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, palmitoleic acid, oleic acid, isooctanoic acid, isohexadecanoic acid and isooctadecanoic acid. X is the residual group obtainable by removing all hydroxyl groups from a (poly)alkyleneglycol having a (poly)oxyalkylene group formed with a total of 1-10 oxyethylene units and/or oxypropylene units. Examples of such residual groups include (1) residual groups obtainable by removing all hydroxyl groups from a (poly)ethyleneglycol having a (poly)oxyethylene group formed with a total of 1-10 oxyethylene units; (2) residual groups obtainable by removing all hydroxyl groups from a (poly)propyleneglycol having a (poly)oxypropylene group formed with a total of 1-10 oxypropylene units; and (3) residual groups obtainable by removing all hydroxyl groups from a (poly)alkyleneglycol having a (poly)oxyethylene(poly)oxypropylene group formed with a total of 2-10 oxyethylene units and oxypropylene units. In Formula 2, R3 is as explained above for R1. R4 is the residual group obtainable by removing the hydroxyl group from an aliphatic monohydric carboxylic acid with 8-18 carbon atoms such as capronic acid, caprylic acid, caprinic acid, undecanoic acid, lauric acid, tridecanoic acid, myristyc acid, pentadecanoic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, palmitoleic acid, oleic acid, isooctanoic acid, isohexadecanoic acid and .isooctadecanoic acid. If a processing agent of this invention contains component G as described above, Component G is contained in an amount of 5-40 weight parts, and more preferably 5-30 weight parts, per 100 weight parts of the base oil composition. It is further preferable that processing agents further contain Component H which is a polyoxyalkylene modified silicone and/or dimethyl silicone and/or Component I, which is one or more selected from phenol antioxidants, phosphite antioxidants and thioether antioxidants. Examples of Component H include (1) a polyoxyalkylene modified silicone; (2) a dimethyl silicone; and (3) mixtures of (1) and (2), but a polyoxyalkylene modified silicone is preferable. Preferable among the examples of polyoxyalkylene modified silicones are those having polyoxyalkylene groups comprising oxyalkylene units which are oxyethylene units and/or oxypropylene units and containing the polyoxyalkylene groups and silicone chains at a. weight ratio of 25/75-90/10. Examples of such polyoxyalkylene modified silicones include (1) polyoxyethylene modified silicones, (2) polyoxypropylene modified silicones, and (3) polyoxyethylenepolyoxypropylene modified silicones. Preferable among these are those having a polyoxyalkylene group of which more than 25 weight % of the total oxyalkylene units are oxyethylene units. The weight ratio between the polyoxyalkylene group and the silicone chain in the polyoxyalkylene modified silicones is preferably 25/75-90/10, and is more preferably 30/70-85/15. The number average molecular weight is preferably in the range of 2500-50000. As for dimethyl silicones serving as Component H, linear dimethyl silicones with a viscosity of Ixl0"6-lxl0"4m2/s are preferred. Examples of Component I include (1) phenol antioxidants; (2) phosphite antioxidants; (3) thioether antioxidants; and (4) mixtures of two or more selected from (l)-(3) above. Among those, however, phenol antioxidants are preferable. Examples of phenol antioxidants serving as Component I include triethyleneglycol-bis[3-(3-t-butyl-5-methyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate], 1,3,5-trimemyl-2,4,6-1ris(3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyben2yl) benzene, l,6-hexanediol-bis[3-(3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate], pentaery1hiitol-tEtrakis[3-{3,5-&-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate], 2,2'-methylene-bis-(6-t-butyl-4-methylphenol), 2,2'-butylidene-bis^S-t-buryM-methylphenol), 1,1,3-tris(2-methyl-4-hydroxy-5-t-butylphenol) butane, l,3,5-tris(3',5'-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyben2yl) isocyanuric acid and l,3,5-tris(4-butyl-3-hydroxy-2,6-dimethylbenzyl) isocyanuric acid, which are all known examples. Examples of phosphite antioxidants serving as Component I include octyldiphenyl phosphite, trisnonylphenyl phosphite, tetratridecyl-4,4'-butylidene-bis-(2-t-butyl-5-methylphenol) diphosphate, mono(dinonylphenyl) phosphite and di(p-nonylphenyl) phosphite, which are all known examples. Examples of thioether antioxidants serving as Component I include 4,4'-thiobis-(6-t-butyl-3-methyrphenol) and dnauryl-3,3'-thiodipropionate, which are all known examples. If a processing agent of this invention contains Component H and/or Component I, it is to contain Component H and/or Component I in a total amount of 0.3-6 weight parts per 100 weight parts of the base oil composition. It is preferable, however, that Component H is contained in an amount of 0.5-3 weight parts and Component I in an amount of 0.5-3 weight parts. Processing agents according to this invention may contain other components within the limitation of not adversely affecting the desired effects obtained by the invention. Examples of such other components that may be contained include emulsion coadjutants, lubricants such as mineral oils, amtifoaming agents, antiseptics and antirust agents. Next, the method according to this invention for processing synthetic fibers (hereinafter referred to simply as the method of this invention) is explained. The method of this mvention is a method of applying a processing agent of this invention as described above in an amount of 0.1-3 weight % and more preferably 0.3-1.2 weight % of the synthetic fibers to be processed. The fabrication step during which a processing agent of this invention is to be applied to the synthetic fibers may be the spinning step or the step during which spinning and drawing are carried out simultaneously. Examples of the method of causing a processing agent of this invention to be attached to the synthetic fibers include the roller oiling method, the guide oiling method using a measuring pump, the immersion oiling method and the spray oiling method. The form in which a processing agent of this mvention may be applied to synthetic fibers may be neat, as an organic solution or as an aqueous solution but the form as an aqueous solution is preferable, and it is particularly preferable as an aqueous solution containing said processing agent in an amount of 5-30 weight %. When such a solution is applied, it is preferable to apply the solution in an amount of 0.1-3 weight % and more particularly 0.3-1.2 weight % of the processing agent with respect to the synthetic fiber. Examples of synthetic fibers that may be processed by a method of this invention include (1) polyester fibers such as polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene terephthalate and polylactic ester fibers; (2) polyamide fibers such as nylon 6 and nylon 66; (3) polyacryl fibers such as polyacrylic and modacrylic fibers; (4) polyolefin fibers such as polyethylene and polypropylene fibers and polyurethane fibers. The present invention is particularly effective, however, when applied to polyester fibers and polyamide fibers. The invention is described next by way of examples but it goes without saying that these examples are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. In what follows, "part" will mean "weight part" and"%" will mean "weight %" unless otherwise specified. For convenience of description, ethylene oxide and propylene oxide will be respectively written as EO and PO, and repetition numbers of oxyethylene units and oxypropylene units will be respectively written as n and m. Part 1 (Preparation of processing agents for synthetic fibers) Test Example 1 (Preparation of processing agent (P-l)) Respectively 75 parts, 13 parts, 2 parts and 10 parts of Components A, B, C and D as described below were uniformly mixed together to prepare 100 parts of a base oil composition which was defined as processing agent (P-l). Composition A: A mixture at weight ratio of 40/20/15 of polyether monool with number average molecular weight of 1000 with random addition of EO(ethylene oxide) and PO(propylene oxide) at weight ratio of 40/60 to 2-ethylhexyl alcohol, polyether monool number average molecular weight of 3000 with random addition of EO and PO at weight ratio of 50/50 to butyl alcohol, and polyether monool with number average molecular weight of 3500 with random addition of EO and PO at weight ratio of 70/30; Composition B: Alkyleneoxide adduct with 5 moles of EO added to 1 mole of 3,5,5-trimethyl-hexyl alcohol; Composition C: A mixture at weight ratio of 0.5/1/0.5 of potassium decansulfonate, potassium phosphate of a-dodecyl-Q-hydroxy poly(oxyethylene) (n=3, n is number of oxyethylene units), and cis-9-potassium octadecenate; Component D: A mixture at weight ratio of 5/5 of nonionic surfactant having 7 moles of EO added to one mole of cis-9-octadecenoic acid and nonionic surfactant having 20 moles of EO added to one mole of hydrogenated castor oil. Test Examples 2-36 and Comparison Examples 1-28 (Preparation of processing agents (P-2KP-36) and (R-l)-(R-28)) Processing agents (P-2)-(P-36) of Test Examples 2-36 and processing agents (R-l)-(R-28) of Comparison Examples 1-28 were prepared similarly as processing agent (P-1) of Test Example 1. Details of the components used for the preparation of these processing agents are shown in Tables 1-8 and the details of these processing agents are shown in Tables 9-18. (TABLE REMOVED) Part 2 Attachment of processing agent onto synthetic fibers Each of the processing agents prepared in Part 1 was uniformly mixed with diluting water to prepare a 10% aqueous solution. After polyethylene terephthalate chips with intrinsic viscosity of 0.64 and containing titanium oxide by 0.2% were dried by a known method, they were spun at 295 °C by using an extruder. The 10% aqueous solution thus prepared was applied onto the yams extruded out of the nozzle to be cooled and solidified by a guide oiling method using a measuring pump such that the attached amount of the processing agent became as shown in Table 19 or 20. Thereafter, the yarns were collected by means of a guide and wound up at the rate of 3000m/minute without any drawing by a mechanical means to obtain partially drawn 128 decitex-36 filament yams as wound cakes of 10kg. False twisting The cakes thus obtained as described above were subjected to a false twisting process under the conditions described below by using a false twister of the contact heater type (product name of SDS1200 produced by Teijinseiki Co., Ltd.): Fabrication speeds: 700m/minute and lOOOm/minute; Draw ratio: 1.652; Twisting system: Three-axis disk friction method (with one guide disk on the inlet side, one guide disk on the outlet side and four hard polyurethane disks); Heater on twisting side: Length of 2.5m with surface temperature of 210°C; Heater on untwisting side; None; Target number of twisting; 3300T/m. The false twisting process was carried out under the conditions given above by a continuous operation of 25 days. Evaluation of fluffs In the aforementioned false twisting process, the number of fluffs per hour was measured by means of a fly counter (produce name of DT-105 produced by Toray Engineering Co., Ltd.) before the false twisted yams were wound up and evaluated according to the standards as described below: AAA: The measured number of fluffs was zero; AA: The measured number of fluffs was less than 1 (exclusive of zero); A: The measured number of fluffs was 1-2; B: The measured number of fluffs was 3-9; C: The measured number of fluffs was 10 or greater. The results of the measurement are shown in Tables 19 and 20. Evaluation of yarn breaking The number of occurrences of yarn breaking during the 25 days of operation in the false twisting process described above was converted into the number per day and such converted numbers were evaluated according to the standards as described below: AAA: The number of occurrence was zero; AA: The number of occurrence was less than 0.5 (exclusive of zero); A: The number of occurrence was 0.5 or greater and less than 1; B: The number of occurrence was 1 or greater and less than 5; C: The number of occurrence was 5 or greater. The results are shown in Tables 19 and 20. Pyeing property A fabric with diameter of 70mm and length of 1.2m was produced from the false-twisted yarns on which fluffs were measured as above by using a knitting machine for tubular fabric. The fabric thus produced was dyed by a high temperature and high pressure dyeing method by using disperse dyes (product name of Kayalon Polyester Blue-EBL-E produced by Nippon Kayaku Co. Ltd.). The dyed fabrics were washed with water, subjected to a reduction cleaning process and dried according to a known routine and were thereafter set on an iron cylinder with diameter 70mm and length lm. An inspection process for visually counting the number of points of densely dyed potion on the fabric surface was repeated five times and the evaluation results thus obtained were converted into the number of points per sheet of fabric. The evaluation was carried out according to the following standards: AAA: There was no densely dyed portion; AA: There was 1 point of densely dyed portion; A: There were 2 points of densely dyed portion; B: There were 3-6 points of densely dyed portion; C: There were 7 or more points of densely dyed portion. The results are shown in Tables 19 and 20. From the results shown in Tables 19 and 20, it should be clear that the present invention has the favorable effects of sufficiently preventing the occurrence of fluffs, yard breaking and uneven dyeing as the speed of the spinning and fabrication processes of synthetic fibers is increased in recent years. (TABLE REMOVED) We Claim: 1. A processing agent for synthetic fibers, said processing agent containing 70 weight % or more of a base oil composition, said base oil composition including 50- 90 weight % of Component A, 3-30 weight % of Component B, 0.1-10 weight % of Component C and 0.1-20 weight % of Component D such that said Components A-D together make up a total of 100 weight % of said base oil composition; and optionally the said processing agent containing 5-40 weight parts of a Component G and a total of 0.3-6 weight parts of a Component H and/or Component I per 100 weight parts of said base oil composition; wherein said Component A is one or more selected from alkyleneoxide addition compounds simultaneously satisfying Conditions 1, 2 and 3, wherein Condition 1 is the condition of having a number average molecular weight of 1000-12000 and is obtained by adding alkylene oxide(s) with 2-4 carbon atoms to monohydric-trihydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 1-24 carbon atoms, Condition 2 is the condition of having polyoxyalkylene groups comprising oxyalkylene units of which 10-80 weight % are oxyethylene units, and Condition 3 is the condition of containing 35 weight % or more of alkyleneoxide addition compounds obtained by adding ethylene oxide and propylene oxide to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 6-10 carbon atoms; wherein Component B is one or more selected from alkyleneoxide addition compounds with a number average molecular weight of 140-800 and obtained by adding ethylene oxide or both ethylene oxide and propylene oxide to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 6-10 carbon atoms, having polyoxyalkylene groups of which more than 30 weight % of all constituent oxyalkylene units are oxyethylene units; wherein Component C is one or more selected from ionic surfactants; and wherein Component D is one or more selected from the group consisting of ether type non-ionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 210-950 and having ethylene oxide and propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 11-24 carbon atoms; ether type non-ionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 900-2000 and having ethylene oxide or propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 6-10 carbon atoms; ether type non-ionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 150-2500 and having ethylene oxide or propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 11-24 carbon atoms; ester type non-ionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 200-2000 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic acid(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms; non-ionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 700-10000 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to animal oils and/or vegetable oils; aminoether type non-ionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 200-2500 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to aliphatic amine(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms; amidoether type non-ionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 250-2500 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to aliphatic amide(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms; partial ester type non-ionic surfactants having dihydric-hexahydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 2-6 carbon atoms partially esterified with aliphatic acid(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms; and ether-ester non ionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 400-6000 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added t) partial ester(s) having trihydrichexahydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 3-6 carbon atoms partially esterified with aliphatic acid(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms. 2. The processing agent as claimed in claim 1, containing 80 weight % or more of said base oil composition, said base oil composition containing 55-90 weight % of said Component A, 5-20 weight % of said Component B, 0.3-5 weight % of said Component C and 1-20 weight % of said Component D. 3. The processing agent as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said Component A contains Component E and Component F in a in a total amount of 50 weight % or more and at a weight ratio of 50/50-90/10; wherein said Component E is an alkyleneoxide addition compound with a number average molecular weight of 1000-12000 and is obtained by adding ethylene oxide and propylene oxide to monohydric alipllatic alcohol(s) with 6-10 carbon atoms in a weight ratio of 35/65-80/20; and wherein said Component F is an alkyleneoxide addition compound with a number average molecular weight of 1000-12000 and is obtained by adding ethylene oxide and propylene oxide to monohydric alipllatic alcohol(s) with 11-16 carbon atoms in a weight ratio of 10/90-80/20. 4. The processing agent as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said Component G is one or more selected from the group consisting of aliphatic ester compounds shown by R1-X-R2 and aliphatic ester compounds shown by R3-R4 where R1 and R3 are each the residual group obtained by removing the hydrogen atom from an aliphatic monohydric alcohol with 8-18 carbon atoms, R2 is the residual group obtained by removing the hydrogen atom from an aliphatic carboxylic acid with 8-18 carbon atoms, R4 is the residual group obtained by removing the hydroxyl group from an aliphatic carboxylic acid with 8-18 carbon atoms, and X is the residual group obtained by removing all hydroxyl groups from a (poly)alkyleneglycol having a (poly)oxyalkylene group formed with a total of 1-10 oxyethylene units and/or oxpropylene units. 5. The processing agent as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein said Component H is a polyoxyalkylene modified silicone and/or a dimethyl silicone, and wherein said Component I is one or more selected from the group consisting of phenol antioxidants, phosphite antioxidants and thioether antioxidants. 6. The processing agent as claimed in claim 5, containing 5-30 weight parts of said Component G, 0.5-3 weight parts of said Component H and 0.5-3 weight parts of said Component I per 100 weight parts of said base oil composition. 7. The processing agent as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein said Component H is a polyoxyalkylene modified silicone. 8. The processing agent as claimed in any of claims 5 to 7, wherein said Component I is a phenol antioxidant. 9. The processing agent as claimed in claims 1 to 8 for the use in processing synthetic fibers.

Full Text

PROCESSING AGENTS AND METHODS FOR SYNTHETIC FIBERS
Background of the Invention
This invention relates to agents for the processing of synthetic fibers and methods of processing synthetic fibers.
With the recent increase in the speed of spinning and fabrication processes for synthetic fibers, occurrence of fluffs and breaking in produced yarns, as well as dyeing specks on textiles.is becoming even more frequent. In order to prevent such occurrence of fluffs, yam breaking and dyeing specks, it has been known to increase the content of a functional improvement agent serving as a processing agent for the synthetic fibers to be applied thereto, or to increase the amount of such a processing agent to be applied, but such prior art attempts have not been sufficiently successful in view of the recent increase in the speed. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide improved processing agents and methods for synthetic fibers capable of sufficiently preventing the occurrence of fluffs, yarn breaking and dyeing specks in response to the recent increase in the production and processing speed.
It has been known to use processing agents containing a lubricant and a functional improvement agent for synthetic fibers. Known examples of processing agents containing a functional improvement agent for preventing the occurrence of fluffs and yam breaking include those described in Japanese Patent Publications Tokkai 60-9971, 1-298281,2-47372, 60-181368,2000-136448, 3-97961 and 6-207379 and US patent 6,432,144B1. These processing agents are not sufficiently capable of preventing the occurrence of fluffs, yam breaking and dyeing specks in view of the requirement of the recent years due to increased processing speed.
Summary of the Invention
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide processing agents and .methods capable of sufficiently successfully preventing the occurrence of fluffs, yarn breaking and dyeing specks corresponding to the recent increase in the speed in the spinning and fabrication processes for synthetic fibers.
The present invention is based on the discovery by the present inventors, as a result of their studies in view of the object described above, that use should be made of a processing agent containing four specified components at specified ratios and that a specified amount of such an agent should be applied to the synthetic fibers.
Detailed Description of the Invention
The invention firstly relates to a processing agent for synthetic fibers characterized as containing 70 weight % or more of a base oil composition which is comprised of Component A, Component B, Component C and Component D as defined
• below, containing 50-90 weight % of Component A, 3-30 weight % of Component B, 0.1-10 weight % of Component C and 0.1-20 weight % of Component D such that
; Components A, B, C and D together make up 100 weight %. In the above, Component A is one or more selected from alkyleneoxide addition compounds simultaneously satisfying Conditions 1, 2 and 3 wherein Condition 1 is the condition of having a number average molecular weight of 1000-12000 and being obtainable by adding alkylene oxide(s) with 2-4 carbon atoms to monohydric-trihydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 1-24 carbon atoms, Condition 2 is the condition of having polyoxyalkylene groups comprising oxyalkylene units of which 10-80 weight % are oxyethylene units, and Condition 3 is the condition of containing 35 weight % or more of alkyleneoxide addition compounds obtainable by adding ethylene oxide and propylene oxide to monohydric
aliphatic alcohol(s) with 6-10 carbon atoms; Component B is one or more selected from alkyleneoxide addition compounds with a number average molecular weight of 140-800 and obtainable by adding ethylene oxide or both ethylene oxide and propylene oxide to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 6-10 carbon atoms, having polyoxyalkylene groups of which more than 30 weight % of all constituent oxyalkylene units are oxyethylene units; Component c is one or more-selected from ionic surfactants; and Component D is one or mere
selected from the group consisting of ether type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 210-950 and having ethylene oxide and propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic alcohoi(s) with 11-24 carbon atoms; ether type non-ionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 900-2000 and having ethylene oxide or propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 6-10 carbon atoms; ether type non-ionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 150-2500 and having ethylene oxide or propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 11-24 carbon atoms; ester type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 200-2000 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic acid(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms; nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 700-10000 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to animal oils and vegetable oils; aminoether type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 200-2500 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to aliphatic amine(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms; amidoether type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 250-2500 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to aliphatic amide(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms; partial ester type nonionic surfactants having dihydric-hexahydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 2-6 carbon atoms partially esterified with aliphatic acid(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms, and ether-ester nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 400-6000 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to partial ester(s) having trihydric-hexahydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 3-6 carbon atoms partially esterified with aliphatic acid(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms.
The invention also relates to a method of processing synthetic fibers characterized by the step of applying a processing agent for synthetic fibers according to this invention to the synthetic fibers in an amount of 0.1-3 weight % with respect to the synthetic fibers.
The processing agent for synthetic fibers according to this invention (hereinafter referred to simply as the processing agent of this invention) will be explained next in more detail. As explained summarily above, the processing agent of this invention is characterized as containing a base oil composition which is comprised of Component A, Component B, Component C and Component D, and Component A is one or more selected from aliyleneoxide addition compounds which simultaneously satisfy three specified conditions (Conditions 1-3).
Condition 1 on Component A is a requirement that the alkyleneoxide addition compounds, of which Component A is one or more, should have a number average molecular weight of 1000-12000 and be obtainable by adding alkylene oxide(s) with 2-4 carbon atoms to monohydric-trihydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 1-24 carbon atoms. Examples of such monohydric-trihydric aliphatic alcohols with 1-24 carbon atoms include (1) monohydric straight-chain saturated aliphatic alcohols such as methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, propyl alcohol, butyi alcohol, pentyl alcohol, hexyl alcohol, heptyl alcohol, octyl alcohol, nonyl alcohol, decyl alcohol, undecyl alcohol, dodecyl alcohol, tridecyl alcohol, tetradecyl alcohol, pentadecyl alcohol, hexadecyl alcohol, heptadecyl alcohol, octadecyl alcohol, nonadecyl alcohol, eicosyl alcohol, heneicosyl alcohol, docosyl alcohol, tricosyl alcohol and tetracosyl alcohol; (2) monohydric branched saturated aliphatic alcohols such as isopropyl alcohol, isobutyl alcohol, isopentyl alcohol, 2-methyl-pentyl alcohol, 2-ethyl-hexyl alcohol, 2-propyl-heptyl alcohol, 2-butyl-octyl alcohol, 2-pentyl-nonyl alcohol, 2-hexyl-decyl alcohol, 2-heptyl-undecyl alcohol, 2-octyl-dodecyl alcohol, 2-nonyl-tridecyl alcohol, 2-decyl-tetradecyl alcohol, 2-undecyl-pentadecyl alcohol and 2-dodecyl-hexadecyl alcohol; (3) monohydric straight-chain unsaturated aliphatic alcohols such as 10-undecenyl alcohol, 9c-tetradecenyl alcohol, 9c-hexadecenyl alcohol, 9c-octadecenyl alcohol, 9t-octadecenyl alcohol, 9c,12c-octadecadienyl alcohol, 9c, 12c, 15c-octadecatrienyl alcohol, 9c-eicosenyl alcohol, 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraenyl alcohol, 13c-docosenyl alcohol and 13t-docosenyl alcohol; (4) dihydric aliphatic alcohols such as ethylene glycol, 1,2-propane diol, 1,3-propane diol, 1,4-butane diol, 1,6-hexane diol and neopentyl glycol; and (5) trihydric aliphatic alcohols such as glycerol and trimethylol propane.
Examples of alkylene oxides with 2-4 carbon atoms in Condition 1 include ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, 1,2-butylene oxide and 1,4-butylene oxide, but ethylene oxide and propylene oxide are preferred. These alkylene oxides may be used singly or as a mixture. If they are used as a mixture, the type of addition of alkylene oxide(s) to monohydric-trihydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 1-24 carbon atoms may be random addition, block addition or random-block addition.
The. number average molecular weight of alkyleneoxide addition compounds satisfying Condition 1 as described above is in the range of 1000-12000, and preferably 1000-10000.
Condition 2 on Component A is a requirement that the alkyleneoxide addition compounds should have polyoxyalkylene groups comprising oxyalkylene units of which 10-80 weight % are oxyethylene units.
Condition 3 on Component A is a requirement of containing 35 weight % or more of alkyleneoxide addition compounds obtained by adding ethylene oxide and propylene oxide to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 6-10 carbon atoms. Examples of such monohydric aliphatic alcohols with 6-10 carbon atoms include (1) straight-chain saturated | aliphatic alcohols such as hexyl alcohol, heptyl alcohol, octyl alcohol, nonyl alcohol and decyl alcohol; and (2) branched saturated aliphatic alcohols such as 2-methyl-pentyl alcohol, 2-ethyl-hexyl alcohol and 2-propyl-heptyl alcohol.
Component A is one or more selected from alkyleneoxide addition compounds simultaneously satisfying aforementioned Conditions 1, 2 and 3, but those containing Component E and Component F described below in a total amount of 50 weight % or more at a weight ratio of 50/50-90/10 are preferred, where Component E is an alkyleneoxide addition compound with a number average molecular weight of 1000-12000, obtainable by adding ethylene oxide and propylene oxide to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 6-10 carbon atoms in a weight ratio of 35/65-80/20 and Component F is an alkyleneoxide addition compound with a number average molecular weight of 1000-12000, obtainable by adding ethylene oxide and propylene oxide to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 11-16 carbon atoms in a weight ratio of 10/90-80/20.
Examples of monohydric aliphatic alcohols with 6-10 carbon atoms for Component E include (1) straight-chain saturated aliphatic alcohols such as hexyl alcohol, heptyl alcohol, octyl alcohol, nonyl alcohol and decyl alcohol; and (2) branched saturated aliphatic alcohols such as 2-methyl-pentyl alcohol, 2-ethyl-hexyl alcohol and 2-propyl-heptyl alcohol.
Examples of monohydric aliphatic alcohols with 11-16 carbon atoms for Component F include undecyl alcohol, dodecyl alcohol, tridecyl alcohol, tetradecyl alcohol, pentadecyl alcohol, hexadecyl alcohol, 2-propyl-heptyl alcohol, 2-butyl-octyl

alcohoL 2-pentyi-nonyl alcohol, 2-hexyi-decyi alcohoL 9c-tetradecenyi alcohol and 9c-hexadecenyi alcohoL Among these, however, those containing 70 molar % or more of straight-chain aliphatic, alcohol(s) such as dodecyl alcohol, tridecyl alcohol, tetradecyl alcohol, pentadecyl alcohol arid hexadetyl alcohol are preferred.
These alkyleneoxide addition compounds serving as Component A themselves can be synthesized by commonly known methods such as the method of causing alkylene oxide(s) with 2-4 carbon atoms to sequentially undergo addition reactions to aliphatic alcohol(s) in the presence of an alkaline catalyst.
Component B is one or more selected from alkyleneoxide addition compounds obtainable by adding ethylene oxide or ethylene oxide and propylene oxide to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 6-10 carbon atoms. Examples of monohydric aliphatic alcohols with 6-10 carbon atoms include (1) straight-chain saturated aliphatic alcohols such as hexyl alcohol, heptyl alcohol, octyl alcohol, nonyl alcohol and decyl alcohol; and (2) branched saturated aliphatic alcohols such as isooctyl alcohol, 2-methyl-pentyl alcohol, 2-ethylhexyl alcohol, 3,3,5-trimethyl-hexyl alcohol, 2-methyloctyl alcohol and 2-propyl-heptyl alcohol. The number average molecular weight of alkyleneoxide addition compound adducts as Component B is 140-800, and is more preferably 200-700. The ratio of oxyethylene units to all oxyalkylene units that form the poly oxyalkylene group of the alkyleneoxide adduct is 30 weight % or more, and is more preferably 50 weight % or more. There is no particular limitation on the form of addition of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide'to the aliphatic alcohol(s).
Component C is an ionic surfactant. Ionic surfactants of known kinds can be used for the purpose of this invention. Examples thereof include (1) anionic surfactants including organic salts of sulfonic acids such as sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate, organic esters of sulfuric acid such as sodium laurylpoly(oxyethylene) sulfate, organic esters of phosphoric acid such as potassium polyoxyiauryl phosphate, and organic salts of aliphatic acids such as sodium oleate and potassium alkenyl succinate; (2) cationic surfactants including quaternary ammonium salts such as lauryl trimethyl ammonium sulfate and surfactants such as 2-heptadecenyl-hydroxyethyl-imidazoline; and (3) amphoteric surfactants such as octyldimethyl amrnonio acetate, lauryl amino propionate and lauryl amine oxide. Among these, anionic surfactants are preferred.
• Component D is a specified kind of nonionic surfactant. Examples thereof include (1) ether type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 210-950 having ethylene oxide and propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 11-24 carbon atoms; (2) ether type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 900-2000 and having ethylene oxide or propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 6-10 carbon atoms; (3) ether type non-ionic surfactants
with a number average molecular weight of 150-2500 and having ethylene oxide or propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 11-24 carbon atoms; (4) ester type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 200-2000 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic acid(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms; (5) nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 1700-10000 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to animal oils and/or vegetable oils; (6) aminoether type nonionic surfactants with • a number average molecular weight of 200-2500 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to aliphatic amine(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms; (7) amidoether type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 250-2500 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to aliphatic
amide(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms; (8) partial ester type nonionic surfactants having dihydric-
hexahydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 2-6 carbon atoms partially esterified with aliphatic acid(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms; and (9) ether-ester nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 400-6000 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to partial ester(s) having trihydric-hexahydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 3-6 carbon atoms partially esterified with aliphatic acid(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms.
Examples of ether type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 210-950 and having ethylene oxide and propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 11-24 carbon atoms, serving as Component D, include a- undecyl--hydroxy-poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene), α-dodecyl--hydroxy-poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene), α-tridecyl--hydroxy-poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene), α-tetradecyl--hydroxy-poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene), α-pentadecyl--hydroxy-poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene), α-hexadecyl--hydroxy-poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene), α-heptadecyl-o-hydroxy-
poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene), α-octadecyl-w-hydroxy-poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene), α-nonadecyl-w-hydroxy-poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene), α-eicosyl--hydroxy-poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene), α-eicosenyl--hydroxy-poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene) and α-docosyl--hydroxy-poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene).
Examples of ether type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 900-2000 and having ethylene oxide or propylene oxide added to monohydric
aliphatic alcohol(s) with 6-10 carbon atoms, serving as Component D, include a-hexyl-w-hydroxy-poryoxyethylene, a-octyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, a-nonyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, a-decyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, a-hexyl--hydroxy-polyoxypropylene, a-octyl-w-hydroxy-polyoxypropylene, a-nonyl-w-hydroxy-polyoxypropylene and a-decyl-w-hydroxy-polyoxypropylene.
Examples of ether type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 150-2500 and having ethylene oxide or propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 11-24 carbon atoms, serving as Component D, include α-undecyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, α-dodecyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethylene.α-tridecyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, α-tetradecyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, α-pentadecyl-w-hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, α-hexadecyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, α-heptadecyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, α-octadecyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethyIene, α-nonadecyl-w-hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, α-eicosyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, α-eicosenyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, α-docosyl--hydroxy-polyoxyethylene, α-dodecyl-w-hydroxy-polyoxypropylene, α-tridecyl-w-hydroxy- polyoxypropylene, α-tetradecyl--hydroxy-polyoxypropylene, α-pentadecyl-w-hydroxy- polyoxypropylene, α-hexadecyl-w-hydroxy-polyoxypropylene, α-heptadecyl-w-hydroxy- polyoxypropylene, α-octadecyl-w-hydroxy-polyoxypropylene, α-nonadecyl-w-hydroxy- polyoxypropylene, α-eicosyl--hydroxy-polyoxypropylene, α-eicosenyl-w-hydroxy- polyoxypropylene and α-docosyl--hydroxy-polyoxypropylene.
Examples of ester type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 200-2000 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic acid(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms, serving as Component D, include poly(oxyethylene)

caprylate, poly(oxyethylene) laurate, poly(oxyethylene) myristate, po!y(oxyethylene) palmitate, poly(oxyethylene) stearate, poly(oxyethylene) oleate, poly(oxyethylene) linolate poly(oxyethylene) erucate, poly(oxyethylene) recinolate, poly(oxyethylene) lignocerate, poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene) caprylate,
poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene) laurate, poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene) myristate, poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene) palmitate,
poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene) stearate, poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene) oleate, poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene) linolate,
poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene) erucate, poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene) recinolate, poly(oxyethylene)poly(oxypropylene) lignocerate, poly(oxypropylene) laurate, poly(oxypropylene) myristate, poly(oxypropylene) palmitate, poly(oxypropylene) stearate and poly(oxypropylene) oleate.
Examples of nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 700-
10000 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to animal oils and/or vegetable oils, serving as Component D, include (1) ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide adducts of vegetable oils such as soy bean oil, sunflower seed oil, cotton seed oil, sesame seed oil, rape seed oil, rice bran oil, castor oil, hydrogenated castor oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil and coconut oil; and (2) ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide adducts of animal oils such as beef tallow, lard and mutton tallow.
Examples of-aminoether type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 200-2500 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to aliphatic
amine(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms, serving as Component D, include N,N-bis (2-hydroxyethyl) octylamine, N,N-bis (2-hydroxyethyl) nonylamine, N,N-bis (2-hydroxyethyl) lauiylamine, N,N-bis (2-hydroxyethyl) myristylamine, N,N-bis (2-hydroxyethyl) cetylamine, N,N-bis (2-hydroxyethyl) stearylamine, N,N-bis (2-hydroxyethyl) aralkylamine, N-(2-hydroxyethyl) dioctylamine, N-(2-hydroxyethyl) dinonylamine, N-(2-hydroxyethyl) dilaurylamine, N-(2-hydroxyethyl) dimyristylamine, N-(2-hydroxyethyI) dicetylamine, N-(2-hydroxyethyl) distearylamine, N,N-bis (2-hydroxypropyl) octylamine, N,N-bis (2-hydroxypropyl) nonylamine, N,N-bis (2-hydroxypropyl) laurylamine, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene) octylamine, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene) nonylamine, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene) laurylamine, N,N-bis
(polyoxyethylene) myristylarnme, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene) cetylamine, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene) stearylamine, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene) aralkylamine, N-(polyoxyethylene) dioctylamine, N-(polyoxyethylene) dinonylamine, N-(polyoxyethylene) dilaurylamine, N-(polyoxyethylene) dimyrisitylamine, N-(polyoxyethylene) dicetylamine, N-(polyoxyethylene) distearylamine, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene polypropylene) octylamine, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene polypropylene) nonylamine, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene polypropylene) laurylamine, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene polypropylene) myristylamine, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene polypropylene) cetylamine, NJNf-bis (polyoxyethylene polypropylene) stearylamine, N,N-bis (polypropylene) octylamine, N,N-bis (polypropylene) nonylamine, N,N-bis (polypropylene) laurylamine, N,N-bis (polypropylene) myristylamine, N,N-bis (polypropylene) cetylamine and N,N-bis (polypropylene") stearylamine.
Examples of amidoether type nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 250-2500 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to aliphatic amide(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms, serving as Component D, include N,N-bis (hydroxyethyl) octanamide, N,N-bis (hydroxyethyl) dodecanamide, N,N-bis (hydroxyethyl) octadecanamide, N,N-bis (hydroxyethyl) octadecenamide, N,N-bis (hydroxyethyl) docosanamide, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene) octanamide, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene) dodecanamide, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene) octadecanamide, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene) octadecenamide, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene) docosanamide, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene) octanamide, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene) dodecanamide, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene) octadecanamide, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene) octadecenamide, N,N-bis (polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene) docosanamide, N,N-bis (polyoxypropylene) octanamide, N,N-bis (polyoxypropylene) dodecanamide, N,N-bis (polyoxypropylene) octadecanamide, N,N-bis (polyoxypropylene) octadecenamide and N,N-bis (polyoxypropylene) docosanamide.
Examples of partial ester type nonionic surfactants having dihydric-hexahydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 2-6 carbon atoms partially esterified with aliphatic acid(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms, serving as Component D, include (1) partial esters of ethyleneglycol such as ethyleneglycol monolaurate, ethyleneglycol monopalmitate, ethyleneglycol monooleate and ethyleneglycol behenate; (2) partial esters of propyleneglycol such as
propyleneglycol monomyristate, propyleneglycol monopalmitate, propyleneglycol monostearate and propyleneglycol monooleate; (3) partial esters of glycerol such as glycerol monolaurate, glycerol monopalmitate, glycerol monooleate, glycerol monolinolate, glycerol dilaurate, glycerol dioleate, glycerol laurate myristate and glycerol palmitolate stearate; (4) partial esters of trimethylol propane such as trimethylol propane monolaurate, trimethylol propane palmitate, trimethylol propane monooleate and trimethylol propane monobehenate; (5) partial esters of pentaerythritol such as pentaerythritol monomyristrate, pentaerythritol monooleate, pentaerythritol dilaurate, pentaerythritol dilinolate, pentaerythritol laurate myristate, pentaerythritol trioleate, pentaerythritol dilaurate myristate, pentaerythritol dipalmitolate stearate and pentaerythritol dipalmitolate oleate; (6) partial esters of diglycerol such as diglycerol monolaurate, diglycerol monooleate, diglycerol dipalmitate, diglycerol trilaurate, diglycerol dilaurate myristate and diglycerol stearate dipalmitolate; (7) partial esters of sorbitan such as sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monostearate, sorbitan monooleate, sorbitan monolinolate, sorbitan dimyristate, sorbitan dipalmitate, sorbitan dioleate, sorbitan palmitolate, sorbitan tripalmitate, sorbitan trioleate, sorbitan rririnoleate, sorbitan dilaurate myristate and sorbitan dipalmitolate; (8) partial esters of triglycerol such as triglycerol monolaurate, triglycerol monooleate, triglycerol dioleate, triglycerol trilaurate, triglycerol trioleate and triglycerol palmitolate dioleate; (9) partial esters of tetraglycerol such as tetraglycerol monolaurate, tetraglycerol monooleate and tetraglycerol dioleate; and (10) partial esters of dipentaerythritol such as dipentaerythritol monomyristate, dipentaerythritol monorinoleate and dipentaerythritol dioleate.
Examples of ether-ester nonionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 400-6000' and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to partial ester(s) having trihydric-hexahydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 3-6 carbon atoms partially
esterified with aliphatic acid(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms, serving as Component D,.
include ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide adducts of partial esters such as glycerol partial esters, trimethylol propane partial esters, pentaerythritol partial esters, diglycerol partial esters, ethyleneglycol diglycerylether partial esters, sorbitan partial esters, triglycerol partial esters, tetraglycerol partial esters and dipentaerythritol partial esters.
Processing agents according to this invention are characterized as containing 7U weight % or more of a base oil composition that contains 50-90 weight % of Component A, 3-30 weight % of Component B, 0.1-10 weight % of Component C and 0.1-20 weight % of Component D such that said Components A-D together make up a total 100 weight % but those containing 80 weight % or more of a base oil composition that contains 55-90 weight % of Component A, 5-20 weight % of Component B, 0.3-5 weight % of Component C and 1-20 weight % of Component D such that Components A-D together make up a total of 100 weight % are preferred.
It is further preferable that the processing agents further contain Component G, which is one or more selected from aliphatic ester compounds shown by R*-X-R2 (Formula 1) and aliphatic ester compounds shown by R3-R4 (Formula 2) where R1 and R3 are each the residual group obtainable by removing the hydrogen atom from an aliphatic monohydric alcohol with 8-18 carbon atoms, R2 is the residual group obtainable by removing the hydrogen atom from an aliphatic carboxylic acid with 8-18 carbon atoms and R4 is the residual group obtainable by removing the hydroxyl group from an aliphatic carboxylic acid with 8-18 carbon atoms. X is the residual group obtainable by removing all hydroxyl groups from a (poly)alkyleneglycol having a (poly)oxyalkylene group formed with a total of 1-10 oxyethylene units and/or oxypropylene units.
In Formula 1, R1 is the residual group obtainable by removing the hydrogen atom from an aliphatic monohydric alcohol with 8-18 carbon atoms such as octyi alcohol, lauryl alcohol, tridecyl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol and oleyl alcohol. R2 is the residual group obtainable by removing the hydrogen atom from an aliphatic monohydric carboxylic acid with 8-18 carbon atoms such as capronic acid, caprylic acid, caprinic acid, undecanoic acid, lauric acid, tridecanoic acid, myristic acid, pentadecanoic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, palmitoleic acid, oleic acid, isooctanoic acid, isohexadecanoic acid and isooctadecanoic acid. X is the residual group obtainable by removing all hydroxyl groups from a (poly)alkyleneglycol having a (poly)oxyalkylene group formed with a total of 1-10 oxyethylene units and/or oxypropylene units. Examples of such residual groups include (1) residual groups obtainable by removing all hydroxyl groups from a (poly)ethyleneglycol having a (poly)oxyethylene group formed with a total of 1-10 oxyethylene units; (2) residual groups obtainable by removing all hydroxyl groups from a
(poly)propyleneglycol having a (poly)oxypropylene group formed with a total of 1-10 oxypropylene units; and (3) residual groups obtainable by removing all hydroxyl groups from a (poly)alkyleneglycol having a (poly)oxyethylene(poly)oxypropylene group formed with a total of 2-10 oxyethylene units and oxypropylene units.
In Formula 2, R3 is as explained above for R1. R4 is the residual group obtainable by removing the hydroxyl group from an aliphatic monohydric carboxylic acid with 8-18 carbon atoms such as capronic acid, caprylic acid, caprinic acid, undecanoic acid, lauric acid, tridecanoic acid, myristyc acid, pentadecanoic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, palmitoleic acid, oleic acid, isooctanoic acid, isohexadecanoic acid and .isooctadecanoic acid.
If a processing agent of this invention contains component G as described above, Component G is contained in an amount of 5-40 weight parts, and more preferably 5-30 weight parts, per 100 weight parts of the base oil composition.
It is further preferable that processing agents further contain Component H which is a polyoxyalkylene modified silicone and/or dimethyl silicone and/or Component I, which is one or more selected from phenol antioxidants, phosphite antioxidants and thioether antioxidants.
Examples of Component H include (1) a polyoxyalkylene modified silicone; (2) a dimethyl silicone; and (3) mixtures of (1) and (2), but a polyoxyalkylene modified silicone is preferable. Preferable among the examples of polyoxyalkylene modified silicones are those having polyoxyalkylene groups comprising oxyalkylene units which are oxyethylene units and/or oxypropylene units and containing the polyoxyalkylene groups and silicone chains at a. weight ratio of 25/75-90/10. Examples of such polyoxyalkylene modified silicones include (1) polyoxyethylene modified silicones, (2) polyoxypropylene modified silicones, and (3) polyoxyethylenepolyoxypropylene modified silicones. Preferable among these are those having a polyoxyalkylene group of which more than 25 weight % of the total oxyalkylene units are oxyethylene units. The weight ratio between the polyoxyalkylene group and the silicone chain in the polyoxyalkylene modified
silicones is preferably 25/75-90/10, and is more preferably 30/70-85/15. The number average molecular weight is preferably in the range of 2500-50000.
As for dimethyl silicones serving as Component H, linear dimethyl silicones with a viscosity of Ixl0"6-lxl0"4m2/s are preferred.
Examples of Component I include (1) phenol antioxidants; (2) phosphite antioxidants; (3) thioether antioxidants; and (4) mixtures of two or more selected from (l)-(3) above. Among those, however, phenol antioxidants are preferable.
Examples of phenol antioxidants serving as Component I include triethyleneglycol-bis[3-(3-t-butyl-5-methyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate], 1,3,5-trimemyl-2,4,6-1ris(3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyben2yl) benzene, l,6-hexanediol-bis[3-(3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate], pentaery1hiitol-tEtrakis[3-{3,5-&-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate], 2,2'-methylene-bis-(6-t-butyl-4-methylphenol), 2,2'-butylidene-bis^S-t-buryM-methylphenol), 1,1,3-tris(2-methyl-4-hydroxy-5-t-butylphenol) butane, l,3,5-tris(3',5'-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyben2yl) isocyanuric acid and l,3,5-tris(4-butyl-3-hydroxy-2,6-dimethylbenzyl) isocyanuric acid, which are all known examples.
Examples of phosphite antioxidants serving as Component I include octyldiphenyl phosphite, trisnonylphenyl phosphite, tetratridecyl-4,4'-butylidene-bis-(2-t-butyl-5-methylphenol) diphosphate, mono(dinonylphenyl) phosphite and di(p-nonylphenyl) phosphite, which are all known examples.
Examples of thioether antioxidants serving as Component I include 4,4'-thiobis-(6-t-butyl-3-methyrphenol) and dnauryl-3,3'-thiodipropionate, which are all known examples.
If a processing agent of this invention contains Component H and/or Component I, it is to contain Component H and/or Component I in a total amount of 0.3-6 weight parts per 100 weight parts of the base oil composition. It is preferable, however, that Component H is contained in an amount of 0.5-3 weight parts and Component I in an amount of 0.5-3 weight parts.
Processing agents according to this invention may contain other components within the limitation of not adversely affecting the desired effects obtained by the invention. Examples of such other components that may be contained include emulsion coadjutants, lubricants such as mineral oils, amtifoaming agents, antiseptics and antirust agents.
Next, the method according to this invention for processing synthetic fibers (hereinafter referred to simply as the method of this invention) is explained. The method
of this mvention is a method of applying a processing agent of this invention as described above in an amount of 0.1-3 weight % and more preferably 0.3-1.2 weight % of the synthetic fibers to be processed. The fabrication step during which a processing agent of this invention is to be applied to the synthetic fibers may be the spinning step or the step during which spinning and drawing are carried out simultaneously. Examples of the method of causing a processing agent of this invention to be attached to the synthetic fibers include the roller oiling method, the guide oiling method using a measuring pump, the immersion oiling method and the spray oiling method. The form in which a processing agent of this mvention may be applied to synthetic fibers may be neat, as an organic solution or as an aqueous solution but the form as an aqueous solution is preferable, and it is particularly preferable as an aqueous solution containing said processing agent in an amount of 5-30 weight %. When such a solution is applied, it is preferable to apply the solution in an amount of 0.1-3 weight % and more particularly 0.3-1.2 weight % of the processing agent with respect to the synthetic fiber.
Examples of synthetic fibers that may be processed by a method of this invention include (1) polyester fibers such as polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene terephthalate and polylactic ester fibers; (2) polyamide fibers such as nylon 6 and nylon 66; (3) polyacryl fibers such as polyacrylic and modacrylic fibers; (4) polyolefin fibers such as polyethylene and polypropylene fibers and polyurethane fibers. The present invention is particularly effective, however, when applied to polyester fibers and polyamide fibers.
The invention is described next by way of examples but it goes without saying that these examples are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. In what follows, "part" will mean "weight part" and"%" will mean "weight %" unless otherwise specified. For convenience of description, ethylene oxide and propylene oxide will be respectively written as EO and PO, and repetition numbers of oxyethylene units and oxypropylene units will be respectively written as n and m.
Part 1 (Preparation of processing agents for synthetic fibers) Test Example 1 (Preparation of processing agent (P-l))
Respectively 75 parts, 13 parts, 2 parts and 10 parts of Components A, B, C and D as described below were uniformly mixed together to prepare 100 parts of a base oil composition which was defined as processing agent (P-l).
Composition A: A mixture at weight ratio of 40/20/15 of polyether monool
with number average molecular weight of 1000 with random addition of EO(ethylene oxide) and PO(propylene oxide) at weight ratio of 40/60 to 2-ethylhexyl alcohol, polyether monool number average molecular weight of 3000 with random addition of EO and PO at weight ratio of 50/50 to butyl alcohol, and polyether monool with number average molecular weight of 3500 with random addition of EO and PO at weight ratio of 70/30;
Composition B: Alkyleneoxide adduct with 5 moles of EO added to 1 mole
of 3,5,5-trimethyl-hexyl alcohol;
Composition C: A mixture at weight ratio of 0.5/1/0.5 of potassium
decansulfonate, potassium phosphate of a-dodecyl-Q-hydroxy poly(oxyethylene) (n=3, n is number of oxyethylene units), and cis-9-potassium octadecenate;
Component D: A mixture at weight ratio of 5/5 of nonionic surfactant
having 7 moles of EO added to one mole of cis-9-octadecenoic acid and nonionic surfactant having 20 moles of EO added to one mole of hydrogenated castor oil.
Test Examples 2-36 and Comparison Examples 1-28 (Preparation of processing agents (P-2KP-36) and (R-l)-(R-28))
Processing agents (P-2)-(P-36) of Test Examples 2-36 and processing agents (R-l)-(R-28) of Comparison Examples 1-28 were prepared similarly as processing agent (P-1) of Test Example 1. Details of the components used for the preparation of these processing agents are shown in Tables 1-8 and the details of these processing agents are shown in Tables 9-18.
(TABLE REMOVED)

Part 2
Attachment of processing agent onto synthetic fibers
Each of the processing agents prepared in Part 1 was uniformly mixed with diluting water to prepare a 10% aqueous solution. After polyethylene terephthalate chips with intrinsic viscosity of 0.64 and containing titanium oxide by 0.2% were dried by a known method, they were spun at 295 °C by using an extruder. The 10% aqueous solution thus prepared was applied onto the yams extruded out of the nozzle to be cooled and solidified by a guide oiling method using a measuring pump such that the attached amount of the processing agent became as shown in Table 19 or 20. Thereafter, the yarns were collected by means of a guide and wound up at the rate of 3000m/minute without any drawing by a mechanical means to obtain partially drawn 128 decitex-36 filament yams as wound cakes of 10kg.
False twisting
The cakes thus obtained as described above were subjected to a false twisting process under the conditions described below by using a false twister of the contact heater type (product name of SDS1200 produced by Teijinseiki Co., Ltd.):
Fabrication speeds: 700m/minute and lOOOm/minute;
Draw ratio: 1.652;
Twisting system: Three-axis disk friction method (with one guide disk on the inlet side, one guide disk on the outlet side and four hard polyurethane disks);
Heater on twisting side: Length of 2.5m with surface temperature of 210°C;
Heater on untwisting side; None;
Target number of twisting; 3300T/m. The false twisting process was carried out under the conditions given above by a continuous operation of 25 days.
Evaluation of fluffs
In the aforementioned false twisting process, the number of fluffs per hour was measured by means of a fly counter (produce name of DT-105 produced by Toray
Engineering Co., Ltd.) before the false twisted yams were wound up and evaluated according to the standards as described below:
AAA: The measured number of fluffs was zero;
AA: The measured number of fluffs was less than 1 (exclusive of zero);
A: The measured number of fluffs was 1-2;
B: The measured number of fluffs was 3-9;
C: The measured number of fluffs was 10 or greater. The results of the measurement are shown in Tables 19 and 20.
Evaluation of yarn breaking
The number of occurrences of yarn breaking during the 25 days of operation in the false twisting process described above was converted into the number per day and such converted numbers were evaluated according to the standards as described below:
AAA: The number of occurrence was zero;
AA: The number of occurrence was less than 0.5 (exclusive of zero);
A: The number of occurrence was 0.5 or greater and less than 1;
B: The number of occurrence was 1 or greater and less than 5;
C: The number of occurrence was 5 or greater. The results are shown in Tables 19 and 20.
Pyeing property
A fabric with diameter of 70mm and length of 1.2m was produced from the false-twisted yarns on which fluffs were measured as above by using a knitting machine for tubular fabric. The fabric thus produced was dyed by a high temperature and high pressure dyeing method by using disperse dyes (product name of Kayalon Polyester Blue-EBL-E produced by Nippon Kayaku Co. Ltd.). The dyed fabrics were washed with water, subjected to a reduction cleaning process and dried according to a known routine and were thereafter set on an iron cylinder with diameter 70mm and length lm. An inspection process for visually counting the number of points of densely dyed potion on the fabric surface was repeated five times and the evaluation results thus obtained were
converted into the number of points per sheet of fabric. The evaluation was carried out according to the following standards:
AAA: There was no densely dyed portion;
AA: There was 1 point of densely dyed portion;
A: There were 2 points of densely dyed portion;
B: There were 3-6 points of densely dyed portion;
C: There were 7 or more points of densely dyed portion. The results are shown in Tables 19 and 20.
From the results shown in Tables 19 and 20, it should be clear that the present invention has the favorable effects of sufficiently preventing the occurrence of fluffs, yard breaking and uneven dyeing as the speed of the spinning and fabrication processes of synthetic fibers is increased in recent years.
(TABLE REMOVED)

We Claim:
1. A processing agent for synthetic fibers, said processing agent containing 70 weight % or more of a base oil composition, said base oil composition including 50- 90 weight % of Component A, 3-30 weight % of Component B, 0.1-10 weight % of Component C and 0.1-20 weight % of Component D such that said Components A-D together make up a total of 100 weight % of said base oil composition;
and optionally the said processing agent containing 5-40 weight parts of a Component G and a total of 0.3-6 weight parts of a Component H and/or Component I per 100 weight parts of said base oil composition;
wherein said Component A is one or more selected from alkyleneoxide addition compounds simultaneously satisfying Conditions 1, 2 and 3, wherein Condition 1 is the condition of having a number average molecular weight of 1000-12000 and is obtained by adding alkylene oxide(s) with 2-4 carbon atoms to monohydric-trihydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 1-24 carbon atoms, Condition 2 is the condition of having polyoxyalkylene groups comprising oxyalkylene units of which 10-80 weight % are oxyethylene units, and Condition 3 is the condition of containing 35 weight % or more of alkyleneoxide addition compounds obtained by adding ethylene oxide and propylene oxide to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 6-10 carbon atoms;
wherein Component B is one or more selected from alkyleneoxide addition compounds with a number average molecular weight of 140-800 and obtained by adding ethylene oxide or both ethylene oxide and propylene oxide to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 6-10 carbon atoms, having polyoxyalkylene groups of which more than 30 weight % of all constituent oxyalkylene units are oxyethylene units;
wherein Component C is one or more selected from ionic surfactants; and
wherein Component D is one or more selected from the group consisting of ether type non-ionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 210-950 and having ethylene oxide and propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 11-24 carbon atoms; ether type non-ionic surfactants with a number average
molecular weight of 900-2000 and having ethylene oxide or propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 6-10 carbon atoms; ether type non-ionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 150-2500 and having ethylene oxide or propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 11-24 carbon atoms; ester type non-ionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 200-2000 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to monohydric aliphatic acid(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms; non-ionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 700-10000 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to animal oils and/or vegetable oils; aminoether type non-ionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 200-2500 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to aliphatic amine(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms; amidoether type non-ionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 250-2500 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added to aliphatic amide(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms; partial ester type non-ionic surfactants having dihydric-hexahydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 2-6 carbon atoms partially esterified with aliphatic acid(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms; and ether-ester non ionic surfactants with a number average molecular weight of 400-6000 and having ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide added t) partial ester(s) having trihydrichexahydric aliphatic alcohol(s) with 3-6 carbon atoms partially esterified with aliphatic acid(s) with 8-24 carbon atoms.
2. The processing agent as claimed in claim 1, containing 80 weight % or more of said base oil composition, said base oil composition containing 55-90 weight % of said Component A, 5-20 weight % of said Component B, 0.3-5 weight % of said Component C and 1-20 weight % of said Component D.
3. The processing agent as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said Component A contains Component E and Component F in a in a total amount of 50 weight % or more and at a weight ratio of 50/50-90/10;
wherein said Component E is an alkyleneoxide addition compound with a number average molecular weight of 1000-12000 and is obtained by adding ethylene
oxide and propylene oxide to monohydric alipllatic alcohol(s) with 6-10 carbon atoms in a weight ratio of 35/65-80/20; and
wherein said Component F is an alkyleneoxide addition compound with a number average molecular weight of 1000-12000 and is obtained by adding ethylene oxide and propylene oxide to monohydric alipllatic alcohol(s) with 11-16 carbon atoms in a weight ratio of 10/90-80/20.
4. The processing agent as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said Component G is one or more selected from the group consisting of aliphatic ester compounds shown by R1-X-R2 and aliphatic ester compounds shown by R3-R4 where R1 and R3 are each the residual group obtained by removing the hydrogen atom from an aliphatic monohydric alcohol with 8-18 carbon atoms, R2 is the residual group obtained by removing the hydrogen atom from an aliphatic carboxylic acid with 8-18 carbon atoms, R4 is the residual group obtained by removing the hydroxyl group from an aliphatic carboxylic acid with 8-18 carbon atoms, and X is the residual group obtained by removing all hydroxyl groups from a (poly)alkyleneglycol having a (poly)oxyalkylene group formed with a total of 1-10 oxyethylene units and/or oxpropylene units.
5. The processing agent as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein said Component H is a polyoxyalkylene modified silicone and/or a dimethyl silicone, and
wherein said Component I is one or more selected from the group consisting of phenol antioxidants, phosphite antioxidants and thioether antioxidants.
6. The processing agent as claimed in claim 5, containing 5-30 weight parts of said Component G, 0.5-3 weight parts of said Component H and 0.5-3 weight parts of said Component I per 100 weight parts of said base oil composition.
7. The processing agent as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein said Component H is a polyoxyalkylene modified silicone.
8. The processing agent as claimed in any of claims 5 to 7, wherein said Component I is a
phenol antioxidant.
9. The processing agent as claimed in claims 1 to 8 for the use in processing synthetic fibers.

Documents:

2868-del-2005-abstract.pdf

2868-DEL-2005-Claims-(04-08-2011).pdf

2868-del-2005-Claims-(15-03-2011).pdf

2868-del-2005-claims.pdf

2868-DEL-2005-Correspondence Others-(04-08-2011).pdf

2868-del-2005-Correspondence Others-(15-03-2011).pdf

2868-DEL-2005-Correspondence-Others-(04-03-2011).pdf

2868-DEL-2005-Correspondence-Others-(07-02-2011).pdf

2868-del-2005-correspondence-others.pdf

2868-del-2005-description (complete).pdf

2868-DEL-2005-Form-1-(07-02-2011).pdf

2868-del-2005-form-1.pdf

2868-del-2005-form-18.pdf

2868-del-2005-form-2.pdf

2868-del-2005-form-26.pdf

2868-DEL-2005-Form-3-(04-03-2011).pdf

2868-del-2005-form-3.pdf

2868-del-2005-form-5.pdf

2868-DEL-2005-GPA-(04-03-2011).pdf

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Patent Number

249483

Indian Patent Application Number

2868/DEL/2005

PG Journal Number

43/2011

Publication Date

28-Oct-2011

Grant Date

21-Oct-2011

Date of Filing

26-Oct-2005

Name of Patentee

TAKEMOTO YUSHI KABUSHIKI KAISHA

Applicant Address

2-5 MINATO-MACHI, GAMAGOURI-SHI, AICHI-KEN, JAPAN

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	YAMAKITA, HIROSHI	C/O TAKEMOTO YUSHI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, 2-5 MINATO-MACHI, GAMAGOURI-SHI, AICHI-KEN, JAPAN
2	TODA, ATSUSHI	C/O TAKEMOTO YUSHI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, 2-5 MINATO-MACHI, GAMAGOURI-SHI, AICHI-KEN, JAPAN

PCT International Classification Number

D66M 15/00

PCT International Application Number

N/A

PCT International Filing date

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1	2005-239278	2005-08-22	Japan
2	2004-319141	2004-11-02	Japan