Stain-resist compositions

1. A stain-resist composition comprising, in an aqueous emulsion:

a crosslinking agent comprising at least one polymer having two hydroxyl-terminated groups, wherein the crosslinking agent does not include an epoxy group and is a polybutadiene; and

a stain-resist agent comprising at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polymethacrylic acid, hydrolyzed maleic anhydride copolymerized with at least one monomer, and a mixture thereof, wherein said crosslinking agent covalently binds said stain-resist agent to a substrate comprising polyamide fibers.

2. The stain-resist composition of claim 1 , wherein said crosslinking agent contains at least one vinyl group.

3. The stain-resist composition of claim 1 , wherein the number average molecular weight of said polymethacrylic acid is at least 300,000.

4. The stain-resist composition, according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one monomer is selected from the group consisting of α-olefins and styrenes.

5. The stain-resist composition of claim 4 , wherein said alpha-olefin is octene.

6. The stain-resist composition, according to claim 1 , wherein up to 70 mole % of said maleic anhydride may be replaced by a monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, itaconic acid, vinyl sulfonic acid, vinyl phosphonic acid, styrene sulfonic acid, alkyl (C 1-4 ), acrylate, alkyl (C 1-4 ) methacrylate, vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride, vinylidine chloride, vinyl sulfides, N-vinyl pyrrolidone, acrylonitrile, acrylamide, and mixtures thereof.

7. The stain-resist composition of claim 1 , wherein said stain-resist agent further comprises a sulfonated phenol-formaldehyde condensation product.

8. The stain-resist composition of claim 1 , further comprising a pH-adjusting agent.

9. The stain-resist composition of claim 8 , wherein said agent adjusts the pH to from about 1 to about 8.

10. The stain-resist composition of claim 9 , wherein said agent adjusts the pH to from about 3 to about 4.

11. The stain-resist composition of claim 1 , wherein said crosslinking agent is a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyether, polyether copolymer, polyester copolymer, and polyolefin.

12. A process for imparting resistance to staining by coffee and/or acid dyes to a polyamide substrate, the process comprising contacting said polyamide substrate with a stain-resist composition comprising an aqueous emulsion comprising:

a crosslinking agent comprising at least one polymer having two hydroxyl-terminated groups, wherein the crosslinking agent does not contain an epoxy group and is a polybutadiene; and

a stain-resist agent comprising at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polymathacrylic acid, hydrolyzed maleic anhydride copolymerized with at least one monomer, and a mixture thereof,

wherein said crosslinking agent covalently binds said stain-resist agent to the polyamide substrate.

13. The process for imparting resistance to staining by coffee and/or acid dyes to a polyamide substrate, according to claim 12 , wherein said crosslinking agent contains at least one vinyl group.

14. The process for imparting resistance to staining by coffee and/or acid dyes to a polyamide substrate, according to claim 12 , wherein the number average molecular weight of said polymethacrylic acid is at least 300,000.

15. The process for imparting resistance to staining by coffee and/or acid dyes to a polyamide substrate, according to claim 12 , wherein said monomer is a compound selected from the group consisting of α-olefins, and styrenes.

16. The process for imparting resistance to staining by coffee and/or acid dyes to a polyamide substrate, according to claim 15 , wherein said alpha-olefin is octene.

17. The process for imparting resistance to staining by coffee and/or acid dyes to a polyamide substrate, according to claim 12 , wherein up to 70 mole % of said maleic anhydride may be replaced by a monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, itaconic acid, vinyl sulfonic acid, vinyl phosphonic acid, styrene sulfonic acid, alkyl (C 1-4 ) acrylate, alkyl (C 1-4 ) methacrylate, vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride, vinylidine chloride, vinyl sulfides, N-vinyl pyrrolidone, acrylonitrile, acrylamide, and mixtures thereof.

18. The process for imparting resistance to staining by coffee and/or acid dyes to a polyamide substrate, according to claim 12 , wherein said stain-resist composition further comprises a sulfonated phenol-formaldehyde condensation product.

19. The process for imparting resistance to staining by coffee and/or acid dyes to a polyamide substrate, according to claim 12 , wherein said stain-resist composition further comprising a pH-adjusting agent.

20. The process for imparting resistance to staining by coffee and/or acid dyes to a polyamide substrate, according to claim 19 , wherein said agent adjusts the pH to from about 1 to about 8.

21. The process for imparting resistance to staining by coffee and/or acid dyes to a polyamide substrate, according to claim 20 , wherein said agent adjusts the pH to from about 3 to about 4.

22. The process for imparting resistance to staining by coffee and/or acid dyes to a polyamide substrate, according to claim 12 , further comprising drying.

23. The process for imparting resistance to staining by coffee and/or acid dyes to a polyamide substrate, according to claim 22 , wherein said drying is carried out at temperature of from about 100° to about 190° C.

24. The process for imparting resistance to staining by coffee and/or acid dyes to a polyamide substrate, according to claim 23 , wherein said drying is carried out at temperature of from about 130° to about 150° C.

25. The process for imparting resistance to staining by coffee and/or acid dyes to a polyamide substrate, according to claim 12 , wherein said crosslinking agent is a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyether, polyether copolymer, polyester copolymer, and polyolefin.