Bis-Azo Colorants for Bluing Agents
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bluing agents for textiles either fail to provide a hueing benefit after a single treatment cycle or build up over time, leading to undesirable staining and discoloration of cellulosic substrates, which affects the longevity and appearance of fabrics.
Innovation Solution
Development of bis-azo colorants with a non-sulfonic acid substituent in the terminal phenyl ring, which allows for effective deposition on fabrics without staining, using a combination of chromophore and polymeric components that absorb light to neutralize yellowness in cellulosic substrates, thereby extending the life of textiles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If sulfonic acid groups are used in bluing agents, then solubility and compatibility in laundry formulations is improved, but deposition and staining on cellulosic fabrics increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical structure of the bluing agent by replacing the sulfonic acid group with a nonionic solubilizing group. This parameter change maintains water solubility and compatibility with laundry formulations while eliminating the staining problem caused by the sulfonic acid group's affinity for cellulosic fabrics.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and removes the harmful sulfonic acid group from the bluing agent structure, retaining only the essential chromophore component and replacing the removed group with a nonionic alternative that provides solubility without the harmful staining effect.
2Reliability
If bluing agents deposit from wash water, then hueing benefit is achieved, but staining and overhueing occurs over multiple treatment cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the bluing agent by using a nonionic solubilizing group instead of a sulfonic acid group. This allows the agent to deposit from wash water and provide hueing benefit while preventing the accumulation and overhueing that occurs with traditional sulfonic acid-based bluing agents.
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 bis-azo colorants provide a whitening effect to fabrics without causing blue discoloration, effectively addressing the issues of staining and longevity by maintaining fabric appearance and extending the life of cellulosic substrates.
Implementation Method 1
These compounds function ideally as bluing agents for cellulosic substrates... the hueing compounds disclosed herein also absorb light at a wavelength appropriate to neutralize the yellowness of cellulosic substrates
Data Source
AI summary
This invention relates to bis-azo colorants for use as bluing agents, laundry care compositions comprising bis-azo colorants that may serve as bluing agents, processes for making such bluing agents and laundry care compositions and methods of using the same. The bluing agents are generally comprised of at least two components: at least one chromophore component and at least one polymeric component. These bluing agents are advantageous in providing a whitening effect to fabrics, while not building up over time and causing undesirable blue discoloration to the treated fabrics.