KR20190028369A - Accelerating the drying of laundry - Google Patents

Abstract

It is an object of the present invention to shorten the drying time of laundered and optionally spin-dried textiles. This object is achieved essentially by the use of a carboxylic acid in the rinsing step of the machine washing process.

Description

Accelerating the drying of laundry

The present invention relates to a method for reducing the drying time of machine-washed textiles.

After the cleaning process, the used water adhered to the laundered textile should be removed. Some of the adhered water can be removed by the action of a mechanical force known as spinning. However, not all textiles are able to withstand spin-drying, and even spin-dried laundry items are generally not immediately stored or dried to re-wear. For further drying, wet, optionally spin-dried textiles are generally laid on a laundry line or treated in a dryer. For the second mentioned variable, it can be immediately seen that the length of time required for the required drying outcome is directly proportional to energy consumption. When drying on a line, it is also desirable to keep the time required for this as short as possible.

With increasing environmental awareness, many consumers want to reduce their ecological footprint and use as little water and energy as possible. The economic savings due to reduced power and water consumption are also related to that. The EU Directive (EU 1061/2010) on energy labeling of household cleaning machines specifies the grade of spin-drying efficiency, ie the residual moisture of the laundry (efficiency classes A through G). Washes containing less residual moisture will dry faster, consume less energy, and make the use of the dryer more efficient when dried in an electric dryer. The final spin cycle in the washing machine is used in the line or in the dryer for the final removal of water from the laundry to prepare for drying. For this purpose, the laundry is then dried by centrifugal force at a spin speed of 600 to 1,600 revolutions per minute. In addition to rotational speed, the type of textile is also important to the degree of water removal. Water is quickly and strongly removed from fabrics made of synthetic fibers during spin-drying, but ordinary cotton fabrics have high water retention capacity even under spin conditions. In order to characterize the spin-drying efficiency (energy labeling according to EU 1061/2010), the remaining water after the spin cycle is thus used as a reference. The highest grade A is given when the residual moisture content is less than 45%.

International Patent Application No. WO 2013/033508 A1 discloses a method of applying a linear polyether having a terminal N (CH ₂ CH (OH) CH ₂ Cl) ₂ group to a textile during the washing process to reduce the drying time of the textile.

Surprisingly, it has now been found that the selection of the pH in the rinsing step of the machine-washing process affects the drying time of the laundry.

The present invention relates to the use of carboxylic acid in the rinsing step of a machine-washing process to shorten the drying time of the washed and optionally spin-dried textile.

Shortening of the drying time is achieved by a reduction in the residual moisture content of the washed textile. Accordingly, the present invention also relates to the use of carboxylic acids to reduce the residual moisture content of machine-washed and especially spin-dried textiles.

The present invention is also directed to a method for treating contaminated textiles in an alkaline aqueous cleaning-agent-containing wash liquor, rinsing the textile more than once with water, and acidic aqueous post-treatment containing a carboxy-acid- At least one rinse with an acidic aqueous post-treatment solution containing a carboxy-acid-containing laundry post-treatment formulation, and a method for shortening the drying time of the machine-washed textile, To a method for reducing the residual moisture content of machine-washed and especially spin-dried textiles.

According to the present invention, it is important that the pH of the aqueous liquid in which the textile is located is low in the rinsing step, preferably in the final rinsing step if there is an excess of one day. Between the washing and rinsing steps, the aqueous washing liquid is generally pumped and discharged out of the washing machine. The portion of the aqueous liquid which is still attached to the textile and which is initially in contact with the textile in the cleaning step is removed from the textile by a rinsing step. This occurs by rinsing the textile more than once with water, and a post-treatment formulation, such as a softener, may be added to the aqueous rinse used in either the rinsing step or the rinsing step. This type of softener generally contains a cationic compound that is absorbed onto the textile and makes it feel soft to the touch. Because of the greater stability of cationic textile flexible active ingredients, this type of softener generally has an acidic pH. However, due to the type and amount of acid used therein, this does not lead to an acidic pH in the rinse liquid into which the softener is introduced, but rather, even when conventional softeners are used, Due to the alkaline wash liquor, the rinsing liquid is also alkaline. In the context of the present invention, the amount of carboxylic acid which causes the pH of the post-treatment liquid to be in the range of less than pH 7, preferably in the range of pH 3 to pH 5, and in particular in the range of pH 4 to pH 5 Is used. In the sense of the present invention, laundry post-treatment formulations may contain only carboxylic acid and, in particular, if the carboxylic acid is a liquid at room temperature, it may comprise carboxylic acid in the form of an aqueous solution or, if preferred, And may contain other components which do not react in an undesirable manner with carboxylic acids essential to the present invention. A preferred laundry post-treatment formulation used in the context of the present invention comprises 50 wt% to 95 wt%, especially 80 wt% to 95 wt% of carboxylic acid; A preferred laundry post-treatment formulation also contains water and comprises from 10 wt% to 50 wt%, in particular 20 wt% to 40 wt%, of carboxylic acid, which is liquid. The time during which the acidic aqueous post-treatment liquid is in contact with the washed textile is preferably in the range of from 1 minute to 60 minutes, especially from 5 minutes to 20 minutes.

Carboxylic acid or a rinsing agent comprising the carboxylic acid may be introduced into a cleaning machine using a conventional flushing-in apparatus supplied for softener administration. In a preferred embodiment, however, the carboxylic acid is located in a storage vessel which is connected to the water-carrying unit of the cleaning machine by a supply line and may be located inside or outside the machine and is dosed in a program- do. Accordingly, the present invention also relates to a soap bubble container, a cleaning drum for receiving the laundry to be cleaned, a water supply device for supplying water to the washing drum, A system and a program controller. The carboxylic acid may be fed directly to the soap bubble container or alternatively to another point in the machine's fluid circuit, such as a circulation pump. A sufficient amount of carboxylic acid may be contained in the storage container for a plurality of applications, preferably 2 to 50 applications. A laundry post-treatment formulation containing a carboxylic acid may be contained in a storage container. Preferably the carboxylic acid of the storage vessel is in the form of an aqueous solution containing from 10 wt% to 50 wt%, especially from 20 wt% to 40 wt% of carboxylic acid.

Carboxylic acid is a compound containing at least one C (O) OH group. If desired, it may also comprise further functional groups, for example, including hydroxy groups and amino groups. Preferred carboxylic acids are selected from the group comprising acetic acid, citric acid, succinic acid, malonic acid, tartaric acid, aminoacetic acid and mixtures thereof.

Preferred textiles to which the application according to the invention is applied or used in the process according to the invention are those made of cellulose-containing materials. The cellulose-containing material from which the textile to be treated is preferably prepared may be selected from cotton, regenerated cellulose fibers such as Modal or Lyocel, and cotton or regenerated cellulose fibers and other materials commonly used in garments such as polyester And fabric blends with polyamides.

Unless otherwise stated, all percentages quoted in connection with the compositions described herein represent wt% relative to the composition in question in each case.

With the application of the present invention, reduced residual moisture of the laundry after the washing cycle, especially after the washing cycle followed by a spin cycle, and thus the overall faster drying of the laundry has been achieved. Using a dryer in which the residual moisture of laundry was detected, less energy was consumed due to the reduced moisture of the laundry introduced into the dryer. The application of the present invention thus has advantages in cost and time.

The laundry post-treatment formulations containing the acid used according to the invention may be used in conjunction with or applied in the process according to the invention and may be solid or preferably liquid and may also contain a single dose (e.g. water- Or packaged in a bag made of a dispersible material). An example of a particular laundry post-treatment formulation is a laundry care formulation, such as a softener. The laundry post-treatment formulations in the sense of the present invention may comprise only carboxylic acid and, in particular, if the carboxylic acid is a liquid at room temperature, it may comprise carboxylic acid in the form of an aqueous solution or, if preferred, And may contain other components that do not react in an undesirable manner with carboxylic acids essential to the present invention.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the carboxylic acid is used with at least one polymer of ethylene glycol or propylene glycol or a copolymer thereof; A preferred propylene glycol is 1,2-propylene glycol. From 250 g / mole to 5,000 g / mole, in particular from 1,500 g / mole to 2,500 g / mole, of polyethylene glycols having a number average molecular weight in the range from 300 g / mole to 35,000 g / mole, especially from 4,000 g / mole to 6,000 g / and polypropylene glycol having a number-average molecular weight in the range of 0.1 to 5 g / mol is preferably used. The weight ratio of propylene glycol to ethylene glycol in the copolymer is preferably in the range of from 10:90 to 90:10, especially from 60:40 to 80:20. The mentioned monomers may be present statistically or as blocks in the copolymer. A copolymer in which a polyethylene glycol block is fused to a central polypropylene glycol block is preferable. In the copolymer, the molar weight of the central polypropylene glycol block is preferably in the range of 1,000 g / mole to 5,000 g / mole, especially 1,500 g / mole to 2,700 g / mole, and the mole of each polyethylene glycol block bonded thereto The weight ranges from 100 g / mol to 6,000 g / mol, in particular from 500 g / mol to 3,500 g / mol. Block copolymers of this kind are commercially available, for example, under the name Pluronic (R) PE. The content of the polymer of ethylene glycol or propylene glycol or the copolymer of said glycol in the laundry post-treatment formulation used according to the invention is preferably at most 50 wt%, preferably 1 wt% to 15 wt% 2 wt% to 10 wt%. Due to the combined use of carboxylic acid and such polymers or copolymers, the residual moisture content of the laundry is particularly markedly reduced.

In one embodiment of the invention, the formulation used as a post-treatment formulation may be designed as a laundry care formulation, in which case it comprises additional softening components, preferably a betaine and / or a cationic surfactant. Examples of textile-flexible constituents are quaternary ammonium compounds, cationic polymers and emulsifiers used in hair care preparations and also in formulations for the regeneration of textiles.

Suitable examples are quaternary ammonium compounds of formula (I) and formula (II).

(I);

(II);

(I);

(II);

(Wherein R and R ¹ represent an acyclic alkyl functional group having 12 to 24 carbon atoms, R ² represents a saturated C ₁ to C ₄ alkyl or hydroxyalkyl functional group, R ³ represents R , R ¹ or R ^2, and X ^- is a halide, a methosulfate, a metophosphate or a phosphate ion, or a mixture thereof.) Examples of the cationic compound of the formula (I) include dodecyldimethylammonium Chloride, ditallowdimethylammonium chloride or dihexadecylammonium chloride.

The compounds of formula (II) are known as ester quats. The ester quartz is characterized by its good biodegradability and is preferred in the context of the present invention. Wherein R ⁴ represents an aliphatic alkyl functional group having from 12 to 22 carbon atoms and having 0, 1, 2, or 3 double bonds; R ⁵ represents H, OH, or O (CO) R ⁷ ; and R ⁶ independently of R ⁵ represents H, OH, or O (CO) R ⁸ wherein R ⁷ and R ⁸ are independently Each represent an aliphatic alkyl functional group having from 12 to 22 carbon atoms and having 0, 1, 2, or 3 double bonds; m, n, and p independently of each other have a value of 1, 2, or 3, respectively. X ^- may be a halide, methosulfate, methophosphate or phosphate ion, or a mixture thereof. R ⁵ is a compound containing the group O (CO) R ⁷ and R ⁴ and R ⁷ as an alkyl functional group having 16 to 18 carbon atoms are preferred as. Particularly preferred are compounds in which R < ⁶ > also represents OH. Examples of compounds of formula (III) are methyl-N- (2-hydroxyethyl) -N, N-di (tallowacyloxyethyl) ammonium methosulfate, bis- (palmitoyl) -ethylhydroxyethylmethylammonium Methosulfate or methyl-N, N-bis (acyloxyethyl) -N- (2-hydroxyethyl) ammonium methosulfate.

In a preferred embodiment, the formulation comprises the softener component in an amount of up to 35 wt%, preferably from 0.1 to 25 wt%, particularly preferably from 0.5 to 15 wt%, and especially from 1 to 10 wt% do.

In particular, the solvent which can be used in the liquid preparation is, in addition to water, preferably a water-miscible non-aqueous solvent. These solvents include ethers which may be derived from lower alcohols such as ethanol, propanol, iso-propanol and isomeric butanol, glycerol, lower glycols such as ethylene and propylene glycol, and the mentioned lower alcohols. In a preferred embodiment, the formulation contains up to 95 wt%, especially 25 wt% to 90 wt% water, and up to 50 wt%, especially 0.1 wt% to 15 wt% non-aqueous solvent.

In addition to the above-mentioned components, the formulation may comprise a pearlescing agent. The pearl gives extra gloss to the textile. As pearlizing agents, for example, the following may be used: alkylene glycol esters, fatty acid alkanolamides, partial glycerides, polyhydric, optionally hydroxy-substituted carboxylic acids with fatty alcohols of 6 to 22 carbon atoms ester; Fatty substances such as fatty alcohols having a total of at least 24 carbon atoms, fatty ketones, fatty aldehydes, fatty ethers and fatty carbonates; A ring-opening product of an olefin epoxide having 12 to 22 carbon atoms and a fatty alcohol having 12 to 22 carbon atoms, a fatty acid having 2 to 15 carbon atoms and 2 to 10 hydroxyl groups and / , And mixtures thereof.

Additionally, the liquid formulation may also contain a thickening agent. With increasing consumer acceptance, the use of thickening agents, particularly gel-type formulations, demonstrates its value. Examples of naturally derived polymers that may be used as thickening agents include, but are not limited to, agar-agar, carrageenin, tragacanth, gum arabic, alginate, pectin, polyose, guar, carab tree powder, starch, dextrin, gelatin And casein, cellulose derivatives such as carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethyl and hydroxypropylcellulose, and polymeric polysaccharide thickening agents such as xanthan gum; In addition, fully synthetic polymers such as polyacrylic and polymethacrylic compounds, vinyl polymers, polycarboxylic acids, polyethers, polyimines, polyamides and polyurethanes may also be suitable. In a preferred embodiment the formulations used according to the invention comprise thickeners in each case preferably up to 10 wt%, particularly preferably up to 5 wt%, and in particular from 0.1 wt% to 1 wt% By weight.

The formulation may additionally contain an odor absorbing agent and / or a dye transfer inhibitor. In a preferred embodiment, the formulation optionally contains from 0.1 wt% to 2 wt%, preferably from 0.2 wt% to 1 wt% of a dye transfer inhibitor, and in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, vinyl pyrrolidone, A polymer of vinyl pyridine-N-oxide, or a copolymer thereof. For example, polyvinylpyrrolidone having a molar weight of 15,000 to 50,000, polyvinylpyrrolidone having a molar weight of more than 1,000,000, especially 1,500,000 to 4,000,000, N-vinylimidazole / N-vinylpyrrolidone Copolymers based on polyvinyloxazolidones, vinyl monomers and carboxylic acid amides, pyrrolidone-group-containing polyesters and polyamides, grafted polyamidoamines, polyamine-N-oxide polymers, polyvinyl alcohols and acrylics Amido alkenyl sulfonic acid based copolymers are suitable. Vinyl pyrrolidone having a molar ratio of from 5: 1 to 1: 1 and an average weight-average molar mass ranging from 5,000 g / mole to 50,000 g / mole, especially from 10,000 g / mole to 20,000 g / mole, Copolymers of sols are preferred.

Preferred deodorant materials are metal salts and / or metal salts other than alkali metal salts of unbranched or branched, unsaturated or saturated, mono- or polyhydroxidized fatty acids and / or of the resin acids having at least 16 carbon atoms and / Is an arbitrary mixture thereof. Particularly preferred unbranched or branched, unsaturated or saturated, mono- or polyhydroxyated fatty acid having at least 16 carbon atoms is ricinoleic acid. A particularly preferred resin acid is abietic acid. Preferred metals are transition metals and lanthanide elements, especially lanthanum, cerium and neodymium, particularly preferably cobalt, nickel, copper and zinc, most preferably zinc, as well as transition metals of group VIIIA, IB and IIB of the periodic table . Although cobalt, nickel and copper salts and zinc salts are similarly effective, zinc salts are preferred for toxicological reasons. One or more metal salts of ricinoleic acid and / or abietic acid, preferably zinc ricinoleate and / or zinc abietate, in particular zinc ricinoleate, may be advantageously used and thus particularly preferably used as deodorant . Cyclodextrins and mixtures of cyclodextrins and the above-mentioned metal salts in a weight ratio of 1: 10 to 10: 1, particularly preferably 1: 5 to 5: 1 and especially 1: 3 to 3: 1, As additional suitable deodorant material in the sense of the present invention. In this case, the term "cyclodextrin" refers to all known cyclodextrins, such as unsubstituted cyclodextrins, especially alpha-, beta- and gamma-cyclodextrins with 6 to 12 glucose units of both, / Or a derivative thereof and / or a mixture thereof.

Solvents, especially water, containing liquid or paste formulations in the form of conventional solvents are generally prepared by simply mixing the ingredients that can be added to the automatic mixer as a substance or solution.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the formulation, preferably the liquid form, is provided as a portion of the water-soluble package, wholly or in part. Partitioning simplifies the administration accuracy to the user. In this embodiment, the water content of the post-treatment formulation is preferably less than 15 wt%, especially in the range of 1 wt% to 12 wt%.

The formulation may be packaged, for example, in a film bag. A bag made of a water-soluble film makes it unnecessary for the user to unpack the package. In this way it is possible to conveniently administer the individual portions which are measured for a single wash cycle by placing the bag directly in the washing machine or by inserting the bag in a certain amount of water, such as a bucket, bowl or sink . When a specific temperature is achieved, the film bag surrounding the washing potion is dissolved without residue.

There are numerous methods in the prior art for preparing water-soluble cleaning agent parts, which are in principle also suitable in the context of the present invention. The best known method involves the tubular film with horizontal and vertical sealing seams. The thermoforming method (dip-drawing method) is also suitable for producing film bags or dimensionally stable cleaning agent portions. However, the water-soluble package does not necessarily have to be made of a film material but may be a dimensionally stable container which can be obtained, for example, by an injection molding method.

Methods of making water-soluble capsules from polyvinyl alcohol or gelatin, which in principle give the possibility of providing capsules with a high degree of filling, are also known. This method is based on a water-soluble polymer introduced into a molding cavity. The capsules are filled and sealed at the same time or in successive steps, and the capsules are filled through small openings in the latter case. In this case, the capsule is filled, for example, by a charging wedge which rotates in the opposite direction and is arranged on two drums having hemispherical shells. The drum guides the polymer tape covering the hemispherical shell cavity. At the position where the polymer tape of one drum meets the polymer tape of the opposing drum, sealing occurs. With this process, the filling material is injected into the capsule to be formed, and the injection pressure of the filling liquid presses the polymer tape into the hemispherical cavity. A method of preparing a water-soluble capsule that is first filled and then sealed is based on the "Bottle-Pack" method. The tubular preform is then guided into the two-part cavity. The cavity is closed, the lower tube portion is sealed, and the tube is then inflated to form a capsule within the cavity, filled and then sealed.

The shell material used to prepare the water-soluble portion is preferably a water-soluble thermoplastic polymer, particularly preferably a polyvinyl alcohol (optionally partially acetalized), a polyvinyl alcohol copolymer, a polyvinylpyrrolidone , Polyethylene oxide, gelatin, cellulose and its derivatives, starch and its derivatives, blends and sutures, inorganic salts and mixtures of the mentioned materials, preferably hydroxypropylmethylcellulose and / or polyvinyl alcohol blends. Polyvinyl alcohol, for example, commercially available under the trade name parent wiol ^® (Mowiol ^®) (Clariant (Clariant)). In the context of the present invention, particularly suitable polyvinyl alcohol is, for example, a parent wiol ^® 3-83, Mo wiol ^® 4-88, Mo wiol ^® 5-88, 8-88 Mo wiol ^® L648 and Clariant. The water-soluble thermoplastic resin used to make the part may optionally additionally comprise an acrylic acid-containing polymer, a polyacrylamide, an oxazoline polymer, a polystyrene sulfonate, a polyurethane, a polyester, a polyether and / And mixtures thereof. The water-soluble thermoplastic resin used contains a polyvinyl alcohol having a degree of hydrolysis of 70 to 100 mol%, preferably 80 to 90 mol%, particularly preferably 81 to 89 mol% and in particular 82 to 88 mol% . The number of use-soluble thermoplastic resin has a molecular weight of from 10,000 to 100,000 g mol ^-1, preferably from 11,000 to 90,000 g mol ^-1, and particularly preferably 12,000 to 80,000 g ^mol-1, and in particular 13,000 to 70,000 g mol ^-1 Of the total amount of polyvinyl alcohol. If the thermoplastic resin is present in each case in an amount of at least 50 wt%, preferably at least 70 wt%, particularly preferably at least 80 wt%, and especially at least 90 wt%, based on the weight of the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer, More preferable.

Example

Example 1

In the LG F1494QD washing machine, about 5 kg of washing load was dripped in accordance with DIN EN 60456, simply filling the load without stacking, with a change to the norm. In a short wash cycle (program run time of approximately 45 minutes), the wash was performed using a commercially available gel-type universal wash formulation (dose 73 ml, added to the main wash cycle via the dose drawer). The additives listed in the following table were fed through a softener dispensing drawer; The time at which the administration was carried out varied depending on the machine, but was reliably carried out at the start of the final rinse cycle with the water supply. The laundry was weighed in a dry state prior to the washing cycle. After the end of the washing stage, after spinning, the laundry was weighed in a humidified state and the residual moisture was calculated.

Table 1

It can be seen that the use of a softener and also alkalization of laundry by caustic soda does not contribute to increasing water removal from the laundry during spinning. Water removal is increased by the use of acetic acid.

Example 2

The procedure described in Example 1 was repeated using the additives listed in the following table.

Table 2

Example 3

The procedure described in Example 1 was repeated using the laundry load consisting of a 1: 1 weight ratio terrycloth and huckaback towel, and the additives listed in the following table.

Table 3

Example 4

The procedure described in Example 1 was repeated using customary face programs (program run time of about 180 to 200 minutes) using the additives listed in the following table.

Table 4

Example 5

The procedure described in Example 1 was repeated using the additives listed in the following table.

Table 5

Example 6

The procedure described in Example 1 was repeated using the additives listed in the following table.

Table 6

Claims (10)

The use of carboxylic acid in the rinsing step of a machine-washing process to shorten the drying time of the washed and optionally spin-dried textile. Use of carboxylic acids to reduce the residual moisture content of machine-washed and especially spin-dried textiles. Treating the contaminated textile in an alkaline aqueous wash-agent-containing wash liquor, rinsing the textile more than once with water, and rinsing the textile at least once with an acidic aqueous post-treatment liquor containing a carboxy-acid- A method for shortening the drying time of a machine-washed textile, comprising the step of rinsing. A method for reducing the residual moisture content of mechanically-cleaned and especially spin-dried textile by rinsing at least once with an acidic aqueous post-treatment solution containing a carboxy-acid-containing laundry post-treatment formulation. Use of a carboxylic acid in an amount such that the pH of the post-treatment liquid is in the range of less than pH 7, in particular in the range of pH 3 to pH 5, or the use according to claims 1 or 2, ≪ / RTI > 6. Carboxylic acid according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the carboxylic acid contains 50 to 95 wt.%, In particular 80 to 95 wt.% Carboxylic acid, or contains water and is liquid and contains 10 to 50 wt. % Of a carboxylic acid, and up to 50 wt%, especially 1 wt% to 15 wt% of a polymer of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol or a copolymer thereof. 7. Process according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the time during which the acidic aqueous post-treatment liquid is in contact with the washed textile is in the range from 1 minute to 60 minutes, in particular from 5 minutes to 20 minutes , Uses or methods. A soap bubble container, a cleaning drum for receiving the laundry to be cleaned, a water supply system, and a program conditioner, characterized in that the carboxylic acid comprises a storage container for carboxylic acid that can be introduced into the cleaning process in a program- Washing machine. 9. A cleaning machine according to claim 8, characterized in that the carboxylic acid of the storage vessel is in the form of an aqueous solution containing from 10 wt% to 50 wt% of carboxylic acid, especially from 20 wt% to 40 wt%. 10. Use, method or cleaning machine according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the carboxylic acid is selected from the group comprising acetic acid, citric acid, succinic acid, malonic acid, tartaric acid, aminoacetic acid and mixtures thereof. .