ELECTROCHEMICAL TEXTILE-WASHING PROCESS

• US 20110237484A1
• Filed: 03/24/2011
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: BASF SE
• Original Assignee: BASF SE
• Inventors: GRIESBACH, Ulrich, Fischer, Andreas, Maas, Steffen, Stecker, Florian
• Application Number:
  US13/070,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20110237484A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 510/309
• CPC Class Codes: C08B 15/02 Oxycellulose; Hydrocellulose; Cellulosehydrate, e.g. microcrystalline cellulose
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 2111/12 Soft surfaces, e.g. textile
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 1/12 Racks or other rigid open containers of skeleton or like apertured construction supporting clothes in washing receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/003 using electrochemical cells
• CPC Class Codes: D06L 1/12 using aqueous solvents
• CPC Class Codes: D06L 4/50 by irradiation or ozonisation
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2201/02 Cotton
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/00 Wearing apparel

Abstract

The present invention relates to a washing machine comprising an electrochemical cell, to a process for electrochemical cleaning of fibers, to laundry detergents for electrochemical cleaning of fibers and to the fibers thus cleaned.

Claims

1. A washing machine comprising an electrode and a closed-loop control unit, wherein a current strength in the range from 0.02 to 30 A can be applied to the electrode during the washing operation.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1 wherein the electrode is selected from the group consisting of lead electrode, diamond electrode, stainless-steel electrode, platinum electrode and tin oxide electrode.

3. The washing machine according to claim 2 wherein the electrode is a diamond electrode.

4. The washing machine according to any preceding claim wherein the electrode has an effective surface area in the range from 0.5 to 1000 cm².

12. A method of using a washing machine according to any of claims 1 to 4 and a laundry detergent according to claim 10 or 11.

5. A process for cleaning fibers, which comprises generating free OH radicals and/or H₂O₂ in aqueous solution by applying a current strength in the range from 0.02 to 30 A to an electrode.

6. The process according to claim 5 wherein the electrode is a diamond electrode having an effective surface area in the range from 0.5 to 1000 cm².

7. The process according to claim 5 or 6 wherein at least one compound selected from the group consisting of builder, surfactant and enzyme is used for cleaning as well as the free OH radicals (or descendent products).

8. The process according to any one of claims 5 to 7 carried out at a temperature of up to 60°

C.

9. The process according to any one of claims 5 to 8 having an at least 20% degree of soil removal for bleachable stains.

10. A laundry detergent comprising bleach activator(s) and/or bleach catalyst(s) and less than 1% by mass of hydrogen peroxide or of hydrogen peroxide releaser compounds.

13. A fiber treated by a process or method according to claim 5 to 9 or 12 or contacted with a laundry detergent according to claim 10 or 11.

11. A laundry detergent, selected from the group consisting of fully built laundry detergent, liquid laundry detergent, color detergent and wool detergent.

14. A kit of parts, comprising a washing machine and an electrolytic cell connectable upstream of the water inlet.

15. An e-bleach ball comprising a power supply independent of the electricity grid, a diamond anode and a cathode, which are arranged such that the electrodes are able to come into contact with the electrolyte when the e-bleach ball is in the washing drum of a washing machine during the washing operation.