Process for removing water from a composition of functional ingredients, and composition containing the resulting product

Abstract

A process for removing water from a functional ingredient composition containing 10% by weight or more of water, which process does not require the input of thermal energy. 【Solution means】The amount of water in the resulting dehydrated product is 33% or less of the starting amount of water in the functional ingredient, and the method results in a dehydrated product having a weight loss of 2% or less based on the total weight of the starting components.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Cross - Reference to Related Applications) The benefit of priority is claimed with respect to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 345,188, filed May 24, 2022, entitled "PROCESS FOR REMOVING WATER FROM A FUNCTIONAL INGREDIENT COMPOSITION, AND COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING THE RESULTING PRODUCT".

[0002] If permitted, the subject matter of the applications referenced above is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0003] The present invention generally relates to a process for removing water from a functional ingredient composition containing 10% by weight or more of water, which process does not require the input of thermal energy. The amount of detectable water in the dehydrated product produced by this method is 33% or less, or 25% or less, or 15% or less of the starting amount of water in the functional ingredient composition. This method can result in a dehydrated product having a weight loss of 2% or less based on the difference between the total weight of the starting components and the final weight of the final product. Compositions containing the dehydrated functional ingredient product produced by the methods herein are also provided.

Background Art

[0004] Functional ingredients such as surfactants, dispersants, anti - redeposition agents, solubility modifiers, rinsing aids, odor neutralizers, conditioning agents, antistatic agents, soil blockers, soil release agents, and color protectants may be provided by manufacturers as compositions containing 10% by weight or more of water. However, the presence of such relatively large amounts of water can prevent the use of these functional ingredient compositions in some formulations, such as compositions provided in tablet form.

[0005] Tablet-shaped compositions are known in the art. For example, tablet-type detergents are described in U.S. Patent No. 3,953,350 (Fujino et al., 1976). Such tablet compositions are becoming more common and desirable for consumers. Tablet compositions have several advantages over liquid and powder products in that they do not require metering, and thus are easier for consumers to handle and dispense, and are more compact, thus facilitating more economical transport and storage. Tablet-shaped compositions are generally manufactured by compressing or pressing a certain amount of the composition, which is generally in particulate form. Functional ingredient compositions containing water, particularly those containing 10% by weight or more of water, can be difficult, if not impossible, to incorporate directly into typical formulations that are pressed into tablets. The relatively high water content can react with other components in the tablet composition or make compression or tablet release impossible. Even if tablets can be manufactured, the relatively high water content can lead to storage stability problems or can adversely affect the hardness, friability, and physical integrity of the tablets.

[0006] Conventional processes for removing water from functional ingredient compositions involve the application of thermal energy such as evaporation or thermal distillation. Both of these methods can result in loss of functionality of the components or loss of some portion of the components during the water removal process. Loss of functionality defeats the whole purpose of trying to remove water from the as-delivered functional ingredient composition, while loss of components during the water removal process, as well as the energy and equipment costs required to remove water using conventional methods, drive up the cost of the final formulation.

[0007] Accordingly, there is a need for a method of removing water from a functional ingredient composition that does not adversely affect the functionality of the components or result in product loss and that enables the use of a functional ingredient composition having 10% by weight or more of water as a component of a composition in the form of a compressed tablet. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] A method for removing water from a functional ingredient composition containing 10% by weight or more of water, which does not require the input of thermal energy, is provided. The resulting dehydrated product may be in the form of a free-flowing powder, or the resulting product may be mixed with a flow aid to obtain a free-flowing powder. The amount of detectable water in the dehydrated product produced by the method provided herein is 33% or less of the starting amount of water in the functional ingredient, or 25% or less of the starting amount of water in the functional ingredient, or 15% or less of the starting amount of water in the functional ingredient. The method provided herein can result in the production of a dehydrated product having a weight loss of 2% or less, or 1% or less, based on the total weight of the starting components. The dehydrated product retains the functionality of the functional ingredient and enables a functional ingredient composition originally containing 10% by weight or more of water provided by their manufacturers to be converted into a form usable for inclusion in a composition in the form of a tablet, such as a compressed tablet.

[0009] An environmentally friendly, environmentally acceptable, economical and efficient method is provided herein for modifying a functional ingredient composition containing 10% by weight or more of water so that the product can be converted into a dehydrated form that retains the functionality of the functional ingredient and is suitable for inclusion in a compressed tablet composition.

[0010] A method for removing water from an aqueous functional component composition containing more than 10% by weight of water, which comprises mixing a solid base, a polyester solvent, and the aqueous functional component composition in a mixer at room temperature to produce a dehydrated product, wherein the amount of water in the dehydrated product is 33% or less of the starting amount of water in the aqueous functional component composition, and the difference between the total weight of the solid base, polyester solvent, and aqueous functional component composition charged into the mixer and the final weight of the dehydrated product is 2% or less. The functional component in the aqueous functional component composition can be a surfactant, a dispersant, an anti-redeposition agent, a solubility modifier, a rinsing aid, an odor neutralizer, a chelating agent, a conditioning agent, an antistatic agent, a soil blocking agent, a soil release agent, a color protection agent, or a combination thereof, or can include them. The starting amount of water in the aqueous functional component composition can range from 10% to 98% by weight.

[0011] The solid base is solid at room temperature and can include an alkaline substance having a pH in the range of about 8 to 13.5. The solid base can include an alkali metal salt, an alkaline earth metal salt, an aminopolycarboxylate-based chelating agent, a tetrasodium iminodisuccinate complexing agent, or a combination thereof. The solid base can include one or more selected from the group consisting of sodium acetate, potassium acetate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, sodium sesquicarbonate, sodium silicate, potassium silicate, sodium metasilicate, potassium metasilicate, trisodium methylglycine N,N-diacetate (MGDA), tetrasodium glutamate diacetate (GLDA), and tetrasodium iminodisuccinate. The solid base can include sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, MGDA, GLDA, or a combination thereof.

[0012] In the method provided herein, the polyester solvent has three or more

[0013]

Chemical formula

[0014] In the method provided herein, when the ratio of the solid base to the functional component composition is in the range of about 5:1 to 15:1, the dehydration product is in the form of a free-flowing powder. When the ratio of the solid base to the functional component composition is within the range of about 5:1 to 15:1, the ratio of the solid base to the polyester solvent can be within the range of about 3:1 to 8.5:1. When the ratio of the solid base to the functional component composition is within the range of about 5:1 to 15:1, the ratio of the polyester solvent to the functional component composition can be within the range of about 1:1 to 3:1.

[0015] In the method provided herein, when the ratio of the solid base to the functional component composition is in the range of about 3:1 to 1:5, the dehydration product is in the form of a viscous fluid. When the ratio of the solid base to the functional component composition is in the range of about 3:1 to 1:5, the ratio of the solid base to the polyester solvent is in the range of about 3.5:1 to 1:11. When the ratio of the solid base to the functional component composition is in the range of about 3:1 to 1:5, the ratio of the polyester solvent to the functional component composition is in the range of about 4:1 to 1:4.

[0016] In the method provided herein, when the ratio of the solid base to the functional component composition is in the range of about 3:1 to 1:5, the dehydration product can be aged over a period of 3 hours to 8 hours to obtain a dehydration product in the form of a gel. The dehydration product can be aged for 18 hours to 24 hours to obtain a dehydration product in the form of a paste.

[0017] The dehydration product in the form of a viscous fluid, or a gel, or a paste can be blended with a flow aid to obtain a fluid product. The flow aid can include a) sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium sulfate, potassium sulfate, or a combination thereof; b) at least one sodium salt and / or potassium salt of acetate, carbonate, bicarbonate, citrate, phosphate, silicate, aluminate, or a combination thereof; or c) a combination of these materials. The ratio of the flow aid to the dehydration product can be about 1:1 to 5:1. The blending of the dehydration product in the form of a viscous fluid or a gel with the flow aid can be carried out over a period of about 10 minutes or more. The time can be 10 minutes to 120 minutes, or 10 minutes to 60 minutes. In some methods, the dehydration product is aged over a period of 1 hour to 24 hours before being blended with the flow aid.

[0018] In some methods provided herein, when the dehydration product is aged for 18 to 24 hours and the resulting dehydration product has the consistency of a hard paste, the dehydration product can be converted into a fluid powder by applying only energy to grind the aged product into small particles without the need to add a flow aid.

[0019] In the method provided herein, the mixer used when mixing a solid base, a polyester solvent, and an aqueous functional component composition can be any mixer known in the art. The mixer can be a KitchenAid® countertop stand mixer, a Hobart® planetary mixer, a V-blender, a V-cone blender, a rotary batch mixer, a ribbon blender, a paddle blender, a plow blender, a screw mixer, a turbine, a Nauta® mixer, a double arm kneader mixer, or a combination thereof. Mixing can be carried out at room temperature and under atmospheric pressure. Mixing can be carried out for at least 10 minutes. Mixing can be carried out for 10 to 120 minutes, or 10 to 60 minutes. The amount of water in the dehydrated product is about 33% or less of the starting amount of water in the aqueous functional component composition.

[0020] Also provided is a dehydrated product produced by the method provided herein. Also provided is a composition containing a dehydrated product produced by the method provided herein. The composition can be in the form of a compressed tablet.

[0021] The amount of the dehydrated product in the composition or the compressed tablet can range from about 5 wt% to 95 wt% based on the total weight of the composition or the compressed tablet. The composition or the compressed tablet can further contain additional components in the range of about 0.05 wt% to 75 wt% based on the total weight of the composition. The additional components can be selected from organic solvents, additional surfactants, buffer salts, lubricants, fragrances, colorants, chelating agents, enzymes, acids, carbonates, bicarbonates, phosphates, wetting agents, dispersants, hydrotropes, foaming agents, rheology control agents, antifoaming agents, and combinations thereof. The composition or the compressed tablet can be formulated to produce a germicidal product, a disinfectant product, a surface cleaner, a hand wash product, a body wash product, a hair wash product, a hair conditioning product, a skin softening product, a dish soap or detergent product, a laundry detergent, a laundry softening product, a laundry antistatic product, or a pet odor removal product.

[0022] Also provided are unit dosage forms comprising the dehydrated product generated by the method provided herein. The unit dosage form can be in the form of a compressed tablet, capsule, pellet, pack, brick, briquette, block, soluble pouch, soluble packet. When dissolved in a solvent, one or more unit dosage forms can result in a bactericidal solution, a disinfecting solution, a surface cleaner, a hand wash product, a body wash product, a hair wash product, a hair conditioning product, a skin softening product, a dish soap or detergent product, a laundry detergent, a laundry softening product, a laundry antistatic product, or a pet odor removal product.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] A. Definitions Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. All patents, patent applications, published applications and publications, websites and other published materials referenced throughout the disclosure of this specification are incorporated by reference in their entirety unless otherwise noted. In the event of multiple definitions for a term in this specification, the definitions in this section shall control. It should be understood that when a URL or other such identifier or address is referenced, such identifier may change and the specific information on the Internet may move, but equivalent information can be found by searching the Internet. Referring to them demonstrates that such information is available and generally widespread.

[0024] As used herein, the singular forms "a", "and" and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0025] As used herein, all ranges include their upper and lower limits. When used herein, the recitation of a numerical range for a variable is intended to convey that the variable can be equal to any value within that range, as well as any and all sub-ranges subsumed by a broader range. Thus, a variable may be equal to any integer value (singular or plural) within a numerical range including the endpoints of the range. By way of example, a variable described as having a value between 0 and 10 may be 0, 3, 4 - 8, 2.15, 6.8 - 9.1, etc.

[0026] As used herein, "about" is a term of approximation and is intended to include a slight variation of the stated amount as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Such variations include, for example, standard deviations associated with the techniques commonly used to measure the amounts of the constituent elements or components of an alloy or composite material, or other properties and characteristics. All values characterized by the modifier "about" are also intended to include the exact numerical value in relation thereto. Thus, "about 5 percent" also means "about 5 percent" and "5 percent".

[0027] As used herein, the term "optional" or "optionally" means that the subsequent recited event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includes instances where the event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not. For example, any component in a system means that the component may or may not be present in the system.

[0028] As used herein, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" are inclusive and open-ended and not exclusive. When used in this specification and the claims, the terms "comprises" and "comprising", and variations thereof, mean that a particular feature, step or component is included, but do not exclude other features, steps or components.

[0029] Any composition described herein is intended to consist of, consist essentially of, and include compositions containing the various components specified herein, unless expressly indicated to the contrary.

[0030] In this specification and the claims, the singular form includes plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. As used herein, the word "or" is used in the "inclusive" sense of "and / or" and not in the "exclusive" sense of "either / or", unless specifically stated otherwise.

[0031] As used herein, the term "exemplary" means "serving as an example or illustration" and should not be construed as preferred or advantageous over other configurations disclosed herein.

[0032] Unless otherwise indicated, each individual feature or embodiment of this specification can be combined with any other individual feature or embodiment described herein without limitation. Such combinations are specifically contemplated as being within the scope of the invention, whether or not they are explicitly described as combinations herein.

[0033] As used herein, "weight percent" or "wt%" refers to the concentration of a substance as the weight of the substance divided by the total weight of the composition and multiplied by 100.

[0034] As used herein, "functional ingredient composition" refers to a composition containing a compound or ingredient that performs or accomplishes a specific function within a product to deliver or generate a beneficial effect. Exemplary functional ingredient compositions include surfactants, dispersants, anti-redeposition agents, solubility modifiers, rinsing aids, odor neutralizers, chelating agents, conditioning agents, antistatic agents, soil blockers, soil release agents, and color protectants.

[0035] As used herein, "water removal" means converting at least a portion of the water in a composition into other more desirable products, and thus results in a negligible loss of the total weight of the starting components.

[0036] As used herein, "compressed tablets" refers to a dosage form containing compressed powder. For example, compressed tablets can be formed using a rotary tablet press or other similar machines known to those skilled in the art.

[0037] As used herein, "surfactant" refers to surface-active molecules that adsorb at the air / water, oil / water, and / or oil / water interfaces and substantially reduce their surface energy. Surfactants are generally classified according to the charge of the surface-active moiety and can be classified as cationic, anionic, nonionic, and amphoteric surfactants.

[0038] As used herein, "biosurfactant" is a surfactant of biological origin.

[0039] As used herein, "composite material" refers to a mixture of two or more different components that form a substantially homogeneous material (i.e., a material without a laminated structure or compositional gradient) where the components do not completely dissolve or fuse.

[0040] As used herein, "environmentally friendly" means not harmful to the environment or having only minimal adverse effects on the environment.

[0041] As used herein, "solid" refers to a composition that is not a fluid or a liquid and substantially retains its shape under moderate stress, pressure, or gravity.

[0042] As used herein, "fluidity" refers to the ability of a material to flow under its own weight at a given temperature or to move within a flow in response to an external force applied to the material.

[0043] As used herein, "granule" refers to an aggregate of particles.

[0044] As used herein, "powder" refers to a solid composed of particulate materials such as particles or granules or combinations thereof, and can flow freely under moderate stress (such as mixing) or gravity.

[0045] As used herein, "dehydration product" refers to the resulting material that contains less water than the starting material used.

[0046] As used herein, "flow aid" refers to a substance that, when blended with a dehydration product, helps to disperse the dehydration product into particles that can flow freely.

[0047] As used herein, "viscous liquid" refers to a substance that exhibits a relatively high viscosity while maintaining fluidity and has a thick consistency intermediate between that of water and a gel with a low viscosity.

[0048] As used herein, "gel" generally refers to a fluid jelly-like material having the consistency of petrolatum or toothpaste.

[0049] As used herein, "paste" refers to a composition having a fabric-like or clay-like texture that can have various degrees of firmness (resistance to deformation). "Very soft paste" is easily deformable and has a consistency similar to bread dough. "Soft paste" requires the application of minimal force to deform and has the consistency of a pomade or balm component. "Normal paste" has the consistency of "Silly Putty" (an "elastic solid" that is a mixture including dimethylsiloxane, silica, polydimethylsiloxane, glycerin, decamethylcyclopentasiloxane, and castor oil derivatives) or Play-Doh (a soft, pliable modeling compound) and is deformable with moderate force. "Hard paste" does not deform easily and requires the application of a moderately large force to deform. "Very hard paste" requires the application of a high degree of force to deform and has the consistency of a wax-like solid such as Turtle Wax® carnauba paste wax.

[0050] As used herein, "room temperature" means an ambient temperature in the range of about 20°C to about 25°C (generally having an average of about 21°C).

[0051] As used herein, "room temperature process" means that the process is carried out at ambient temperature and no thermal energy is added, although frictional heat due to mixing or a temperature increase due to a chemical reaction such as hydrolysis can occur.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0052]

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[0053] C. Description of the methods provided herein Many functional components having desirable properties, such as surfactants, deodorants, etc., are not available in a water-free form. For example, many surfactant compositions may contain 30 - 70 wt% when provided by their manufacturers and are not available in a dry form. These water-containing surfactant compositions represent approximately 30% - 40% of the available surfactant composition options. The presence of water can prevent their use in some formulations, such as solid granule or tablet products, unless the water present in the as-delivered functional component composition is removed. Some other functional components may be provided by their manufacturers in a form that can contain 98 - 99 wt% water. At such high water contents, these functional component compositions typically cannot be included in formulations such as solid granule or tablet products unless the water present in the as-delivered functional component composition is removed.

[0054] A method is provided herein for modifying a functional ingredient composition containing 10% by weight or more of water so that the functional ingredient composition can be converted into a stable dehydrated product form that retains the functionality of the functional ingredient and is suitable for inclusion in a compressed tablet composition, which is environmentally friendly, environmentally acceptable, economical, and efficient.

[0055] The method provided herein does not require a long time to achieve water reduction, or a large energy input to reduce the amount of water present, or any special parts of a heating unit or apparatus for carrying out the method. The method can be carried out using a mixing device typically present at the production site of a formulation manufacturer.

[0056] In addition, the method provided herein does not result in loss of active ingredients during processing, unlike conventional heating or distillation processes commonly used to remove water from ingredient compositions. Conventional methods rely on energy-intensive methods to remove water, typically by heating or distillation, thus reducing the total weight of the product obtained at the end of the water removal process. In contrast, the method provided herein converts at least a portion of the water present in the water-containing active ingredient composition into a beneficial ingredient, and thus the change in weight of the final product compared to the weight of the starting material is minimal.

[0057] In the method provided herein, the functional ingredient in the as-provided functional ingredient composition is not subjected to high temperatures to evaporate or distill off water. Instead, a process is provided that occurs under ambient conditions (typically room temperature and pressure (about 1 atmosphere, or about 1 bar, or about 14.7 psi)). This process includes chemical reactions that enable the conversion of water under thermodynamically favorable conditions, such that no thermal energy input is required to drive the reaction. Frictional heat during mixing, or chemical reactions in the method, or both, may result in a temperature increase, but no additional thermal energy input is required for the method. For example, the addition of water to sodium carbonate or potassium carbonate from the functional ingredient composition can result in a temperature increase, such as up to 40 - 70 °C.

[0058] The method provided herein can remove water from a functional ingredient composition containing 10 wt% or more (e.g., 10 wt% - 98 wt%) of water to yield a dehydrated product. This method includes mixing a solid base having a pH in the range of 8 - 13, a polyester solvent, and the functional ingredient composition in a mixer. The mixing can be carried out at room temperature and ambient pressure. The mixing can be carried out for 10 - 60 minutes. In some methods, the resulting dehydrated product is in the form of a free-flowing powder. In some methods, the resulting dehydrated product is in the form of a viscous fluid or gel, which can be converted to a free-flowing powder by mixing with a salt. In some embodiments, the salt can be a neutral salt such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium sulfate, or potassium sulfate, or a combination thereof, or can contain them. In some embodiments, the salt can be at least one sodium salt and / or potassium salt of acetate, carbonate, bicarbonate, citrate, phosphate, silicate, or aluminate, or a combination thereof, or can contain them.

[0059] In the method provided, the ester hydrolysis reaction consumes at least a portion of the water present in the active ingredient and produces safe by-products, such as glycerin or ethanol, which can be beneficial, particularly for the production of compressed tablets.

[0060] An exemplary reaction scheme of the method provided in this specification is shown in Reaction Scheme 1 below.

[0061] [Chemical Formula]

[0062] In the reaction shown in Reaction Scheme 1, an aqueous surfactant composition (Crodasinic™ LS30, an aqueous composition containing sodium lauroyl sarcosinate) is mixed with triacetin (glyceryl triacetate) as a polyester solvent and soda ash (sodium carbonate (Na 2 CO 3 )) as a solid base. A hydrolysis reaction occurs, generating diacetin, monoacetin, glycerol, and acetic acid, which undergo ion exchange with sodium lauroyl sarcosinate, soda ash, and acetic acid to yield, among other things, N-lauryl sarcosine, sodium bicarbonate, sodium acetate, and glycerol. Little or no water remains.

[0063] The decrease or disappearance of water can be evaluated using any technique known in the art. For example, Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) can be used. The peak of water appears in the near infrared spectrum at approximately 1400 - 1450 and 1900 - 1950 nm. The dehydrated product produced using the method provided in this specification was scanned with a Metrohm / Foss near infrared spectroscopy system immediately after mixing and after 24 hours of storage. As seen in Figure 2, the amount of water present in the dehydrated product at the end of the reaction of the method provided in this specification is significantly reduced. The spectrum shown in Figure 2 is the second derivative spectrum used to characterize the dehydrated product.

[0064] A method of using different polyester solvents is shown in Reaction Scheme 2. In Reaction Scheme 2, triethyl citrate (Citrofol® Al) was used as the polyester solvent.

[0065] [Chemical]

[0066] In the reaction shown in Reaction Scheme 2, an aqueous surfactant composition (Crodasinic™ LS30, an aqueous composition containing sodium lauroyl sarcosinate) is mixed with Citrofol® Al (triethyl 2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylate or triethyl citrate) as a polyester solvent and soda ash (sodium carbonate (Na 2 CO 3 )) as a solid base. A hydrolysis reaction occurs, producing sodium 4-ethoxy-2-(2-ethoxy-oxoethyl)-2-hydroxy-4-oxobutanoate, sodium (2S)-2-(2-oxoethyl)-2-hydroxy-butanedioate, sodium 2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylate, sodium bicarbonate, and ethanol, which undergo ion exchange to yield, among other things, N-lauroyl sarcosine, sodium bicarbonate, sodium citrate, and ethanol. Little or no water remains.

[0067] In the method provided herein, safe starting materials are used and the reaction results in the formation of safe products.

[0068] Solid base The method provided herein involves mixing a solid base with a polyester solvent and a functional component composition. The solid base used in this method can be any alkaline substance that is solid at room temperature and has a pH in the range of about 8 to 13.5. In some embodiments, the solid base can have a pH in the range of about 8.3 to 12.5. In some embodiments, the solid base can have a pH in the range of about 9 to 12. In some embodiments, the solid base can have a pH in the range of about 10.5 to 12.

[0069] The solid base can include an alkali metal salt, an alkaline earth metal salt, an aminopolycarboxylate-based chelating agent, a tetrasodium iminodisuccinate complexing agent, or a combination thereof. Some examples of alkali metal salts include alkali metal acetates, bicarbonates, carbonates, citrates, silicates, metasilicates, and mixtures thereof. Some examples of alkaline earth metal salts include alkaline earth metal acetates, bicarbonates, carbonates, citrates, silicates, metasilicates, and mixtures thereof. Exemplary solid bases include, but are not limited to, potassium acetate, sodium acetate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, sesquicarbonate of sodium, sodium citrate, potassium citrate, sodium silicate, potassium silicate, sodium metasilicate, potassium metasilicate, trisodium methylglycine N,N-diacetate (MGDA, e.g., Dissolvine® M-S, Nouryon, Arnhem, the Netherlands), tetrasodium glutamate diacetate (tetrasodium N,N-dicarboxymethylglutamate, GLDA, e.g., Dissolvine® GL-PD-S, Nouryon, Arnhem, the Netherlands), tetrasodium iminodisuccinate, e.g., Baypure® CX100 solid G (RheinChemie Additives, Köln, Germany), and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the solid base is sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, MGDA, GLDA, or a combination thereof.

[0070] Polyester solvent The polyester solvent has three or more

[0071]

Chemical formula

[0072] Exemplary polyester solvents include, but are not limited to, triethyl citrate (Citrofol® Al, Jungbunzlauer), acetyltriethyl citrate (Citrofol® Al1), tributyl citrate (Citrofol® Bl, Jungbunzlauer), acetyltributyl citrate (Citrofol® Bl1), trihexyl citrate, n-butyryl-tri(n-hexyl)-citrate, trioctyl citrate, tributyl aconitate, glyceryl triacetate (triacetin), glyceryl tripropanoate (tripropionin), glyceryl tributyrate (tributyrin), glyceryl tricaprate (tricaprin), glyceryl trioleate (triolein), glyceryl tristearate (stearin), glyceryl tripalmitate (tripalmitin), pentaerythrityl tetraethylhexanoate, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the polyester solvent can be selected from triethyl citrate, acetyltriethyl citrate, tributyl citrate, acetyltributyl citrate, glyceryl triacetate (triacetin), glyceryl tripropanoate (tripropionin), glyceryl tributyrate (tributyrin), and combinations thereof.

[0073] Functional ingredient composition Any functional ingredient composition containing 10% by weight or more of water can be selected to remove water in the functional ingredient composition using the method provided herein. Exemplary functional ingredient compositions include, but are not limited to, surfactants, dispersants, anti-redeposition agents, solubility modifiers, rinsing aids, odor neutralizers, chelating agents, conditioning agents, antistatic agents, soil blockers, soil release agents, and color protectants.

[0074] When the functional ingredient composition contains a surfactant, the surfactant can be selected from among cationic surfactants, anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, zwitterionic surfactants, silicone surfactants, biosurfactants, and combinations thereof.

[0075] Exemplary nonionic surfactants include nonylphenol ethoxylate surfactants, nonylphenoxypoly(ethyleneoxy)ethanol; nonylphenyl polyethylene glycol ether, nonionic; polyoxyethylene(10)nonylphenol; polyoxyethylene(14)nonylphenol; polyoxyethylene(1.5) Nonylphenol; Polyoxyethylene (20) nonylphenol; Polyoxyethylene (30) nonylphenol; Polyoxyethylene (4) nonylphenol Polyoxyethylene (5) nonylphenol; Polyoxyethylene (6) nonylphenol; Polyoxyethylene (8) nonylphenol; Polyoxyethylene (9) nonylphenyl ether; Protachem 630; Sterox; Surfionic N; T-DET-N; Tergitol NP; Tergitol NP-14; Tergitol NP-27; Tergitol NP-33; Tergitol NP-35; Tergitol NP-40; Tergitol NPX; Tergitol TP-9; Triton N; Triton X; Dowfax 9N; Ethoxylated nonylphenol; Igepal CO; Igepal CO-630; Macrogol nonylphenyl ether; Makon; Neutronyx 600; Nonipol NO; Nonionic surfactants having a polyalkylene oxide polymer as part of the surfactant molecule, for example, chlorine-, benzyl-, methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl- and other similar alkyl-capped polyethylene glycol ethers of fatty alcohols; Nonionic substances without polyalkylene oxides such as alkyl polyglycosides; Sorbitan and sucrose esters, and their ethoxylates; Alkoxylated ethylenediamines; Alcohol ethoxylate propoxylates, alcohol propoxylates, alcohol propoxylate ethoxylate propoxylates, alcohol ethoxylate butoxylates and other alcohol alkoxylates; Nonylphenol ethoxylates, polyoxyethylene glycol ethers; Carboxylic acid esters such as glycerol esters of fatty acids, polyoxyethylene esters, ethoxylated and glycol esters; Carboxylic acid amides such as diethanolamine condensates, monoalkanolamine condensates, polyoxyethylene fatty acid amides; And polyalkylene oxide block copolymers including ethylene oxide / propylene oxide block copolymers such as those commercially available under the trademark PLURONIC® (BASF-Wyandotte).

[0076] Exemplary silicone surfactants that may be present in the functional ingredient composition include, but are not limited to, dimethicone copolyols and alkyl dimethicone copolyols and blends thereof, polyalkyl polyether polysiloxane copolymers having an alkyl group containing 5 to 22 carbon atoms, for example, cetyl dimethicone copolyol, for example, those sold under the name Abil® EM-90 by Evonik Industries AG (Essen, Germany), a mixture of dimethicone copolyol and cyclopentasiloxane (85 / 15), for example, those sold under the name Abil® EM-97 by Goldschmidt, methyl ether dimethicone, for example, PEG-3 methyl ether dimethicone, PEG-9 methyl ether dimethicone, PEG-10 methyl ether dimethicone, PEG-11 methyl ether dimethicone, and linear polyether-modified silicone emulsifiers (available from Shin-Etsu (Akron, Ohio)) including butyl ether dimethicone.Branched polyether-modified silicone emulsifiers, such as PEG-9 polydimethylsiloxyethyldimethylcon (Shin-Etsu), alkyl-copolymerized branched polyether silicones, such as lauryl PEG-9 polydimethylsiloxyethyldimethylcon (Shin-Etsu), commercially available emulsifiers Silwet® 7001, Dow Corning FG-10, Silwet® L-77 (a polyalkylene oxide-modified heptamethyltrisiloxane containing methyl end groups and one pendant group and having an average molecular weight of 645), and Silwet® L-7608 (a polyalkylene oxide-modified heptamethyltrisiloxane containing hydrogen end groups and one pendant group and having an average molecular weight of 630) available from Momentive Performance Materials; silicones containing polyalkylene oxide groups such as Lambent™ MFF-199-SW (containing hydrogen end groups and one pendant polyethylene oxide group and having an average molecular weight of 600 - 1000) available from Lambent Technologies Inc. (Gurnee, Illinois); silicone copolyol carboxylic acid esters, such as SW-CP-K (containing phthalate end groups and one polyethylene oxide pendant group and having an average molecular weight of 800 - 1100) and Lube CPI (containing phthalic acid end groups and 3 - 5 pendant groups and having an average molecular weight of 2900 - 5300) available from Lambent Technologies Inc.; alkyl-dimethylcon copolyol type surfactants as described in U.S. Patent No. 7,083,800 (Terren et al, 2006), including silicone emulsifiers commercially available under the names "Abil® WE 09", "Abil® WS 08", and "Abil® EM 90" (Evonik Industries AG, Essen, Germany), and cationic silicone emulsifiers as described in U.S. Patent No. 5,124,466 (Azechi et al, 1992).

[0077] Exemplary cationic surfactants include, but are not limited to, homopolymers and copolymers derived from free-radical polymerizable acrylic or methacrylic esters or amide monomers. The copolymers can contain one or more units derived from acrylamide, methacrylamide, diacetoneacrylamide, acrylic acid or methacrylic acid or their esters, vinyl lactams such as vinylpyrrolidone or vinylcaprolactam, and vinyl esters. Exemplary polymers include copolymers of acrylamide and dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate quaternized with dimethyl sulfate or an alkyl halide; copolymers of acrylamide and methacryloyloxyethyltrimethylammonium chloride; copolymers of acrylamide and methacryloyloxyethyltrimethylammonium methosulfate; optionally quaternized copolymers of vinylpyrrolidone / dialkylaminoalkyl acrylate or methacrylate, such as products sold under the name GAFQUAT™ by International Specialty Products; dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate / vinylcaprolactam / vinylpyrrolidone terpolymers, such as products sold under the name GAFFIX™ VC 713 by International Specialty Products; vinylpyrrolidone / methacrylamide propyldimethylamine copolymers sold under the name STYLEZE™ CC 10 by International Specialty Products; and vinylpyrrolidone and quaternized dimethylaminopropylmethacrylamide copolymers, such as products sold under the name GAFQUAT™ HS 100 by International Specialty Products; quaternary polymers of vinylpyrrolidone and vinylimidazole, such as products sold under the trade names Luviquat® (product designations FC 905, FC 550, and FC 370) by BASF; propyltrimonium chloride, behenamidopropyldimethylamine, behenamidopropylethyldimonium ethosulfate, behentrimonium chloride,Cetethyldimonium ethosulfate, cetrimonium chloride, cocoamidopropyldiethyldimonium ethosulfate, dicetyldimonium chloride, dimethicone hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, hydroxyethyl behenamidopropyldimonium chloride, quaternium-26, quaternium-27, quaternium-53, quaternium-63, quaternium-70, quaternium-72, quaternium-76 hydrolyzed collagen, PPG-9 diethylammonium chloride, PPG-25 diethylammonium chloride, PPG-40 diethylammonium chloride, stearalkonium chloride, stearamidopropyldiethyldimonium ethosulfate, stearyldimonium hydroxypropyl hydrolyzed wheat protein, stearyldimonium hydroxypropyl hydrolyzed collagen, wheat germamidopropylalkonium chloride, wheat germamidopropyldiethyldimonium ethosulfate, polymers and copolymers of dimethyldiallylammonium chloride, for example, polyquaternium-4, polyquaternium-6, polyquaternium-7, polyquaternium-10, polyquaternium-11, polyquaternium-16, polyquaternium-22, polyquaternium-24, polyquaternium-28, polyquaternium-29, polyquaternium-32, polyquaternium-33, polyquaternium-35, polyquaternium-37, polyquaternium-39, polyquaternium-44, polyquaternium-46, polyquaternium-47, polyquaternium-52, polyquaternium-53, polyquaternium-55, polyquaternium-59, polyquaternium-61, polyquaternium-64, polyquaternium-65, polyquaternium-67, polyquaternium-69, polyquaternium-70, polyquaternium-71, polyquaternium-72, polyquaternium-73, polyquaternium-74, polyquaternium-76, polyquaternium-77, polyquaternium-78, polyquaternium-79, polyquaternium-80, polyquaternium-81, polyquaternium-82, polyquaternium-84, polyquaternium-85, polyquaternium-87, and mixtures thereof; polyalkyleneimine, for example, polyethyleneimine,Polymers containing vinyl pyridine or vinyl pyridinium units, condensates of polyamines and epichlorohydrin; quaternary polyurethanes; salts of primary, secondary, or tertiary fatty amines optionally polyoxyalkylenated; quaternary ammonium salt derivatives of imidazoline, or amine oxides; mono-, di-, or tri-alkyl quaternary ammonium compounds having counterions such as chloride, methosulfate, tosylate, including, but not limited to, cetrimonium chloride, dicetyldimonium chloride, and behentrimonium methosulfate.

[0078] Exemplary anionic surfactants include, but are not limited to, one or more carboxylates, such as, but not limited to, alkyl carboxylates (e.g., carboxylic acids and / or their salts), polyalkoxy carboxylates (e.g., polycarboxylic acids and / or their salts), alcohol ethoxylate carboxylates, nonylphenol ethoxylate carboxylates, or combinations thereof; sulfonates, such as, but not limited to, alkyl sulfonates, alkyl benzene sulfonates (e.g., dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid and / or its salts), alkyl aryl sulfonates, sulfonated fatty acid esters, or combinations thereof; sulfates, such as, but not limited to, sulfated alcohols, sulfated alcohol ethoxylates, sulfated alkyl phenols, alkyl sulfates, sulfosuccinates, alkyl ether sulfates, or combinations thereof; phosphate esters, such as, but not limited to, alkyl-phosphate esters; or combinations thereof. Exemplary anionic surfactants include sodium alkyl aryl sulfonate, α-olefin sulfonate, fatty alcohol sulfate, and combinations thereof. Exemplary sulfosuccinates include alkyl sulfosuccinates and amide sulfosuccinates, such as disodium lauryl sulfosuccinate (CAS No. 26838-05-1), disodium laureth sulfosuccinate (CAS No. 39354-45-5), disodium oleamide MIPA sulfosuccinate (CAS No. 67815-88-7), and combinations thereof.

[0079] Exemplary amphoteric surfactants (or zwitterionic surfactants) include, but are not limited to, imidazolinium betaines, dimethylalkyl lauryl betaines, alkyl glycines, and alkyl di(aminoethyl) glycines, including imidazoline derivatives, betaines, imidazolines, sultaines, propionates, amine oxides, or combinations thereof. The betaine can be an alkyl betaine, an alkyl amide betaine, or a mixture thereof, such as any one of cetyl betaine (CAS number 693-33-4), lauryl betaine (CAS number 683-10-3), cocoamidopropyl betaine (CAS number 61789-40-0), lauramidopropyl betaine (CAS number 4292-10-8), or combinations thereof.

[0080] The functional ingredient composition is selected from Tomadol® 25-7 available from linear alcohol ethoxylate (e.g., Evonik Industries AG, Essen, Germany), or C11 alcohol ethoxylate 5 E.O. (e.g., Tomadol® 1-5, Evonik), or C11 alcohol ethoxylate 7 E.O. (e.g., Tomadol® 1-7, Evonik), or C11 alcohol ethoxylate 9 E.O. (e.g., available from Tomadol® 1-9, Evonik), or sodium lauryl sulfate, or sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (e.g., available from Stepan Company, Northfield, IL), or C9-C11 alcohol ethoxylate (e.g., available from Tomadol® 91-6, Evonik), or C12-C18 alcohol ethoxylate (e.g., available from Croda Inc., Mill Hall, PA), or PEG 7 glyceryl cocoate, or sodium lauroyl sarcosinate (e.g., Perlastan® L30 available from Schill and Seilacher GmbH, Boeblingen, Germany), or any combination thereof. The surfactant can include 2-butenedioic acid-1-dodecyl ester (CAS number 2424-61-5), sodium 2-sulfo-butane dioate (CAS number 13419-59-5), sodium lauroyl sarcosinate (CAS number 137-16-6), sodium cocoyl sarcosinate (CAS number 61791-59-1), or a combination thereof.

[0081] The functional component composition can contain a biosurfactant. The biosurfactant may be a polymeric biosurfactant, glycolipid, lipopeptide, lipoprotein, phospholipid, flavolipid, or a combination thereof. The biosurfactant may contain lecithin, saponin, rhamnolipid, sophorolipid, mannosylerythritol lipid, trehalolipid, glucolipid, cellulose lipid, trehalose lipid, glucoside, alkyl glucoside, alkyl polyglucoside, cellobiose lipid, polyol lipid, protein polyamine, lipopolysaccharide, fengycin, iturin, lichenysin, surfactin, or a combination thereof.

[0082] Exemplary functional ingredient compositions include, but are not limited to, Crodateric™ CAB30 (cocamidopropyl betaine and water, Croda Inc., Chino Hills, CA), Crodasinic™ LS30 (sodium lauroyl sarcosinate and water, Croda Inc., Chino Hills, CA), Crodasinic™ CS30 (sodium cocoyl sarcosinate and water, Croda Inc., Chino Hills, CA), Plantaren® 818UP (coco-glucoside and water, BASF Care Creations, Chino Hills, CA), AlphaStep® PC48 (sodium methyl 2-sulfolaurate, disodium 2-sulfolaurate and water, Stepan Company, Northbrook, IL), Cola® Teric BOB (babassu-amido-propyl betaine, Colonial Chemical Inc., Pittsburg, TN), Glucopon® 420UP (C8-C16 alkyl polyglucoside (caprylyl / mystil glucoside) and water, BASF Care Creations, San Bruno, CA), Amphi™ M (lactonic sophorolipid CAS No. 1573124-58-9 and water, Locus Performance Ingredients, Richmond, VA), MultiTrope™ 810 (anionic surfactant and water, Croda Inc., Chino Hills, CA), Zinador™ 22L (polymer zinc itaconate complex odor neutralizer and water, Croda Inc., Chino Hills, CA), Zinador™ 35L (polymer zinc itaconate complex odor neutralizer and water, Croda Inc., Chino Hills, CA), Carboxyline® 25-40D (sodium carboxymethyl inulin and water, Cosun Beet Company, San Jose, CA).

[0083] In the method provided herein, the starting amount of water in the functional component composition can range from 10 wt% to 98 wt%, or from 15 wt% to 95 wt%, or from 20 wt% to 85 wt%, or from 25 wt% to 75 wt%, or from 30 wt% to 70 wt%, or from 10 wt% to 40 wt%, or from 35 wt% to 60 wt% based on the total weight of the functional component composition.

[0084] 1. Direct formation of the dehydrated product in the form of a flowable powder In some methods, the resulting dehydrated product is in the form of a flowable powder. The flowable powder form of the product can be achieved by controlling the ratio of the solid base to the functional component composition. In the method provided herein, a dehydrated product in the form of a flowable powder can be produced when the ratio of the solid base to the functional component composition used in the method ranges from about 5:1 to 15:1. The ratio of the solid base to the functional component composition used in the method can be 5:1, 5.5:1, 6:1, 6.5:1, 7:1, 7.5:1, 8:1, 8.5:1, 9:1, 9.5:1, 10:1, 10.5:1, 11:1, 11.5:1, 12:1, 12.5:1, 13:1, 13.5:1, 14:1, 14.5:1, or 15:1.

[0085] When the ratio of the solid base to the functional component composition used in the method ranges from about 5:1 to 15:1, the ratio of the solid base to the polyester solvent used in the method can range from about 3:1 to 8.5:1. The ratio of the solid base to the polyester solvent used in the method can range from about 3.5:1 to 8:1. The ratio of the solid base to the polyester solvent used in the method can be 3:1, 3.25:1, 3.5:1, 3.75:1, 4:1, 4.25:1, 4.5:1, 4.75:1, 5:1, 5.25:1, 5.5:1, 5.75:1, 6:1, 6.25:1, 6.5:1, 6.75:1, 7:1, 7.25:1, 7.5:1, 7.75:1, 8:1, 8.25:1, or 8.5:1.

[0086] When the ratio of the solid base to the functional component composition used in this method is in the range of about 5:1 to 15:1, the ratio of the polyester solvent to the functional component composition used in this method can be in the range of about 1:1 to 3:1. The ratio of the polyester solvent to the functional component composition used in this method can be in the range of about 1.1:1 to 2.75:1. The ratio of the polyester solvent to the functional component composition used in this method can be 1:1, 1.1:1, 1.25:1, 1.5:1, 1.75:1, 2:1, 2.25:1, 2.5:1, 2.75:1, or 3:1.

[0087] Any mixing device known in the art that can mix and combine components can be used in the methods provided herein. Components can be mixed in the methods provided herein using known devices such as a KitchenAid® countertop stand mixer, a Hobart® planetary mixer, a V-blender, a V-cone blender, a rotary batch mixer, a ribbon blender, a paddle blender, a plow blender, a screw mixer, a turboizer, a Nauta® mixer, a double arm kneader mixer, or combinations thereof. Mixing can be carried out at room temperature under atmospheric pressure and is not adversely affected by temperature or pressure conditions.

[0088] Mixing can be carried out for 10 minutes or more. The amount of time required can depend on the amount of material being mixed and the size and type of the mixing device selected. In some methods, mixing is carried out for about 10 to 60 minutes.

[0089] After the reaction is complete, the dehydrated product in the mixer is in the form of a free-flowing powder. The dehydrated product can be removed from the mixer and packaged, or aged for 1 to 24 hours before use, or used directly from the mixer as an ingredient in a formulation for a granulated or tableted product.

[0090] 2. Dehydrated product in the form of a viscous fluid, gel, or paste In the method provided in this specification, when the ratio of the solid base to the functional component composition used in this method is in the range of about 5:1 to 15:1, the resulting dehydrated product is in the form of a viscous fluid. When aged without mixing for about 3 to 8 hours, the dehydrated product becomes gel-like in viscosity. When further aged about 18 to 24 hours after the initial mixing, the dehydrated product becomes paste-like in viscosity.

[0091] The viscous fluid form of the product can be achieved by controlling the ratio of the solid base to the functional component composition. In the method provided in this specification, the dehydrated product in the form of a viscous fluid can be produced when the ratio of the solid base to the functional component composition used in this method is in the range of about 3:1 to 1:5. The ratio of the solid base to the functional component composition used in this method can be 3:1, 2.5:1, 2:1, 1.5:1, 1:1, 1:1.5, 1:2, 1:2.5, 1:3, 1:3.5, 1:4, 1:4.5, or 1:5.

[0092] When the ratio of the solid base to the functional component composition used in this method is in the range of about 3:1 to 1:5, the ratio of the solid base to the polyester solvent used in this method can be in the range of about 3.5:1 to 1:11. The ratio of the solid base to the polyester solvent used in this method can be 3:5, 3:1, 2.5:1, 2:1, 1.5:1, 1:1, 1:1.5, 1:2, 1:2.5, 1:3, 1:3.5, 1:4, 1:4.5, 1:5, 1:5.5, 1:6, 1:6.5, 1:7, 1:7.5, 1:8, 1:8.5, 1:9, 1:9.5, 1:10, 1:10.5, or 1:11.

[0093] When the ratio of the solid base to the functional component composition used in this method is in the range of about 3:1 to 1:5, the ratio of the polyester solvent to the functional component composition used in this method can be in the range of about 4:1 to 1:4. The ratio of the polyester solvent to the functional component composition used in this method can be in the range of about 3:1 to 1:3. The ratio of the polyester solvent to the functional component composition used in this method can be 4:1, 3.5:1, 3:1, 2.5:1, 2:1, 1.5:1, 1.1, 1:1.5, 1:2, 1:2.5, 1:3, 1:3.5, or 1:4.

[0094] Any mixing device known in the art that can mix and combine components can be used in the methods provided herein. Components can be mixed in the methods provided herein using known devices such as a KitchenAid® countertop stand mixer, a Hobart® planetary mixer, a V-blender, a V-cone blender, a rotary batch mixer, a ribbon blender, a paddle blender, a plow blender, a screw mixer, a turbulizer, a Nauta® mixer, a double arm kneader mixer, or combinations thereof. Mixing can be carried out at room temperature under atmospheric pressure and is not adversely affected by temperature or pressure conditions.

[0095] Mixing can be carried out for 10 minutes or more. The amount of time required can depend on the amount of material being mixed and the size and type of the mixing device selected. In some methods, mixing is carried out for about 10 to 60 minutes.

[0096] After the reaction is complete, the dehydrated product in the mixer is in the form of a viscous liquid. The viscous liquid can be aged without mixing for about 3 to 8 hours to obtain a dehydrated product having a gel consistency. Further aging about 18 to 24 hours after the initial mixing results in a dehydrated product having a pate consistency.

[0097] The dehydrated product, in any form of a viscous liquid, gel, or paste, can be converted into a free-flowing powder by mixing with a flow aid. Any flow aid known in the art can be used. In some embodiments, the flow aid includes neutral salts such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium sulfate, or potassium sulfate, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the flow aid includes at least one Na salt and / or K salt of acetate, carbonate, bicarbonate, citrate, phosphate, silicate, or aluminate, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the flow aid can include low bulk density carbonate or bicarbonate or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the flow aid can include an expanded percarbonate as described in U.S. Patent No. 8,652,434 (Moore et al, 2014). The amount of flow aid added can be in a ratio of flow aid to dehydrated product of 1:1 to 5:1. For example, 8 parts of flow aid can be added to 2 parts of dehydrated product, or 6 parts of flow aid can be added to 4 parts of dehydrated product.

[0098] The flow aid may be added to the dehydrated product in the mixer immediately after the initial mixing period, or the dehydrated product may be aged for 1 to 24 hours before adding the flow aid. Mixing can be carried out for 10 minutes or more. The amount of time required can depend on the amount of material being mixed, the size and type of the mixing device selected, and the form of the dehydrated product (viscous liquid, gel, or paste). In some methods, mixing is carried out for about 10 to 60 minutes. Mixing can continue until a free-flowing powder is produced.

[0099] The resulting free-flowing powder can be removed from the mixer and packaged, or used directly from the mixer as a component in a formulation for granulated or tableted products.

[0100] In some methods where the dehydrated product obtained after aging has a hard pate-like consistency, the dehydrated product can be converted into a free-flowing powder by applying only energy to grind the aged product into small particles without the need to add a flow aid. Any device known in the art for grinding can be used to produce particles of the dehydrated product. Examples include impact mills, FitzMill® grinders, and coffee grinders.

[0101] In some embodiments, instead of using a flow aid, the components of the formulation can be added directly to the dehydrated product in a mixer, and one or more of the components of the formulation act essentially as a flow aid material. Alternatively, the components of the formulation can be mixed together in a mixer, and the dehydrated product (as a viscous liquid, gel, or pate) can be added to the mixed components. The mixing of the components of the formulation and the dehydrated product can be carried out until a free-flowing powder is produced. The resulting free-flowing powder can then be processed to form a granulated product or compressed into tablet form.

[0102] D. The dehydrated product obtained In some embodiments, the amount of detectable water in the dehydrated product produced by the methods provided herein is 33% or less of the starting amount of water in the functional ingredient composition, whether produced directly in free-flowing powder form or as a viscous liquid gel. For example, if the starting amount of water in the functional ingredient composition is 50 wt%, the amount of water in the dehydrated product produced by the method is about 16.5 wt% or less.

[0103] In some embodiments, the amount of detectable water in the dehydrated product produced by the methods provided herein is 25% or less of the starting amount of water in the functional ingredient composition. For example, if the starting amount of water in the functional ingredient composition is 50 wt%, the amount of water in the dehydrated product produced by the method is about 12.5 wt% or less.

[0104] In some embodiments, the amount of detectable water in the dehydrated product produced by the methods provided herein is 15% or less of the starting amount of water in the functional ingredient composition. For example, if the starting amount of water in the functional ingredient composition is 50 wt%, the amount of water in the dehydrated product produced by the method is about 7.5 wt% or less.

[0105] In some embodiments, the amount of detectable water in the dehydrated product produced by the methods provided herein is 10% or less of the starting amount of water in the functional ingredient composition. For example, if the starting amount of water in the functional ingredient composition is 50 wt%, the amount of water in the dehydrated product produced by the method is about 5 wt% or less.

[0106] In some embodiments, the amount of detectable water in the dehydrated product can be 20% or less, 19% or less, 18% or less, 17% or less, 16% or less, 15% or less, 14% or less, 13% or less, 12% or less, 10% or less, 9% or less, 8% or less, 7% or less, 6% or less, 5% or less, 4% or less, 3% or less, 2% or less, 1% or less of the starting amount of water in the functional ingredient composition.

[0107] The methods provided herein "remove" at least a portion of the water present in the starting functional ingredient composition by converting at least a portion of the water to other more desirable products such as glycerin, ethanol, or sodium acetate, and thus, the total weight loss is minimal compared to the total weight of the solid base, polyester solvent, and functional ingredient composition introduced into the mixer at the start of the method. In the methods provided herein, the difference between the total weight of the solid base, polyester solvent, and functional ingredients introduced into the mixer and the final weight of the dehydrated product produced by the method is 2% or less. In some embodiments, the weight loss is 1.5 wt% or less, or 1 wt% or less, 0.75 wt% or less. In some embodiments, the weight loss is 0.6 wt% or less. In some embodiments, the weight loss is 0.5 wt% or less.

[0108] The dehydrated products produced by this method are substantially stable for over one year at room temperature. When dissolved in a solvent, the dehydrated product functional ingredient compositions provided herein exhibit the same or substantially similar activity or functionality as the equivalent functional ingredients in their original water-containing formulations.

[0109] E. Use in Formulations The dehydrated products produced by the methods provided herein can be provided as free-flowing powders, or can be converted into free-flowing powders by mixing with a flow aid, or can be directly mixed with other components of a formulation to form a free-flowing powder. The dehydrated products can be used as components in formulations provided in the form of formulations, particularly free-flowing powders, aggregates, or tablets.

[0110] Formulations containing dehydrated products produced by the methods of this specification can be converted into any desired form using techniques known in the art. For example, formulations containing dehydrated products produced by the methods provided herein can be provided as powders, aggregates, tablets, capsules, pellets, packs, bricks, briquettes, blocks, or composites. Formulations containing dehydrated products produced by the methods provided herein can be mixed with a solvent or dissolved in a solvent to provide a composition in liquid form.

[0111] In some applications, formulations containing dehydrated products produced by the methods provided herein can be provided in the form of tablets. In some embodiments, the tablets are compressed tablets. Formulations made in tablet form can contain an amount of the dehydrated products produced by the methods provided herein in the range of about 5 wt% to 95 wt% based on the total weight of the compressed tablets. In some embodiments, the compressed tablets can contain an amount of the dehydrated product in the range of about 10 wt% to 75 wt% based on the total weight of the compressed tablets.

[0112] The tablet composition may contain one or more additional ingredients. Exemplary additional ingredients include, for example, organic solvents, one or more additional surfactants, buffer salts, tablet lubricants, fragrances, colorants, chelating agents (e.g., iminodisuccinate available as Baypure® CX 100 from Lanxess Deutschland GmbH, Leverkusen, Germany) and methylglycine-diacetic acid (available as Trilon® M from BASF, Florham Park, NJ), enzymes, acids, additional carbonates or bicarbonates, phosphates, wetting agents, dispersants, hydrotropes, foaming agents, rheology control agents, antifoaming agents, and other functional additives.

[0113] In some applications, the formulation for the tablet composition may contain, as an additional ingredient, an expanded percarbonate as described in U.S. Patent No. 8,652,434 (Moore et al, 2014). In some uses, the formulation for the tablet composition may contain, as an additional ingredient, an acid selected from acetic acid, adipic acid, azelaic acid, citric acid, fumaric acid, glutaric acid, maleic acid, malonic acid, oxalic acid, pimelic acid, suberic acid, sebacic acid, succinic acid, and combinations thereof. In some applications, the formulation for the tablet composition may contain solid acetic acid as described in U.S. Patent No. 8,859,482 (Moore et al, 2014). In some applications, the formulation for the tablet composition may contain an enzyme selected from lipase, protease, peroxidase, oxidase, amylolytic enzyme, cellulase, polyesterase, glucanase, amylase, glucoamylase, glycosidase, hemicellulase, mannanase, xylanase, xyloglucanase, pectinase, β-glucosidase, or any combination thereof.

[0114] When present in a tablet composition containing a dehydrated product produced by the method provided herein, the additional component may be present in an amount in the range of about 0.05% to 75%, or about 0.25% to 60%, or about 0.5% to 50%, or about 0.75% to 40% based on the total weight of the tablet.

[0115] Tablets have several advantages over powder products. That is, tablets do not require weighing and are thus easier to handle and dispense, are more compact, facilitate more economical storage, and reduce transportation costs. Tablets containing a dehydrated product produced by the method provided herein can be of any geometric shape. Exemplary shapes include spherical, cubic, disc, rod, triangular, square, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, rhombic, deformed ball, core rod type (having a hole in the center), capsule-shaped, oval, bullet-shaped, arrowhead-shaped, composite cup-shaped, arc triangular, arc square (pillow-shaped), diamond-shaped, crescent-shaped, and almond-shaped. Tablets can be convex or concave. Tablets can be a flat plane, a flat bevel edge, a flat radius edge, a concave bevel edge, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the tablets can generally have an axially symmetric form and can have a circular, square, or rectangular cross-section.

[0116] Tablets containing the dehydrated product produced by the method provided herein can be prepared using any method known in the art, including compression, casting, briquetting, injection molding, and extrusion. In some embodiments, the tablets can be produced, for example, by compression in a tablet press. Direct compression is often considered the simplest and most economical process for producing tablets. Direct compression requires only two main steps, namely, the step of mixing all the components and the step of compressing this mixture into tablets. Tablets containing the dehydrated product produced by the method provided herein can be prepared using any method known in the art for tablet formation. For example, the components of the formulation containing the dehydrated product provided herein can be prepared by mixing the components together to achieve a homogeneous mixture. Any powder blending, mixing, or shaking technique that results in a homogeneous final product can be used. Known devices such as Hobart® planetary mixers, V-blenders, V-cone blenders, rotary batch mixers, fluid bed mixers, ribbon blenders, paddle blenders, and plough blenders, or combinations thereof, can be used to mix the components. The homogeneous blend can be blended with a lubricant or other excipients known in the art prior to tableting.

[0117] The resulting homogeneous mixture can then be placed in a die of the desired shape in a conventional tablet press (e.g., a single stroke press or a rotary press). The press includes punches of a shape suitable for forming the tablets. The homogeneous mixture is then subjected to a compressive force sufficient to produce the tablets, and the tablets containing the dehydrated product produced by the method provided herein are removed from the tablet press. Agglomerates and granules can also be used to form tablets. The agglomerates or granules can be blended with a lubricant or other excipients prior to tableting.

[0118] Any tableting device known in the art can be used for tablet formation. Suitable devices include standard single-stroke or rotary presses. Such presses are commercially available and can be obtained, for example, from Carver, Inc. (Wabash, IN), Compression Components & Service, LLC (Warrington, PA), Specialty Measurements Inc. (Lebanon, NJ), GEA Pharma Systems (Wommelgem, Belgium), Korsch America Inc. (South Easton, MA), or Bosch Packaging Technology (Minneapolis, MN). Tableting can be carried out at room temperature under atmospheric pressure and is not adversely affected by temperature or pressure conditions.

[0119] The dehydrated product produced by the method provided herein can be included in a unit dosage form. The unit dosage form can be dissolved in a solvent to produce a functional solution. The functional solution can be, for example, a solution for cleaning or disinfecting a surface. In addition to the dehydrated product produced by the method provided herein, the unit dosage form can include one or more additional components. The additional components can be selected from organic solvents, additional surfactants, buffer salts, lubricants, fragrances, colorants, chelating agents, enzymes, acids, carbonates, bicarbonates, phosphates, wetting agents, dispersants, hydrotropes, foaming agents, rheology control agents, antifoaming agents, and combinations thereof.

[0120] F. Packaging System The dehydrated product produced by the method provided herein can be packaged with a packaging material to form a packaging system. A compressed tablet or unit dosage form containing the dehydrated product produced by the method provided herein can be packaged with a packaging material to form a packaging system. The packaging material can be rigid or flexible and can be composed of any material suitable for containing the flowable powder produced by the method provided herein. Examples of suitable packaging materials include glass, metal foil, treated metal foil, metal foil pouch, plastic, plastic film, plastic sheet, blister pack, cardboard, cardboard composite, paper and processed paper, and any combination thereof.

[0121] G. Manufactured Product The dehydrated product produced by the method provided herein can be part of a manufactured product that can include a container suitable for containing the composition for purposes such as transportation and / or storage. The dehydrated product produced by the method provided herein can be stored or transported in various containers, and the containers can be made of or contain any of various container materials such as glass, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), impact-resistant polystyrene, polycarbonate, high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, high-density polypropylene, low-density polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate glycol, and polyvinyl chloride, and combinations thereof. The container can include a barrier film to increase storage stability. Suitable barrier films can include nylon, polyethylene terephthalate, fluorinated polyethylene, and copolymers of acrylonitrile and methyl methacrylate.

[0122] The manufactured product can include the dehydrated product produced by the method provided herein, and a series of instructions, storage instructions, or MSDS for the use of the dehydrated product produced by the method provided herein, or any combination thereof.

[0123] H. Use The dehydrated products produced by the methods provided herein can be used in unit dosage forms such as compressed tablets, capsules, pellets, packs, bricks, briquettes, blocks, etc., or as soluble pouches or packets, provided alone or in combination with additional ingredients, to produce a desired formulation. Exemplary formulations include bactericidal solutions, disinfectant solutions, surface cleaners, hand wash products, body wash products, hair wash products, hair conditioning products, skin softening products, dish soap or detergent products, laundry detergents, laundry softening products, laundry antistatic products, and pet odor removal products.

[0124] For example, the dehydrated product produced by the method provided herein can be incorporated, along with additional ingredients, into a unit dosage form of a formulation for cleaning or disinfecting a surface. Exemplary surfaces include, but are not limited to, bathroom surfaces (e.g., floors, drain pipes, tubs, showers, mirrors, sinks, toilets, toilet seats, urinals, bidets, vanities, countertops, shower doors or curtains, shower stalls, washbasins, bathroom fixtures, windows, fans, walls, lighting fixtures, and tiles); appliance surfaces (e.g., coffee makers, stoves, ovens, ranges, sinks, garbage disposals, dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, microwaves, toasters, mixers, washing machines, dryers, barbecues); living surfaces (e.g., electronics, floors, fixtures, lighting fixtures, fans, countertops, pottery, cupboards, cutlery, doors, doorknobs, walls, tables, chairs, cabinets, drawers, food processing equipment, dishes, kitchenware, floors, glassware, telephones, clocks, plates, shelves, pantries, sinks, dishwashers, windows, and work surfaces); transportation devices (e.g., automobiles, bicycles, snowmobiles, motorcycles, off-road vehicles, tractors, recreational vehicles, boats, and airplanes); yard equipment; farm equipment; laboratory surfaces (e.g., autoclaves, work surfaces, hoods, clean rooms, storage rooms, refrigerators, countertops, centrifuges, and floors); computer surfaces (keyboards, monitors, housings, towers, laptops, and cables); handrails; railings; dental equipment or devices; medical devices or equipment; patient care equipment; patient monitoring equipment; surgical devices or equipment or instruments; veterinary equipment; tools; and utility devices (e.g., telephones, radios, televisions, entertainment centers, stereo equipment, CD and DVD players, PlayStation, and analog and digital sound devices). Countertops can include tile surfaces, granite, marble or other stone surfaces, Corian® or other artificial hard surfaces, artificial quartz such as Viatera® quartz surfaces (LG Hausys), wood surfaces, glass surfaces, acrylic or polyester resin surfaces, concrete surfaces, and stainless steel surfaces.

[0125] I. Examples The following examples are included for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the embodiments provided in this specification.

[0126] Examples 1 - 12 Small - scale preparation of the dehydration product as a flowable powder Using a flat beater attachment, a 500 - gram batch was prepared in a KitchenAid® Ultra Power Stand Mixer (300 - watt stand mixer, Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI). The types and amounts of the components used as starting materials are shown in Table 1.

[0127]

Table 1

[0128] The stainless-steel bowl of the mixer was first loaded with solid base. Next, a polyester solvent was added, and then an aqueous functional ingredient composition was added. Then, the stand mixer was activated to stir the ingredients together using the lowest rpm setting. The first mixing was carried out for about 1 - 5 minutes and then stopped so that the first test sample could be taken from the mixture. Next, the mixing operation was resumed at the same lowest rpm setting and continued for a further about 30 minutes. The dehydrated product was in the form of a free-flowing powder. When the mixing operation was completed, the final free-flowing powder was transferred to a holding container and closed with a lid. Final test samples were taken at 1 hour and 24 hours after the completion of mixing. The test samples were analyzed with a near-infrared (NIRS XDS Rapid Content Analyzer - Model Xm - 1100 Series - Metrohm, Riverview, FL) to analyze for detectable changes in moisture content.

[0129] Examples 13 - 24 Tablet formulation Compression tablets incorporating the dehydrated product free-flowing powder produced in Examples 1 - 12 were formed. The tablet formulations are shown in Table 2. For Examples 13 - 24, the ingredients of the tablet formulation were blended together in a laboratory-scale V-blender for 5 minutes to achieve a homogeneous blend. Aliquots of the homogeneous blend in an amount of about 9 g - 20 were weighed and compressed into tablets using a die such as a die having a diameter of about 27 - 38.1 mm. Each aliquot of the homogeneous blend was separately compressed into tablets using a die with a diameter of 38.1 mm at a pressure of about 4 - 8 metric tons using a CARVER Press.

[0130] [Table 2] 15 When the tablet is dissolved in a suitable solvent such as water 16 Citric acid (S.A. Citrique Belge N.V., Tienen, Belgium) 17 Sodium bicarbonate (Solvay USA Inc., Albright, WV, USA) 18Glycerox™ HE (Croda Personal Care, East Yorkshire, UK) 19 Glucono-δ-lactone (Jungbunzlauer Suisse AG, Basel, Switzerland) 20 Sodium benzoate (Emerald Kalama Chemical, Kalama, WA, USA) 21 Sodium lauryl sulfate (Stepan Company, Northfield, IL, USA) 22 Dextrose (Clintose® Dextrose A, ADM, Chicago, IL, USA) 23 Potassium sorbate (APAC Chem Corp., Nantong, China) 24 Fumaric acid (Bartek Ingredients, Inc., Ontario, Canada) 25 Sodium percarbonate (see U.S. Patent No. 8,652,434) 26 C9-11 ethoxylated alcohol E.O. 6 (Tomadol 91-6, Air Products, Allentown, PA, USA) 27 Sodium acetate (Niacet Corporation, Niagara Falls, NY, USA) 28 Polyacrylic acid (Sokalan PA25CL BASF, Florham Park, NJ, USA) 29 Enzyme blend (BioCat, Troy, VA, USA) 30 1,3-Propanediol (ZEMEA® Propanediol, DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products, LLC, Loudon, TN, USA) 31Sodium gluconate (PMP Fermentation Products, Inc., Peoria, IL, USA)

[0131] Example 25 Large-scale preparation of free-flowing powder A 1041.67-pound batch was prepared in a 36-cubic-foot Ross ribbon blender (Model 42B-36 - Charles Ross & Son Company, Hauppauge, NY).

[0132] The blender was first loaded with the solid base. Next, the polyester solvent was added together with the aqueous functional components. Then, the blender was set to operate at 30 Hz. The first mixing operation was carried out for about 1 - 5 minutes and then stopped so that the first test sample could be taken from the powder. Then, the mixing operation was continued for an additional 60 minutes. When the mixing operation was completed, the final free-flowing powder was transferred to a bulk powder bag and tied up. Final test samples were taken 1 hour and 24 hours after the completion of mixing. The test samples were analyzed with a near-infrared spectrometer (NIRS XDS Rapid Content Analyzer - Model Xm-1100 Series - Metrohm, Riverview, FL) for the analysis of the changing water peaks.

[0133] Examples 26 - 29 Evaluation of moisture loss To analyze the weight loss occurring during the process, a small-scale production run was carried out. A 500-g batch was prepared in a KitchenAid® Ultra Power Stand Mixer (a 300-watt stand mixer (Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI)) using the flat beater attachment as described above for Examples 1 - 12. The types and amounts of the components used as starting materials are shown in Table 3. The weight loss data are also shown in Table 3.

[0134] [Table 3] 1Soda ash - sodium carbonate (FMC Corporation, Philadelphia, PA, USA) 5 Triacetin - glyceryl triacetate (Jiangsu Ruijia, Jiangsu Province, China) 6 Citrofol® Al - triethyl citrate (Jungbunzlauer, Basel, Switzerland) 7 Crodasinic® LS30 - sodium lauroyl sarcosinate (Croda Personal Care, New Castle, DE, USA) 32 Crodateric® CAB30 - cocamidopropyl betaine (Croda Personal Care, New Castle, DE, USA) 33 Plantaren® 818UP - coco - glucoside (BASF Care Creations, Florham Park, NJ, USA)

[0135] As can be seen from the data in Table 3, the weight loss 24 hours after the completion of mixing was less than 1% and was in the range of 0.26% - 0.60%.

[0136] Examples 30 - 45 Small - scale preparation of dehydrated products as viscous fluids / gels A 200 - gram batch was prepared in a KitchenAid® Ultra Power Stand Mixer (a 300 - watt stand mixer - Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, MI) using a flat beater attachment and mixed for 30 minutes. The types and amounts of the components used as starting materials are shown in Table 4.

[0137]

Table 4

[0138] After mixing for 30 minutes, the resulting product was a viscous liquid. Certain dehydrated products were aged. After aging for 3 hours without mixing, the aged dehydrated product had a gel viscosity. After aging for 24 hours without mixing, the aged dehydrated product had a paste - like viscosity. The results for exemplary aged dehydrated products are listed in Table 5.

[0139]

Table 5

[0140] After aging for 24 hours without mixing, Examples 30 and 42 had a very soft paste viscosity that was easily deformable and had a viscosity similar to bread dough. After aging for 24 hours without mixing, Example 39 had a soft paste viscosity that, like a soft pomade or balm, required only minimal force to deform. After aging for 24 hours without mixing, Example 36 had a normal paste viscosity similar to that of Silly Putty or Play - Doh that was deformable with moderate force. After aging for 24 hours without mixing, Example 35 had a hard paste viscosity like carnauba paste car wax and required a moderately strong force to deform.

[0141] Examples 46 - 48 Conversion of the Aged Dehydrated Product to a Flowable Powder Using the formulation of Example 42 (10% soda ash, 51.43% triacetin, 38.57% Crodasinic® LS30), dehydrated products were prepared. Three 200-gram batches were prepared by mixing the ingredients for 30 minutes using the flat beater attachment in a KitchenAid® Ultra Power Stand Mixer (300-watt stand mixer - Whirlpool Corporation (Benton Harbor, MI)). The dehydrated products were aged for 24 hours without mixing before converting to a free-flowing powder. The aged products had the consistency of bread dough and were easily deformable.

[0142] An aliquot from each preparation was converted to a free-flowing powder. The amount of dehydrated product and the type and amount of flow aid are shown in Table 6.

[0143]

Table 6

[0144] An aliquot of the dehydrated product of Example 42 was placed in the bowl of a KitchenAid® Ultra Power Stand Mixer (300-watt stand mixer - Whirlpool Corporation (Benton Harbor, MI)), a flow aid was added, and the mixture was mixed for 30 minutes using the flat beater attachment. The product obtained for each was a free-flowing powder.

[0145] Examples 49 - 51 Tablet Composition Using the dehydrated products in the form of free-flowing powders provided in Examples 46 - 48, tablet forms of the formulation for a neutral surface cleaner were prepared. The ingredients and amounts are shown in Table 7.

[0146]

Table 7

[0147] For Examples 49 - 51, the components of the tablet formulation were blended together in a laboratory scale V-blender for 5 minutes to achieve a homogeneous blend. Aliquots of the homogeneous blend in an amount of about 8 - 10 grams were weighed and compressed into tablets using a 1-inch (2.54 cm) die. Each aliquot of the homogeneous blend was separately compressed into tablets using a CARVER Press at a pressure of about 4 - 8 metric tons.

[0148] Examples 52 - 56 Experiments were conducted using the methods described herein to demonstrate water loss over time. The water peaks at 1400 nm and 1900 nm were monitored over time using NIR. A 12 g batch of each of five different mixtures was made directly in a glass tumbler (part number 6.7400.010, Metrohm AG, Riverview, FL) from Metrohm to obtain initial water peak readings as close as possible to time zero. The formulations of the mixtures are shown in Table 8.

[0149]

Table 8

[0150] Procedure Soda ash or Trilon® M and a surfactant were dispensed into a tumbler, then triacetin was added, and the contents were mixed with a glass rod for about 30 seconds, followed immediately by measurement with a near-infrared spectrometer (NIRS XDS Rapid Content Analyzer - Model Xm - 1100 Series - Metrohm, Riverview, FL). The measurement focus was on two water band peaks found at 1400 nm and 1900 nm. Each sample was covered and left on the NIR overnight. The NIR automatically took readings at regular intervals for a period up to 900 minutes (15 hours). The results are shown in FIGS. 2A - 6B. Each chart in the figures separately shows the decrease in the intensity ("Y") of the water peaks (1400 nm and 1900 nm), which correlates with the decrease in the amount of water molecules in the blend. The x-axis indicates the measurement time. FIGS. 2A and 2B show the results obtained for mixture 1. FIGS. 3A and 3B show the results obtained for mixture 2. FIGS. 4A and 4B show the results obtained for mixture 3. FIGS. 5A and 5B show the results obtained for mixture 4. FIGS. 6A and 6B show the results obtained for mixture 5. As seen in all the figures, the method provided herein results in significant water reduction over time. There were no samples with a weight loss exceeding 0.2 g from the overnight NIR readings.

[0151] Example 57 A formulation incorporating the dehydrated product of mixture 1 described above was prepared. After a reaction time of 900 minutes, a foaming hand soap formulation was prepared using mixture 1 (75 wt% soda ash, 17 wt% triacetin, and 8 wt% Plantapon® LGC).

[0152] [Table 9] 16 Citric acid (S.A. Citrique Belge N.V., Tienen, Belgium) 17 Sodium bicarbonate (Solvay USA Inc., Albright, WV, USA) 19 Glucono-δ-lactone (Jungbunzlauer Suisse AG, Basel, Switzerland) 20 Sodium benzoate (Emerald Kalama Chemical, Kalama, WA, USA) 21 Sodium lauryl sulfate (Stepan Company, Northfield, IL, USA)

[0153] The components shown in Table 9 were blended together to produce a final blend having a weight of 200 g. Next, a 15-gram aliquot was removed from the blend and pressed on a CARVER PRESS at approximately 8 metric tons into tablets having a die size of 1.25 inches. One tablet was added to 240 mL of water (total 255 mL) to form a foaming hand soap formulation. When the final solution was used with a foaming pump, the foam was denser and had a better slip (silky feel) compared to formulations that did not contain a dehydrated surfactant mixture in combination with SLS. When the dehydrated surfactant mixture of Mixture 1 was used with a sulfate-free powdered surfactant such as Lathanol LAL® or Amisoft CS-11 shown in Table 9.1, even better skin feel and denser foam enhancement were achieved.

[0154]

Table 10

[0155] Example 58 A formulation incorporating the dehydrated product of the above mixture 3 was prepared. After a reaction time of 900 minutes, a multi - surface cleaner was prepared using mixture 3 (75 wt% soda ash, 17 wt% triacetin, and 8 wt% Hostapon® CGN). The formulation is shown in Table 10.

[0156]

Table 11

[0157] The components shown in Table 10 were blended together to make a final blend having a weight of 200 g. Next, 10 grams of this blend was pressed on a CARVER PRESS at approximately 8 metric tons into tablets having a die size of 1.063 inches in diameter. The tablets were added to 690 mL of water to prepare a multi - surface cleaner. The tablets showed visually excellent foaming, a very good dissolution rate, and the resulting solution had good transparency.

Claims

1. A method for removing water from an aqueous functional component composition containing more than 10% by weight of water, said method comprising: mixing a solid base, a polyester solvent, and said aqueous functional component composition in a mixer at room temperature to produce a dehydrated product, wherein the amount of water in the dehydrated product is 33% or less of the starting amount of water in the aqueous functional component composition, and the difference between the total weight of the solid base, the polyester solvent, and the aqueous functional component composition charged into the mixer and the final weight of the dehydrated product is 2% or less.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the functional component in the aqueous functional component composition comprises a surfactant, a dispersant, an anti-redeposition agent, a solubility modifier, a rinsing aid, an odor neutralizer, a chelating agent, a conditioning agent, an antistatic agent, a soil blocking agent, a soil release agent, a color protection agent, or a combination thereof.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the starting amount of water in the aqueous functional component composition ranges from 10% to 98% by weight.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the solid base is a solid at room temperature and comprises an alkaline substance having a pH in the range of about 8 to 13.

5.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the solid base comprises an alkali metal salt, an alkaline earth metal salt, an aminopolycarboxylate-based chelating agent, a tetrasodium iminodisuccinate complexing agent, or a combination thereof.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the solid base comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of sodium acetate, potassium acetate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, sesquicarbonate of sodium, sodium silicate, potassium silicate, sodium metasilicate, potassium metasilicate, trisodium methylglycine N,N-diacetate (MGDA), tetrasodium glutamate diacetate (GLDA), and tetrasodium iminodisuccinate.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the solid base comprises sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, MGDA, GLDA, or a combination thereof.

8. The polyester solvent according to any one of claims 1 to 7 comprises an ester compound containing three or more 【Chemical 1】 moieties.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the polyester solvent contains a citrate ester, a lactate ester, a glyceryl ester, or a combination thereof.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the polyester solvent contains triethyl citrate, acetyltriethyl citrate, tributyl citrate, acetyltributyl citrate, trihexyl citrate, n-butyryl-tri(n-hexyl)-citrate, trioctyl citrate, tributyl aconitate, glyceryl triacetate (triacetin), glyceryl tripropanoate (tripropionin), glyceryl tributyrate (tributyrin), glyceryl tricaprate (tricaprin), glyceryl trioleate (triolein), glyceryl tristearate (stearin), glyceryl tripalmitate (tripalmitin), pentaerythrityl tetraethylhexanoate, or a combination thereof.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the polyester solvent is selected from triethyl citrate, acetyltriethyl citrate, tributyl citrate, acetyltributyl citrate, glyceryl triacetate (triacetin), glyceryl tripropanoate (tripropionin), glyceryl tributyrate (tributyrin), and combinations thereof.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the ratio of the solid base to the functional component composition is in the range of about 5:1 to 15:1, and the dehydrated product is in the form of a free-flowing powder.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the ratio of the solid base to the polyester solvent is in the range of about 3:1 to 8.5:

1.

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the ratio of the polyester solvent to the functional component composition is in the range of about 1:1 to 3:

1.

15. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the ratio of the solid base to the functional component composition is in the range of about 3:1 to 1:5, and the dehydrated product is in the form of a viscous fluid.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the ratio of the solid base to the polyester solvent is in the range of about 3.5:1 to 1:

11.

17. The method according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the ratio of the polyester solvent to the functional component composition is in the range of about 4:1 to 1:

4.

18. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 17, wherein the dehydration product is aged for 3 to 8 hours to obtain a dehydration product in the form of a gel.

19. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 17, wherein the dehydration product is aged for 18 to 24 hours to obtain a dehydration product in the form of a paste.

20. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 19, further comprising blending the dehydration product with a flow aid to obtain a fluid product.

21. The flow aid is a) sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium sulfate, potassium sulfate, or a combination thereof; b) at least one sodium salt and / or potassium salt of acetate, carbonate, bicarbonate, citrate, phosphate, silicate, aluminate, or a combination thereof; or c) a combination of a) and b), according to the method of claim 20.

22. The method according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the ratio of the flow aid to the dehydration product is in the range of about 1:1 to 5:

1.

23. The method according to any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein the blending is carried out for a time of about 10 minutes or more.

24. The mixer is a KitchenAid (registered trademark) countertop stand mixer, a Hobart (registered trademark) planetary mixer, a V-type blender, a V-type cone blender, a rotary batch mixer, a ribbon blender, a paddle blender, a plow blender, a screw mixer, a turbulizer, a Nauta (registered trademark) mixer, a double arm kneader mixer, or a combination thereof, according to the method of any one of claims 1 to 23.

25. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 24, wherein the mixing is carried out at room temperature under atmospheric pressure.

26. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 25, wherein the amount of water in the dehydration product is about 33% or less of the starting amount of water in the aqueous functional component composition.

27. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 26, wherein the mixing is carried out for 10 to 60 minutes.

28. A dehydration product produced by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 27.

29. A composition comprising the dehydration product according to claim 28.

30. The composition according to claim 29, which is in the form of a compressed tablet.

31. The composition according to claim 30, wherein the amount of the dehydration product ranges from about 5% to 95% by weight based on the total weight of the compressed tablet.

32. The composition according to claim 30 or 31, further comprising additional components in the range of about 0.05% to 75% by weight based on the total weight of the tablet.

33. The composition according to claim 29, further comprising additional components in the range of about 0.05% to 75% by weight based on the total weight of the composition.

34. The additional component is selected from organic solvents, additional surfactants, buffer salts, lubricants, fragrances, colorants, chelating agents, enzymes, acids, carbonates, bicarbonates, phosphates, wetting agents, dispersants, hydrotropes, foaming agents, rheology control agents, antifoaming agents, and combinations thereof. The composition according to any one of claims 29 to 33.

35. The composition according to any one of claims 29 to 34, formulated as a germicidal product, disinfectant product, surface cleaner, hand wash product, body wash product, hair wash product, hair conditioning product, skin softening product, dish soap or detergent product, laundry detergent, laundry softening product, laundry antistatic product, or pet odor removal product.

36. A unit dosage form comprising the dehydration product according to claim 28.

37. The unit dosage form according to claim 36, which is in the form of a compressed tablet, capsule, pellet, pack, brick, briquette, block, soluble pouch, or soluble packet.

38. Dissolved in a solvent to produce a germicidal solution, disinfectant solution, surface cleaner, hand wash product, body wash product, hair wash product, hair conditioning product, skin softening product, dish soap or detergent product, laundry detergent, laundry softening product, laundry antistatic product, or pet odor removal product. The unit dosage form according to claim 36 or 37.

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