Alkoxylated Polyalkyleneimines Liquid State Processing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Ethoxylated polyalkyleneimines with high melting points are difficult to process and handle due to their solid state at room temperature, necessitating melting or solubilization in aqueous solutions, which complicates their use in cleaning compositions.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a middle block of propylene oxide, butylene oxide, and/or pentene oxide into the polyethylene oxide block of the polyalkyleneimine backbone to reduce the melting point, allowing the ethoxylated polyalkyleneimines to remain liquid at or below room temperature, thus facilitating easier handling and processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If polyamine backbones are modified with a total of fourteen or more polyethylene oxide units per nitrogen atom, then cleaning performance is improved, but the polyalkylenimines become solid at room temperature requiring melting or solubilization

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning performanceVSAvoidprocessing and handling

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical state parameter by introducing a middle polyalkylene oxide block (propylene oxide, butylene oxide, or pentene oxide units) between the inner and outer polyethylene oxide blocks. This structural modification lowers the melting point of the polyalkylenimine while maintaining the total degree of ethoxylation at 14 or more units per nitrogen atom, thus preserving cleaning performance while achieving liquid state at room temperature for easier processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite block structure combining three different polyalkylene oxide blocks (inner polyethylene oxide, middle polyalkylene oxide, and outer polyethylene oxide) grafted onto the polyamine backbone. This composite structure leverages the properties of each block type to achieve both high cleaning performance and low melting point, resolving the contradiction between performance and processability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Stability of the object's composition

If polyalkylenimines are kept in solid state with high melting points, then storage stability is maintained, but processing and handling become difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage stabilityVSAvoidprocessing and handling

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the melting point parameter by introducing the middle polyalkylene oxide block into the molecular structure. This structural change reduces the melting point to at or below room temperature, allowing the material to be processed and handled as a liquid while maintaining compositional stability through the well-defined block architecture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3039110B1Compositions comprising alkoxylated polyalkyleneimines having low melting points

Publication Date: 2017.09.13 PROCTER & GAMBLE CO

AI summary

The present invention relates to compositions comprising water-soluble alkoxylated polyalkyleneimines with a low melting point. More specifically, the present invention relates to compositions comprising water-soluble alkoxylated polyalkyleneimines having an inner polyethylene oxide block comprising 5 to 18 polyethylene oxide units, a middle polyalkylene oxide block comprising 1 to 5 polyalkylene oxide units and an outer polyethylene oxide block comprising 2 to 14 polyethylene oxide units.