Hydrolytically Stable Polyester for Liquid Laundry Detergents
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid laundry detergent compositions with soil release polymers are susceptible to hydrolysis under alkaline conditions, leading to instability and reduced effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of polyesters with specific molecular weight ranges and structural units, including repeating units of (C2H4O), (C3H6O), and (C4H8O), arranged blockwise or statistically, along with terminal groups like HO, OCH3, and CO(C6H4)COR2, into liquid laundry detergent compositions, enhancing hydrolytic stability and soil release performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing soil release polymers are used in liquid laundry detergent compositions, then soil release performance is achieved, but hydrolytic stability deteriorates under alkaline conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the polyester structure by incorporating specific repeating units (a1) and (a2) with defined molecular weight ranges (3000-40000 g/mol). This structural modification reduces the polymer's susceptibility to hydrolysis under alkaline conditions while preserving soil release functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite polyester structure combining different repeating units (a1) and (a2) with specific terminal groups. This composite approach integrates hydrolytically stable segments into the polymer chain, achieving both stability and functionality.
2Reliability
If polyesters with specific molecular weight and structure are incorporated, then hydrolytic stability is improved, but solubility and liquid properties must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the molecular weight parameter within a specific range (3000-40000 g/mol) and adjusts the ratio of repeating units (a1) and (a2) to balance hydrolytic stability with solubility. This parameter optimization ensures the polyester remains soluble in liquid detergent formulations while providing the desired stability.
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 described polyester compositions exhibit improved hydrolytic stability and soil release properties, maintaining effectiveness in alkaline environments and demonstrating enhanced solubility and primary detergency on fatty and oily stains.
Implementation Method 1
One of the major challenges for the existing soil release polymers described in the prior art, is their susceptibility to hydrolysis under alkaline conditions, as is usually the case in liquid laundry detergent compositions. Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention was to provide liquid laundry detergent compositions possessing good soil release performance with advantageous storage stability.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to liquid laundry detergent compositions comprising a) one or more polyesters comprising one or more of the repeating structural unit (a1) and one or more of the repeating structural unit (a2) wherein G1 is one or more of (CnH2nO) with n being a number of from 2 to 10, R1 is H or COR2, R2 is X-(C3H6O)p-(C2H4O)q-Y wherein X is NH or O, Y is a C1-30 alkyl, the (C3H6O)- and (C2H4O)-groups may be arranged blockwise, alternating, periodically and/or statistically and wherein the connections of the groups (C3H6O)- and (C2H4O)- to X- and -Y are free to vary, or O-G1-H, p is based on a molar average, a number of from 0 to 60, q is based on a molar average, a number of from 1 to 300, and b) one or more surfactants. The one or more polyesters of component a) possess advantageous stability in alkaline environments, possess beneficial solubility and advantageously are clearly soluble in alkaline compositions such as liquid laundry detergent compositions and also possess advantageous soil release and soil removal properties on fatty and oily stains.