Alkaline-Stable Polyester for Liquid Laundry Soil Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid laundry detergent compositions with soil release polymers are susceptible to hydrolysis under alkaline conditions, leading to instability and reduced performance over time.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of polyesters comprising specific repeating structural units and terminal groups, arranged blockwise or statistically, into liquid laundry detergent compositions, which enhances hydrolytic stability and soil release performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional soil release polymers are used in liquid laundry detergent, then soil release performance is achieved, but hydrolytic stability under alkaline conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical structure parameters of the polyester by incorporating specific repeating units (a1, a2) and terminal groups (a3) with particular functional groups. This structural parameter change enhances hydrolytic stability while maintaining soil release performance in alkaline detergent environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite polyester structures combining different repeating units and terminal groups in a single polymer chain. This composite approach creates a polymer that leverages the stability of different structural segments to resist hydrolysis while maintaining effectiveness.
2Reliability
If polyester with specific structural units and terminal groups is incorporated, then hydrolytic stability is improved, but formulation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The polyester is segmented into distinct repeating structural units (a1, a2) and terminal groups (a3), each with specific functions. This segmentation allows for systematic design and synthesis while maintaining overall polymer functionality and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the polymer chain have different local qualities - the repeating units provide structural stability while the terminal groups provide specific functional properties. This local differentiation optimizes both stability and functionality without requiring complete structural complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The modified polyester compositions exhibit improved stability in alkaline environments and maintain effective soil release properties on fatty and oily stains, ensuring consistent performance even after storage.
Implementation Method 1
One of the major challenges for the existing soil release polymers described in the prior art, is their susceptibility to hydrolysis under alkaline conditions, as is usually the case in liquid laundry detergent compositions.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to liquid laundry detergent compositions comprising a) one or more polyesters comprising two or more of the repeating structural unit (a1), one or more of the repeating structural unit (a2) and either one or two of the terminal group (a3), wherein G1 is one or more of (OCnH2n) with n being a number of from 2 to 10, R1 is a C1-30 alkyl, p is based on a molar average, a number of from 0 to 60, q is based on a molar average, a number of from 0 to 50, whereby the (OC3H6)— and (OC2H4)— groups of the terminal group (a3) may be arranged blockwise, alternating, periodically and/or statistically and wherein the connections of the groups (OC3H6)— and (OC2H4)— to R1— and —NH are free to vary, adjacent structural units (a1) are connected by the structural unit (a2), in the case that only one terminal group (a3) is present in the polymer, the other terminal group is selected from the group consisting of OH, OCH3, and G1OH, and both terminal groups may only be linked to the structural unit (a1), and b) one or more surfactants. The one or more polyesters of component a) possess advantageous stability in alkaline environments, beneficial solubility and advantageously are clearly soluble in alkaline compositions such as liquid laundry detergent compositions and also possess advantageous soil release properties on fatty and oily stains.