Granular Polymer Blend pH Adjustment for Detergent Additives
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Solution Overview
Problem
Formulating polymer blends into uniform granules is challenging, especially when the mixed polymers are incompatible, making it difficult to achieve compositional homogeneity, high bulk density, and low water content.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the mixing of acrylate-based polymers in aqueous solutions at specific pH levels followed by drying before phase separation, resulting in a stable dry granular blend suitable for detergent applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If incompatible polymers are mixed in aqueous solution, then compositional homogeneity is achieved, but phase separation occurs during drying
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by adjusting the pH of aqueous polymer solutions before mixing to ensure compatibility and prevent phase separation during subsequent drying. The pH adjustment is performed in advance to create stable homogeneous blends that maintain their composition throughout the granulation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by modifying pH levels to control polymer compatibility and blend stability. By changing the pH parameter of the aqueous solutions before mixing, the invention achieves compositional homogeneity while preventing phase separation during drying and storage.
2Volume of stationary object
If polymer blends are formed into granules, then bulk density is increased, but water content control becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-adjusting the pH of polymer solutions before granulation to ensure stable blend formation. This preliminary pH adjustment enables the production of granules with controlled water content while achieving high bulk density, as the stable homogeneous blends dry more efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by optimizing pH levels to control both bulk density and water content in the granulated polymer blends. The pH adjustment parameter enables simultaneous achievement of high bulk density and low water content by preventing phase separation during the drying process.
3Stability of the object's composition
If incompatible polymers are blended, then compositional homogeneity is difficult to achieve, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by adjusting pH levels as a simple control parameter to achieve compositional homogeneity in incompatible polymer blends. This approach maintains low process complexity while effectively preventing phase separation, as pH adjustment is a straightforward operation that does not require complex equipment or procedures.
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 produces polymer blends with compositional homogeneity, high bulk density, and low water content, enabling their use in various detergent forms such as tablets, powders, and sachets.
Implementation Method 1
providing an aqueous solution of the one or more first polymers at pH 5 to 9; providing an aqueous solution of the one or more second polymers at pH 5 to 12; mixing together the solution
Implementation Method 2
drying the mixture prior to gross phase separation of the mixture
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Provided is a polymer blend in granular form and a process for making the blend. The blend is suitable for use as an additive in a variety of applications, such as in detergent formulations. The blend comprises: (i) one or more first polymers each independently having a weight-average molecular weight of 35,000 to 100,000 g/mol and each independently comprising polymerized units of (a) 22 to 80 wt % of one or more monoethylenically unsaturated C3-C6 carboxylic acid monomers, and (b) 20 to 78 wt % of one or more C1-C12 alkyl (meth)acrylate monomers; and (ii) one or more second polymers each independently having a weight-average molecular weight of 1,000 to 45,000 g/mol and each independently comprising polymerized units of 50 to 100 wt % of one or more monoethylenically unsaturated C3-C6 carboxylic acid monomers, wherein component (i) comprises from 1 wt % to 50 wt % based on the total weight of (i) and (ii), wherein the polymer blend is in granular form, and wherein one or more polymers of the polymer blend is at least partially neutralized.