Liquid Dilactide Storage Under Inert Atmosphere
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to prevent degradation and contamination of intramolecular cyclic esters, such as dilactide, during storage and transport, which affects the purity and properties of polylactides produced through ring-opening polymerization, especially when stored in a standard atmosphere containing water and oxygen.
Innovation Solution
Storing and transporting cyclic diesters, like dilactide, in a liquid state within inert containers at temperatures between 40°C and 150°C, with minimal exposure to oxygen and water, ensures the retention of original properties and purity over extended periods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If dilactide is stored in a melted state under normal atmosphere, then storage and transport are enabled, but degradation and ring-opening reactions occur causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inert atmosphere by storing and transporting dilactide in the liquid state under inert gas (nitrogen or argon) to prevent contact with oxygen and moisture. This resolves the contradiction by enabling storage and transport operations while maintaining high purity levels, as the inert atmosphere prevents degradation and ring-opening reactions that would otherwise occur under normal atmospheric conditions.
2Reliability
If dilactide is stored in solid form, then stability is improved, but flexibility in serving market with different PLA properties is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by storing dilactide in the liquid state at elevated temperatures (above its melting point of 98°C for pure L-dilactide). This parameter change (temperature) enables the dilactide to remain in liquid form for flexible storage and transport, allowing quick adaptation to produce different PLA types with varying properties, while the inert atmosphere maintains the necessary stability and purity.
3Duration of action of moving object
If dilactide is stored for extended periods, then market flexibility is improved, but degradation products increase reducing polymerization quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inert atmosphere by conducting extended storage and transport operations under nitrogen or argon gas. This enables storage periods of several weeks or longer while maintaining the purity standards necessary for high-quality ring-opening polymerization, as the inert atmosphere continuously protects the dilactide from degradation and moisture during the extended storage period.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by maintaining the dilactide in liquid state at controlled temperatures above its melting point during extended storage. This temperature parameter control, combined with inert atmosphere, prevents crystallization and associated degradation while enabling long-term storage with minimal quality loss.
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
This method allows for prolonged storage and transport of dilactide without significant degradation, maintaining its acid content and diastereomeric purity, even after several weeks, by keeping the diester predominantly in the liquid phase and excluding water and oxygen, thus preventing hydrolysis and polymerization.
Implementation Method 1
the diester of the general formula I is heated, if necessary continuously, in such a way that the diester of the general formula I is present predominantly in the liquid phase
Implementation Method 2
the diester of the general formula I is transferred after production without interruption directly in the liquid state into an inerted storage vessel and at least temporarily at 40 to 150 ° C in the storage vessel is stored and/or transported
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for storing and/or transporting intramolecular cyclic esters (lactones), in particular lactide.