Low-Water Esterquat Textile Composition for Clear Stable Concentrates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Concentrated textile treatment agents with esterquats often suffer from cloudiness and unpleasant odors, requiring high solvent concentrations, which increase costs and reduce stability, making it challenging to maintain consistent quality and appearance.
Innovation Solution
A liquid composition with 0-30% water and 0.05-25% cationic esterquat compounds, derived from specific dicarboxylic and monocarboxylic acids and tertiary amines, combined with 30% or more surfactants, providing a clear, stable, and pleasant-smelling solution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional esterquats are used in concentrated textile treatment agents, then good application properties and biodegradability are achieved, but cloudiness occurs especially in concentrates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical structure of esterquats by using specific dicarboxylic acids (adipic, succinic, glutaric acid) combined with monocarboxylic acids and tertiary amines to create cationic compounds that remain clear in concentrated formulations. This structural parameter change eliminates cloudiness while preserving softening performance on textiles.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates composite cationic compounds by combining multiple acid components (dicarboxylic and monocarboxylic acids) with tertiary amines and quaternization agents. This composite approach produces esterquat derivatives that maintain optical clarity in concentrates while delivering effective textile softening.
2Stability of the object's composition
If high concentrations of solvents are used to produce clear formulations, then optical clarity is achieved, but costs increase and stability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the cationic compound itself rather than relying on solvent dilution. By designing esterquats from specific dicarboxylic acids (1-8 carbon atoms) and monocarboxylic acids (5-21 carbon atoms) combined with tertiary amines, the formulation achieves clarity at high concentrations without requiring excessive solvents, thereby reducing costs while maintaining stability.
3Reliability
If conventional esterquats are used in concentrates, then textile softening is achieved, but unpleasant odors and clouding occur during storage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the molecular structure of esterquats by incorporating specific dicarboxylic acids (adipic, succinic, glutaric) with controlled chain lengths (1-8 carbon atoms) combined with monocarboxylic acids and tertiary amines. This structural modification eliminates unpleasant odors and clouding during storage while preserving the ability to soften textiles effectively.
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 composition remains clear and odor-free over long storage times, ensuring high storage stability and effective textile treatment without excessive viscosity, enhancing production and metering ease.
Implementation Method 1
Cationic compounds or particulate substances are traditionally used as plasticizers and can absorb onto the textile surface and impart softness
Implementation Method 2
In addition to the ingredients that are indispensable for the washing process, such as surfactants and builder materials
Data Source
AI summary
Liquid compositions containing at most 30% by weight water, at least 25% by weight surfactant and at least one specific cationic compound as the reaction product of (i) a mixture of at least one dicarboxylic acid of formula (I) wherein X is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon radical with 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and at least one monocarboxylic acid of the formula (II) in which R stands for a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon radical with 5 to 21 carbon atoms, with (ii) at least one tertiary amine of the formula (III) in which R', R" and R"' independently represent a (C2 to C6)-hydroxyalkyl group, in particular 2-hydroxyethyl, and subsequent reaction of the resulting product with (iii) at least one quaternizing agent to quaternize at least one amino group contained in the reaction product, are stable on storage and can be used provide itself as a transparent liquid. The use of these compositions in textile treatment brings about both excellent cleaning of the textile and an increase in its softness. The liquid compositions are easy to dose and can be packaged in a water-soluble casing in a stable manner.