Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Specific organic component
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-23
2002-02-05
Kopec, Mark (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
Specific organic component
C510S531000, C510S475000, C510S477000, C510S230000, C510S361000, C510S434000, C510S533000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06344434
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a novel acrylic polymer or oligomer, a method for producing it, a biodegradable builder comprising the acrylic polymer or oligomer as a main component, a detergent composition containing the biodegradable builder, and a dispersant. More precisely, the invention relates to a novel acrylic polymer having a specific terminal group, a method for producing it, a biodegradable builder for detergent comprising the polymer as a main component, a detergent composition containing the builder, and a dispersant as prepared by neutralizing the acrylic polymer.
BACKGROUND ART
In general, detergent comprising surfactant as a main component contains a builder as an auxiliary component to the surfactant to thereby improve its detergency. As the builder, known are inorganic compounds which are alkaline in water, and polymers of unsaturated aliphatic carboxylic acids. As examples of the former, mentioned are sodium or potassium carbonates, hydrogencarbonates, phosphates, polyphosphates and silicates, as well as zeolite, etc.; while examples of the latter include polyacrylic acid, polymaleic acid, polyitaconic acid, etc.
Of those builders, much used are phosphates, polyphosphates and zeolite, as they are effective, economical and easy to handle. However, these are problematic from the viewpoint of the protection of the global environment in that phosphates and polyphosphates eutrophicate lakes, marshes and rivers while zeolite precipitates on the ground.
Accordingly, it is desired to develop some other builders of which the capability (especially, the chelating ability) is, needless-to-say, good and is at least comparable to that of the conventional builders, which are biodegradable to be gentle to the environment, without remaining for a long period of time on the earth, and are therefore not problematic from the viewpoint of the protection of the global environment, and which are economical.
Given that situation, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. Hei-5-239127 discloses chelatable and biodegradable, hydrophilic crosslinked polymers for builders. To prepare the polymers, water-soluble oligomers, which have little chelatability by themselves but contain biodegradable low-molecular components in some degree, are crosslinked at their main chains with a crosslinking agent, such as polyethylene glycol, citric acid, tartaric acid or the like, via a biodegradable ester or amido group to thereby increase their molecular weight, and the resulting crosslinked polymers are modified to have chelatability.
However, though having a low molecular weight, the linear polyacrylic acid moiety in those hydrophilic crosslinked polymers is hardly biodegradable, and, in addition, the polymers contain non-biodegradable high-molecular polyacrylic acids to no small extent. Therefore, the biodegradability of the hydrophilic crosslinked polymers disclosed is not satisfactory. In addition, the disclosed method for producing the polymers requires two steps, one for polymerizing the oligomer and the other for crosslinking the polymerized oligomer, and requires the special crosslinking agent. Accordingly, desired are chelatable and biodegradable polymers for builders capable of being produced through more simple steps, and a method for producing such polymers.
Of the conventional builders noted above, acrylic polymers such as polyacrylic acid are specifically noted as being easy to produce through simple polymerization and being polycarboxylic acids having good chelatability. To produce those acrylic polymers, in general, used is hydrogen peroxide as the polymerization initiator (catalyst). Hydrogen peroxide is preferred, as its residue remains little in the polymer formed. However, where acrylic monomers are neutralized with an ordinary base and then polymerized in the presence of the polymerization initiator, hydrogen peroxide, the polymerization efficiency is low. For this, proposed was a method of adding a metal such as iron or cobalt, or an amine to the polymerization system. However, the method is problematic in that the polymers produced are often colored, and therefore its use is limited. In addition, where acrylic monomers are neutralized with an ordinary base and then polymerized in the presence of the polymerization initiator, hydrogen peroxide to obtain acrylic oligomers, a large amount of the polymerization initiator, hydrogen peroxide is needed. This is problematic, and the problem must be solved.
In the field of dispersants for inorganic pigments, sodium polyacrylate or the like is used for lowering the viscosity of slurry dispersions and for improving the viscosity stability thereof. However, polyacrylic acid is not biodegradable as so mentioned above. Also in this field, therefore, it is desired to develop some other dispersants which are biodegradable without remaining on the earth for a long period of time and which are economical, like the builders mentioned above.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Given that situation, the object of the present invention is to provide a colorless, chelatable, biodegradable and economical acrylic polymer, an efficient method for producing it, a builder which comprises the polymer and is free from environmental pollution or destruction, a detergent with good detergency comprising the builder and surfactant, and a dispersant for inorganic pigments.
In order to attain the object, we, the present inventors have assiduously studied, and, as a result, have succeeded in obtaining an acrylic polymer having a specific terminal group (the terminology “acrylic polymer” as referred to herein shall include acrylic oligomers and polymers). We have found that the polymer is colorless, chelatable, biodegradable and economical, and can be produced efficiently in a simple process, that, when a builder comprising the polymer is combined with surfactant, an advantageous detergent composition is obtained, and that an alkali salt of the polymer is useful as a dispersant for inorganic pigments. On the basis of these findings, we have completed the present invention.
Specifically, the invention provides the following:
(1) An acrylic polymer having, in the molecule, at least one terminal group of a general formula (I):
wherein R
1
represents a hydrogen atom, or a methyl group; and X
1
represents a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal atom, or an ammonium group, and having a number-average molecular weight of from 300 to 100,000.
(2) The acrylic polymer of (1), which has a plurality of ester bonds in the molecular chain.
(3) The acrylic polymer of (1), which, after having been hydrolyzed, has a number-average molecular weight of from 100 to 10,000.
(4) The acrylic polymer of (2), which, after having been hydrolyzed, has a number-average molecular weight of from 100 to 10,000.
(5) An acrylic polymer having at least one terminal group of HOOC—CH═CH—COO— in the molecule, having a plurality of ester bonds in the molecular chain, and having a number-average molecular weight of from 300 to 100,000.
(6) The acrylic polymer of (5), which, after having been hydrolyzed, has a number-average molecular weight of from 100 to 10,000.
(7) A biodegradable builder comprising an acrylic polymer as a main component which has, in the molecule, at least one terminal group of X
1
OOC—CH═CH—COO— (where X
1
represents a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal atom, or an ammonium group) and has a plurality of ester bonds in the molecular chain and which has a number-average molecular weight of from 300 to 100,000.
(8) The biodegradable builder of (7) comprising an acrylic polymer as a main component which, after having been hydrolyzed, has a number-average molecular weight of from 100 to 10,000.
(9) A method for producing an acrylic polymer, comprising polymerizing an acrylic monomer in the presence of an initiator of a percarboxylic acid of a general formula (II):
wherein R
1
represents a hydrogen atom, or a methyl group; and X
1
represents a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal atom, or an ammonium group.
(10) The method for producing an acrylic polymer of (9), wherei
Ito Shinji
Matsuo Shigeru
Takahashi Seiji
Takahashi Shige
Takahashi Takeo
Idemitsu Kosan Co., LTD
Kopec Mark
Mruk Brian P.
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Takahashi Shige
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