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EP-4739731-A1 - SILICONE - POLYETHER COPOLYMER FOR USE IN FOAM CONTROL FORMULATIONS

EP4739731A1EP 4739731 A1EP4739731 A1EP 4739731A1EP-4739731-A1

Abstract

A silicone - polyether copolymer and methods for its preparation and use are disclosed. The silicone - polyether copolymer is useful as a foam control agent in a laundry detergent composition.

Inventors

  • LHOSTIS, JACQUELINE
  • JOFFRE, ERIC
  • BALIJEPALLI, SUDHAKAR

Assignees

  • Dow Silicones Corporation

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240612

Claims (14)

  1. 1. A silicone - polyether copolymer comprising unit formula: (R 1 3SiOi/2) a (R 1 2SiO2/2)b(R 1 R 2 SiO 2 /2) c , where subscripts a, b, and c represent average numbers of each unit in the unit formula and have values such that a = 2; b = 20 to 60; c = 20 to 50; each R 1 is an independently selected alkyl group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms; and each R 2 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, formula El’), formula DI’) and formula Al’), where above, subscript m is 0 or 1 , and each R 6 is a divalent hydrocarbon group; formula each R is independently selected from the group consisting of H, a halogen atom, OH, methyl, and methoxy; D’ is a covalent bond, a group of formula -CH2-, or a group of formula - CH2-O-; and R” is H or methyl; and formula Al’) is X is H or methyl, D has empirical formula -C2H4- or -C3H6-, and subscript n is 1, 2, or 3; with the proviso that at least one instance of R 2 per molecule has formula Al’).
  2. 2. The copolymer of claim 1, where each R 1 is methyl, formula formula D is selected from -CH2-CH2- or -CH2-CH(CH3)-, and X is as described above.
  3. 3. The copolymer of claim 2, where X is methyl, D is -CH2-CH(CH3)-, and > 50 mol% of all instances of R 2 per molecule have formula DI’).
  4. 4. The copolymer of claim 3, where 93 to 95 mol% of R 2 have formula DI’), and 5 to 7 mol% of R 2 have formula Al’).
  5. 5. The copolymer of claim 1 or claim 2, where each instance of R 2 has formula Al’).
  6. 6. The copolymer of any one of claims 1 to 5, where formula Al’) is selected from the group
  7. 7. Use of the copolymer of any one of claims 1 to 6 as a foam control agent.
  8. 8. A foam control formulation comprising: A) the copolymer of claim 3 or claim 4; 0.5 to 50 wt%, based on weight of A) the copolymer, of B) a hydrophobic filler, 1 to 50 wt%, based on weight of A) the copolymer, of C) a silicone resin, 0 to 60 wt%, based on weight of C) the silicone resin, of D) an organic solvent in which the resin is soluble.
  9. 9. The foam control formulation of claim 8, further comprising an additional starting material selected from the group consisting of: a water dispersible carrier, a water-miscible liquid, a binder, an encapsulant, a cyclic siloxane, a thickening agent, water, a surfactant, a preservative, a water-insoluble organic compound, and a combination of two or more thereof.
  10. 10. A foam control formulation, wherein the foam control formulation is an emulsion comprising a dispersed phase comprising A) the copolymer of any one of claims 1 to 6 in an amount of 5 to 80 wt%, based on weight of the emulsion, a continuous phase comprising water, a surfactant, and optionally an additive selected from the group consisting of a preservative, a viscosity modifier, a protective colloid, and a thickener.
  11. 11. A laundry detergent composition comprising: i) the copolymer of any one of claims 1 to 6 or the foam control formulation of any one of claims 8 to 10, and ii) a detersive surfactant.
  12. 12. The laundry detergent composition of claim 11, further comprising an additional starting material selected from the group consisting of an anti-redeposition agent, a brightener, a chelating agent, an enzyme, a bacteriostat, a solvent, a pH adjusting agent, an opacifier, a perfume, a dye, a color stabilizer, a bacteriacide, a soil release agent, a softening agent, a soap, a carrier, a builder, a structurant, an adjunct, a hydrotrope, a dispersant, a rheology modifier, and a combination of two or more thereof.
  13. 13. The laundry detergent composition of claim 12, where the laundry detergent composition is a liquid laundry detergent composition.
  14. 14. The laundry detergent composition of any one of claims 11 to 13, where i) the copolymer or the foam control formulation is present in an amount of 0.001 weight % to 5 weight% based on weight of the laundry detergent composition.

Description

SILICONE - POLYETHER COPOLYMER FOR USE IN FOAM CONTROL FORMULATIONS CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63/525183 filed on July 6, 2023, under 35 U.S.C. § 119 (e). U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 63/525183 is hereby incorporated by reference. FIELD [0002] This invention relates to a silicone - polyether copolymer and methods for its preparation and use. Said copolymer may be used in foam control applications. INTRODUCTION [0003] Silicone foam control formulations are known for use in a variety of applications, such as pulp and paper, chemical, textile (e.g., dyeing and/or laundering), fermentation and sugar beet processing, water treatment, and metal working along with use in paints, latexes, cement, fertilizers, soaps and detergents. Such foam control formulations typically include multiple constituents, including a silicone “foam control agent”, which may also be referred to as an antifoam, a defoamer, a suds suppressor or a foam inhibitor. A foam control agent is a material that when added in low concentration, reduces or controls the amount of foaming in an otherwise foaming liquid. Polyorganosiloxanes, and more specifically, polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMS) are the most common foam control agents. Silicone foam control compositions also commonly include hydrophobic inorganic fillers (e.g., silica and/or zeolites) and surfactants that promote the dispersion of the formulation and provide stability when the formulation is provided as an emulsion. [0004] U.S. Patent 6,521,586 discloses silicone-based foam control agents, particularly for use in aqueous compositions, preferably detergent compositions. The detergent industry is constantly going through an evolution where, due to environmental concern, energy conservation efforts, machine design changes, water conservation and changing laundering habits there is a move towards the use of detergent compositions which will perform at higher efficiency than hitherto. There is a need to control foam from e.g., increased surfactant levels in the detergent compositions, use of surfactants which have a higher foam profile than traditional surfactants, changing laundering conditions. Since silicone foam control agents do not directly contribute to the cleaning power of a detergent composition it is desirable to keep the addition level of such foam control agents to a minimum. There has, therefore, arisen a need to develop improved foam control agents for incorporation in detergent compositions. There is also a desire for foam control agents that can be used in transparent liquid laundry detergents, such that the foam control agent does not affect, or only minimally affects, transparency of said detergents. SUMMARY [0005] A silicone - polyether copolymer (SPE copolymer) is provided. A method for synthesizing the SPE copolymer is also provided. The SPE copolymer is useful as a foam control agent. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0006] The method for synthesizing the SPE copolymer, introduced above, comprises: 1) combining, under conditions to effect hydrosilylation reaction, starting materials comprising A) an alkenyloxy-, aryl- terminated glycol ether, B) a polyorganohydrogensiloxane, and C) a hydrosilylation reaction catalyst. The starting materials may optionally further comprise D) an alkenyl-functional aromatic compound that differs from A) the alkenyloxy-, aryl- terminated glycol ether, E) a dialkenyl-terminated siloxane oligomer, F) a solvent, or a combination of two or more of D), E), and F). [0007] Step 1) may be performed by any convenient means in any convenient equipment. For example, when the method is performed in a batch mode, a reactor with heating and cooling means (such as a jacket containing water or other heat transfer fluid) and mixing means (such as baffles and/or an agitator) may be used. One or more of the starting materials may be combined in the reactor, and thereafter the remaining starting materials may be added, either all at once, or metering into the reactor continuously or intermittently in aliquots. For example, starting materials with alkenyl groups, such as A) the alkenyloxy-, aryl- terminated glycol ether and when used D) the alkenyl-functional aromatic compound and/or E) the dialkenyl-terminated siloxane oligomer may be combined with B) the polyorganohydrogensiloxane, and thereafter all or a portion of C) the hydrosilylation reaction catalyst may be added. Additional portions of alkenyl-functional starting materials and C) hydrosilylation reaction catalyst may be added one or more times until the silicon bonded hydrogen atoms of B) the polyorganohydrogensiloxane have reacted with alkenyl groups. [0008] Alternatively, starting materials with alkenyl groups, i.e., A) the alkenyloxy-, aryl- terminated glycol ether and, when used, D) the alkenyl-functional aromatic compound and/or E) the dialkenyl-terminated siloxane oligomer, may be comb