Electrochemical textile-washing process

• US 9,435,073 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2014
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Henkel AG & Co KGaA
• Original Assignee: BASF SE
• Inventors: Griesbach, Ulrich, Maas, Steffen, Stecker, Florian, Fischer, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Barr, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shahinian, Levon J
• Application Number:
  US14/452,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20140346057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 68/3.R, 68/120.2, 815/8, 815/9
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 process for cleaning fibers, the process comprising:

generating free OH radicals and/or H₂O₂ in aqueous solution comprising a surfactant by applying a current strength in the range from 0.02 to 30 A to an electrode, to form a washing solution containing the surfactant and free OH radicals and/or H₂O₂; and

contacting the washing solution with fibers, thereby cleaning the fibers,

wherein the electrode is a diamond electrode having an effective surface area in the range from 0.5 to 1000 cm².

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the aqueous solution further comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a builder and an enzyme.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the process is carried out at a temperature of up to 60°

C.

4. The process according to claim 1, having an at least 20% degree of soil removal for bleachable stains.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the diamond electrode is a boron-doped diamond electrode.