This invention is directed to preparations useful for the permanent or
substantially permanent treatment of textiles and other webs. More
particularly, the preparations of the invention comprise an agent or other
payload surrounded by or contained within a polymeric encapsulator that is
reactive to webs, to give textile-reactive nanoparticles. By
"textile-reactive" is meant that the payload nanoparticle will form a
chemical covalent bond with the fiber, yarn, fabric, textile, finished
goods (including apparel), or other web or substrate to be treated. The
polymeric encapsulator of the payload nanoparticle has a surface that
includes functional groups for binding or attachment to the fibers of the
textiles or other webs to be treated, to provide permanent attachment of
the payload to the textiles. Alternatively, the surface of the
nanoparticle includes functional groups that can bind to a linker molecule
that will in turn bind or attach the nanoparticle to the fiber. This
invention is further directed to the fibers, yarns, fabrics, other
textiles, or finished goods treated with the textile-reactive
nanoparticles. Such textiles and webs exhibit a greatly improved retention
or durability of the payload agent and its activity, even after multiple
washings.