Textile Softening Composition Stability and Plasticizing Effect
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing textile-softening compositions combining nonionic plasticizers and cationic surfactants with one long-chain hydrocarbon residue lack stability and effectiveness, particularly when exposed to anionic surfactants, and do not achieve the high plasticizing effect of quaternary ammonium salts with two long-chain hydrocarbon residues.
Innovation Solution
A textile-softening composition comprising a tertiary or quaternary ammonium salt with a specific structure and a nonionic plasticizer with a long-chain hydrocarbon radical, where the molar ratio and chain length difference between components are optimized to achieve a high softening effect and storage stability, including a process for producing these components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If quaternary ammonium salts with two long-chain hydrocarbon residues are used as textile-softening compounds, then stable aqueous dispersions can be produced with good softening effect, but the softening effect is impaired by sensitivity to anionic surfactants
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines a nonionic plasticizer (component A) with a cationic surfactant (component B) to create a composite textile-softening composition. This composite approach allows the nonionic plasticizer to provide the softening effect while the cationic surfactant enables aqueous dispersion stability, thereby reducing sensitivity to anionic surfactants while maintaining dispersion stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters by using a specific molar ratio of component A to component B (0.1:1 to 8:1). This parameter optimization ensures that the composition achieves both adequate softening effect and sufficient storage stability, while being less sensitive to anionic surfactants compared to traditional quaternary ammonium salts with two long-chain hydrocarbon residues.
2Reliability
If compositions combining nonionic plasticizer and cationic surfactant with one long-chain hydrocarbon residue are used, then softening effect is reduced, but storage stability of aqueous dispersions is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the molar ratio parameter of component A (nonionic plasticizer) to component B (cationic surfactant) within the range of 0.1:1 to 8:1. This parameter optimization ensures that sufficient nonionic plasticizer is present to achieve high plasticizing effect while maintaining adequate cationic surfactant for storage stability of the aqueous dispersion.
Solution Approach 2:
The synergistic combination of nonionic plasticizer and cationic surfactant in specific proportions creates a composite composition that achieves both high plasticizing effect and good storage stability, overcoming the limitations of using either component alone or in inappropriate ratios.
3Ease of operation
If cationic surfactant with only one long-chain hydrocarbon residue is used with nonionic softener, then aqueous dispersion can be formed, but the dispersion is not sufficiently stable in storage
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the concentration and molar ratio parameters of the cationic surfactant component to achieve adequate storage stability. By carefully controlling the amount of cationic surfactant relative to the nonionic plasticizer, the composition maintains long-term storage stability while remaining dispersible in water.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite composition of nonionic plasticizer and cationic surfactant creates synergistic effects where the cationic surfactant provides not only dispersibility but also enhanced storage stability, overcoming the insufficiency of using cationic surfactants with only one long-chain hydrocarbon residue alone.
4Quantity of substance
If compositions from prior art are used, then they do not achieve comparably high plasticizing effect, but they also do not provide sufficiently storage-stable aqueous dispersions
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the compositional parameters by using a nonionic plasticizer with a long-chain hydrocarbon radical (15-21 carbon atoms) combined with a cationic surfactant in a specific molar ratio. This parameter optimization achieves both high plasticizing effect comparable to quaternary ammonium salts with two long-chain hydrocarbon residues and sufficient storage stability of aqueous dispersions.
Solution Approach 2:
The synergistic composite of specifically selected nonionic plasticizer and cationic surfactant components achieves both high plasticizing effect and good storage stability simultaneously, overcoming the trade-off present in prior art compositions.
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 composition forms storage-stable aqueous dispersions with a high softening effect comparable to quaternary ammonium salts with two long-chain hydrocarbon residues, even in the presence of anionic surfactants, and is self-dispersing without requiring strong shear forces.
Implementation Method 1
The composition forms storage-stable aqueous dispersions with a high softening effect comparable to quaternary ammonium salts with two long-chain hydrocarbon residues, even in the presence of anionic surfactants, and is self-dispersing without requiring strong shear forces.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a textile softening composition, comprising, as component A, a tertiary or quaternary ammonia salt of formula (I) or (II): R1R2R3N+CH2CHR4OC (=0) R5 X- (I) R1R2R3N+ (CH2) 3NHC (=0) R5 X- (II), where R1 is hydrogen, methyl, or ethyl, R2 and R3 independently of each other are C1-4-alkyl or C2-4-hydroxyalkyl, R4 is hydrogen or methyl, R5 is a linear C15-21-alkyl- or -alkenyl radical, and X- is a monovalent Anion, and as component B a non-ionic softening agent having only one long-chain hydrocarbon radical bonded to a polar radical having at least one free hydroxy group, wherein fatty alcohol alkoxylate or fatty acid alkoxylate are excepted as component B, demonstrating good softening effect and forming shelf-stable dispersions if the molar ratio of component A to component B is in the range from 2:1 to 1:3, the difference between the average chain length of the long-chain hydrocarbon radicals of components A and B is no greater than 2 carbon atoms, and the hydrocarbon radicals of components A and B comprise on average no greater than 0.5 double bonds per hydrocarbon radical. Such a composition can be produced by converting a fatty acid, a C2-6-diole or C3-9-polyol, and a tertiary alkanol amine or a diamine having tertiary and primary amino groups at a suitable molar ratio while removing water and carrying out subsequent alkylation or protonation.