Modified Polyaminoamides for Hard Water Detergency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current detergents fail to effectively prevent the redeposition of soil onto laundry, particularly in hard water and in the presence of anionic surfactants, leading to graying of textiles, as existing polymers like carboxymethylcellulose and polyacrylic acid have poor anti-redeposition capabilities for particulate soils such as clay minerals.
Innovation Solution
Modified polyaminoamides with polyether side chains attached to amino nitrogen atoms, which carry both a radical and a polyether moiety, enhancing dispersing and anti-redeposition properties even in hard water and with anionic surfactants, are used in detergent formulations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional polymers like carboxymethylcellulose or polyacrylic acid are used as anti-redeposition agents, then they provide some soil stabilization capability, but their effectiveness is poor against particulate soils like clay minerals and decreases in hard water
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses modified polyaminoamides that combine multiple functional groups (amino, amide, and carboxyl groups) within a single polymer structure. This composite approach creates a material that can simultaneously provide cationic charge for clay mineral interaction and carboxyl groups for metal ion complexation, resolving the contradiction between anti-redeposition capability and hard water effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical parameters of the polymer by introducing carboxyl groups through oxidation of hydroxymethyl groups. This parameter change enables the polymer to complex with metal ions in hard water, maintaining effectiveness where conventional polymers fail, while preserving the cationic character needed for particulate soil stabilization.
2Productivity
If anionic surfactants are present in the detergent formulation, then they provide good cleaning power, but they impair the activity of conventional anti-redeposition polymers
Solution Approach 1:
The modified polyaminoamide acts as an intermediary that bridges the cationic clay minerals and anionic surfactants. The polymer's dual functionality allows it to interact with both types of molecules, mediating their interaction and preventing the impairment of anti-redeposition activity that would otherwise occur in the presence of anionic surfactants.
3Productivity
If existing dispersing agents are used, then they provide some soil removal capability, but they fail to effectively disperse particulate inorganic solids like clay minerals
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the charge parameter of the dispersing agent by using modified polyaminoamides with cationic character. This parameter change enables effective interaction with negatively charged clay mineral surfaces, significantly improving dispersing effectiveness for particulate soils compared to conventional neutral or anionic dispersing agents.
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 polyaminoamides effectively disperse and prevent the redeposition of particulate soils, including clay minerals, maintaining detergency and stability in both solid and liquid detergents, and are effective in the presence of water hardness and anionic surfactants.
Implementation Method 1
Modified polyaminoamides containing polyether side chains, which are attached to the amino nitrogen atoms of the polymer backbone
Implementation Method 2
The new polyamides are also useful as graying inhibiting additives and detergency boosting additives in washing compositions for laundry
Implementation Method 3
a moiety of the formula I —(CH2—CR1R2—O—)pA wherein A is as defined above
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to novel modified polyaminoamides which are useful as dispersing agents for particulate inorganic solids, especially for inorganic pigments such as clay minerals. The new polyamides are also useful as graying inhibiting additives and detergency boosting additives in washing composition for laundry. In the modified polyaminoamide according to the invention at least a part of the amino nitrogens of the polymer carry both a hydrocarbon radical R which is selected from C1-C6-alkyl, C6-C16-aryl-C1-C4-alkyl and a group AIk-O-A, wherein A is hydrogen or an acidic group selected from B1—PO(OH)2, B1—S(O)2OH and B2—COOH which may be present in the acidic or anionic form, wherein B1 is a single bond or C1-C6-alkanediyl, and B2 is C1-C6-alkanediyl and Alk is C2-C6-alkane-1,2-diyl, and a moiety of the formula (I) —(CH2—CR1R2—O—)pA ,wherein A is as defined above R1 is independently selected from hydrogen, C1-C12-alkyl, C2-C8-alkenyl, C6-C16-aryl or C6-C16-aryl-C1-C4-alkyl, R2 is independently selected from hydrogen or methyl and p is an integer provided that p has a number average of at least 10.