Non-fluorinated Siloxane Cationic Polymer Impregnating Composition

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing impregnating agents face challenges in achieving both water and oil repellency while being environmentally friendly, due to the toxicological and environmental compatibility issues associated with fluorocarbon resins and silicones, and non-fluorinated silicones have limited impregnating effects.

Innovation Solution

Combining non-fluorinated siloxanes with cationic polymers, such as chitosan or amino-functionalized polyurethanes, to enhance the impregnating effect, allowing for reduced usage of problematic active ingredients like fluorocarbon resins and improving the synergistic interaction for better water and oil repellency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If fluorocarbon resins and fluorinated silicones are used as impregnating agents, then water and oil repellency requirements are achieved, but toxicological properties and environmental compatibility deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater and oil repellencyVSAvoidtoxicological properties and environmental compatibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by replacing fluorocarbon resins and fluorinated silicones with non-fluorinated siloxanes combined with cationic polymers. This parameter change maintains the impregnating effect while eliminating the harmful fluorinated components, thus resolving the contradiction between effectiveness and environmental compatibility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a composite system combining non-fluorinated siloxanes with cationic polymers (such as polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride, polyvinylammonium chloride, or chitosan). This composite approach achieves synergistic effects where the cationic polymer enhances the impregnating capability of the siloxane, allowing fluorocarbon-free formulations to meet the required water and oil repellency standards

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-affected harmful factors

If non-fluorinated silicones are used as impregnating agents, then environmental compatibility is improved, but impregnating effect deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenvironmental compatibilityVSAvoidimpregnating effect
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges non-fluorinated siloxanes with cationic polymers to create a combined impregnating system. The cationic polymer component (such as polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride or chitosan) works synergistically with the siloxane to enhance surface coverage and impregnating effect, thereby compensating for the lower inherent performance of non-fluorinated silicones alone

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The cationic polymer acts as an intermediary that enhances the interaction between the non-fluorinated siloxane and the substrate surface. The positively charged cationic polymer facilitates better adhesion and distribution of the siloxane on the surface, thereby improving the overall impregnating effect without requiring fluorinated compounds

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If fluorocarbon resins are used in impregnation sprays, then water repellency is achieved, but inhalation toxicology restrictions increase formulation complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewater repellencyVSAvoidformulation options restrictions
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the harmful fluorocarbon resin component from the impregnation spray formulation. By eliminating fluorocarbon resins and fluorinated silicones, the formulation simplifies the toxicological assessment and removes the associated formulation restrictions, while maintaining water and oil repellency through the alternative non-fluorinated siloxane and cationic polymer system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 combination of non-fluorinated siloxanes with cationic polymers significantly enhances the impregnating effect, achieving better water and oil repellency with reduced concentrations of environmentally harmful ingredients, thus providing a more eco-friendly solution.

Implementation Method 1

it has been shown that the impregnation effect of such a composition is significantly better than the sum of the impregnation effects of the individual components

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSynergistic interaction:

Implementation Method 2

non-fluorinated siloxanes usually have a lower impregnating effect than fluorocarbon resins and fluorinated silicones. They often only have a water-repellent effect and only rarely a slight oil-repellent effect

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSurface tension reduction: Surface Tension

Data Source

PatentEP2438119B1Composition having impregnating effect
Publication Date: 2014.09.24 WERNER & MERTZ GMBH
  • EP2438119B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~2a
  • EP2438119B1 patent drawingFigure 1b~2b
  • EP2438119B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a composition comprising at least one known impregnating agent from the group consisting of fluorocarbon resins and the fluorinated or non-fluorinated silicones and at least one cationic polymer. With the use of a cationic polymer in conjunction with one of the known impregnating agents, an unexpected synergistic effect is achieved.