Modified Alkoxylated Polyamines for Biodegradable Cleaning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current alkoxylated polyethylene imines are not biodegradable to a significant extent, which is a challenge for the detergent and cleaning industry aiming to reduce CO2 emissions and improve cold water cleaning performance while ensuring sustainability.

Innovation Solution

A process to modify alkoxylated polyalkylene imines and polyamines by reacting them with specific alkylene oxides, lactones, and hydroxy carbon acids to create novel compounds with improved biodegradability and cleaning performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If alkoxylated polyethylene imines are used to improve cold water cleaning performance for oily and fatty stains, then cleaning performance is improved, but biodegradability deteriorates (not biodegradable to significant extent)

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning performanceVSAvoidbiodegradability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the polyethylene imine chain into segments by introducing biodegradable linkers (amides, esters, carbamates) at specific positions. This segmentation allows the polymer to maintain its overall cleaning function while creating vulnerable points that enable biological degradation into smaller, environmentally acceptable fragments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies the chemical structure parameters of polyethylene imine by controlling the degree of substitution with biodegradable groups (0.01 to 10 mol per mol of polyethylene imine units) and selecting specific linker types. These parameter changes enable the polymer to achieve both cleaning effectiveness and biodegradability requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-generated harmful factors

If conventional alkoxylated polyamines are used to ensure sustainability, then environmental compatibility improves, but cleaning performance for oily stains deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental compatibilityVSAvoidcleaning performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates composite polymer structures that combine conventional polyethylene imine units (providing cleaning performance) with biodegradable functional units (amides, esters, carbamates). This composite approach integrates the advantages of both conventional and sustainable materials, achieving dual functionality in a single polymer system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 modified compounds exhibit enhanced biodegradability and maintain or improve the cleaning performance, particularly in removing fatty and oily stains, while reducing environmental impact.

Implementation Method 1

reaction of i) at least one polyalkylene imine or at least one polyamine with ii) at least one first alkylene oxide (AO1)... to obtain a first intermediate (I1)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRing-opening polymerization: Photopolymerisation

Implementation Method 2

reaction of the first intermediate (I1) with at least one first lactone (LA1) and/or at least one first hydroxy carbon acid (HA1)... to obtain a second intermediate (I2)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCondensation polymerization:

Data Source

PatentUS20250122337A1Modified alkoxylated polyalkylene imines and modified alkoxylated polyamines obtainable by a process comprising the steps a) to d)

Publication Date: 2025.04.17 BASF SE

AI summary

The present invention relates to novel modified alkoxylated polyalkylene imines or modified alkoxylated polyamines obtainable by a process comprising the steps a) to d). According to step a), a polyalkylene imine or a polyamine as such is reacted with a first alkylene oxide (AO1) in order to obtain a first intermediate (I1). Said first intermediate (I1) is reacted with at least one first lactone (LA1) and/or at least one first hydroxy carbon acid (HA1) in step b) in order to obtain a second intermediate (I2), followed by step c), wherein said second intermediate (I2) is reacted with at least one second alkylene oxide (AO2) in order to obtain a third intermediate (I3). Afterwards, said third intermediate (I3) is reacted with at least one second lactone (LA2) and/or at least one second hydroxy carbon acid (HA2) in order to obtain the novel modified alkoxylated polyalkylene imines or modified alkoxylated polyamines according to the present invention. The present invention further relates to a process as such for preparing such modified alkoxylated polyalkylene imines or modified alkoxylated polyamines as well as to the use of such compounds within, for example, cleaning compositions and/or in fabric and home care products. Furthermore, the present invention also relates to those compositions or products as such.