At the present time all the well known resins of the colorless type are employed in textile work for one purpose or another . The following brief survey is merely illustrative of the main type which the analyst may expect to fine .Many of the thermoplastic type are made into fibers e.g the poly-amides polyvinyl chloride polyisobutylene
chloride alkyd and styrene. There are three of four protein formaldehyde fibers . Some fibers especially cotton and rayon are reacted with synthetic resin components such as aldehyde or ketone to produce new cross bonded products exhibiting durable stiff furnishes which must be regarded as belonging to the synthetic resin group . The treatment of cellulose with acetone and of wool with formaldehyde must be included in this group.
Starch has been condensed with formaldehyde in presence of an acid catalyst to produce resistant finishes. Cellulose ethers alkyl celluloses including methyl ethyl and benzyl cellulose have useful applications methyl cellulose has the peculiar and valuable property of being insoluble in hot water but soluble cold . The hydroxy alkyl celluloses such as glycol cellulose form mucilages with two N caustic soda from which they can be applied to textiles treatment with dilute acid precipitates the resin on to the fiber in a form fast to mild washing . carboxylic cellulose forms a water soluble sodium salt which on drying on the fiber gives a flexible film type finish.
