Harcros Narrow Range Ethoxylation Technology Presented by Dr. Peter Radford President, Organics Division Harcros Chemicals Inc Patent Approved August 2006, “Method of Preparing Alkoxylation Catalysts and their use in Alkoxylation Reactions” (US 7,119,236)
Harcros Narrow Range Ethoxylation Technology. Patent Approved August 2006, “Method of Preparing Alkoxylation Catalysts and their use in Alkoxylation Reactions” (US 7,119,236). Presented by Dr. Peter Radford President, Organics Division Harcros Chemicals Inc. Narrow Range Ethoxylation. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Harcros Narrow Range Ethoxylation Technology
Presented by
Dr. Peter Radford
President, Organics Division
Harcros Chemicals Inc
Patent Approved August 2006, “Method of Preparing Alkoxylation Catalysts and their use in Alkoxylation
Reactions” (US 7,119,236)
Narrow Range Ethoxylation
For Alcohol Substrates, this results in• a broad ethoxymer distribution• higher free, un-reacted alcohol• increased PEG’s• lower overall concentration of surfactant range
ethoxymers
Typical ethoxylation processes rely upon KOH, NaOH, or Methylate Catalysts.
Narrow Range Ethoxylation
Narrow Range Alcohol Ethoxylates (NRE’s) have• a compressed ethoxymer curve similar to the distribution
of alkylphenol ethoxylates
• lower free alcohol = lower VOC’s
• increased concentration of surfactant range adducts
• lower PEG levels
• In some cases, an improved aquatic toxicity profile
Narrow range processes utilize unique catalyst systems to produce a tighter ethoxymer distribution.
Ethoxymer Distribution Comparison
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Moles EO
Mo
le %
NP-8
NRE6 mole
BRE6 mole
Unreacted Alcohol
Surfactant Range
Ethoxylates
Free Alcohol Comparisons
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
C1216
-2.5
C1216
-6
C1216
-9.5
TDA-2.5
TDA-6
TDA-9.5
% F
ree
Alc
oh
ol
BRE
NRE
None Detected for NRE
Linear Alc. Ethoxylate Branched Alc. Ethoxylate
Branched substrates contain higher levels of un-reacted alcohol due to the steric bulk of the hydrophobe.
BRE
NRE
Wetting Time Comparison
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
C1216-6 C1216-9.5 Isodecyl-6
Wet
tin
g T
ime
(sec
)
BR
E
NP-9.5, 8 sec.
NR
E
5.8 mole NRE
8.6 mole NRE
5.8 mole NRE
Wetting Time Comparison (Skein Test) 25 C
42ºC 37ºC 37ºC
87ºC 86ºC
72ºC
43ºC 36ºC 36ºC
NRE’s display a higher cloud point versus the BRE of the same EO level. When comparing certain properties, it is necessary to match cloud points, not moles of EO.
NRE’s show better wetting times if cloud point is matched.
NRE’s display higher surface tensions than BRE’s due to increased hydrophilicity. If the EO level is adjusted to match surface tension of the BRE (8.6 mole NRE), a much lower IFT is achieved. Even with higher surface tensions, NRE’s show better wetting times than BRE’s.
• Ethoxylation of alternative substrates possible – Soybean Oil, Methyl Esters, etc.
• Commercial products – Harcros NR series,
General Summary of NRE Benefits
• Tailored wetting performance
• Lower CMC’s and IFT’s
• Less un-reacted alcohol = lower VOC’s and Ether Sulfates with lower irritation indices (less alcohol sulfate)
• Greater concentration of surfactant range ethoxymers
• Decreased foam stability
• Reduced PEG’s
Formulators seeking to replace Alkyl Phenol Ethoxylates can turn to Narrow Range Ethoxylates as performance alternatives.
Narrow Range Ethoxylation technology utilizes a milder, higher active catalyst to produce robust ethoxylates of alcohol, ester, and other hydrophobes yielding