Esteramine Detergent Composition for Low-CO2 Whiteness Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for biodegradable cleaning additives that provide comparable cleaning properties and reduced CO2 footprint, while maintaining improved whiteness maintenance and soil removal, especially in detergent formulations for fabric and home care applications.
Innovation Solution
A one-step reaction process involving lactones or hydroxy acids with lactams or amino acids in the presence of equimolar amounts of Bronsted acids, forming esteramines and their salts, which are then incorporated into fabric and home care compositions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional multi-step synthesis processes are used to produce amino acid ester salts, then the production yield may be adequate, but the process complexity increases and requires organic solvents and gaseous corrosive acids
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple synthesis steps into a single one-step reaction process. The process directly reacts amino acids with esters in the presence of a base to produce amino acid ester salts, eliminating the need for separate steps of amino acid ester preparation and subsequent salt formation. This merging of steps reduces process complexity while maintaining high production yield.
Solution Approach 2:
The one-step synthesis process serves multiple functions simultaneously: it performs esterification, salt formation, and purification in a single reaction system. The base catalyst facilitates both the esterification reaction and the salt formation, making the process multi-functional and eliminating the need for separate processing steps.
2Reliability
If biodegradable ingredients are used to reduce CO2 footprint, then environmental sustainability improves, but cleaning performance may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the cleaning agents by using biodegradable amino acid esters and their salts instead of conventional non-biodegradable surfactants. The molecular structure of amino acid esters provides both biodegradability and effective cleaning performance through their amphiphilic nature, with hydrophobic alkyl chains and hydrophilic amino acid groups that enable soil removal while being environmentally friendly.
3Use of energy by moving object
If low temperature washing is used to reduce energy consumption, then energy efficiency improves, but cleaning efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The amino acid ester salts produced by this process exhibit enhanced solubility and surfactant properties that enable effective cleaning at low temperatures. The molecular structure allows for efficient micelle formation and soil emulsification even in cold water, thereby maintaining high cleaning efficiency while reducing the energy required for heating wash water.
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 process achieves high yield and efficient production of esteramines and their salts, enhancing cleaning efficiency and whiteness maintenance without the use of organic solvents or gaseous corrosive acids, thus addressing sustainability and performance needs.
Implementation Method 1
reacting A+B+C in the presence of D, with (A) at least one alcohol bearing at least one hydroxy group, (B) at least one lactone and/or hydroxy acid, (C) with at least one lactam and/or aminoacid, and (D) an inorganic or organic acid
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to fabric and home care compositions comprising specific esteramines and/or salts thereof. The compositions are particularly suitable as laundry detergent compositions.