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Interview to TETRANYL L15-85E
TETRANYL L15-85E
Kao Chemicals Europe
You are one of the recent launches from Kao Chemicals Europe to the market. Why are you so special?
Kao has more than 30 years of experience in esterquats and offers more than 18 variants covering all market needs. Recently, they developed me with the aim of being a global fabric care ingredient. The biggest difference is that I am water-soluble, and I can form micelles very easily in water.
Why micelles?
This is a very good question. I would say, because I can. I mean, for esterquats it is not easy to form micelles, normally it is necessary to use glycols. Esterquats like to self-assemble into very big aggregates because they like to be in crowded environments away from water. I prefer to self-assemble in small groups in contact with water, so that I can have many different properties.
What kind of properties do you have?
I know how to remain as micelles in different environments. There are other micellar systems that in the presence of another solvent change their self-assembly and form other kind of structures, but I can stay as micelle from the bottle to the fabric.
But you are not answering me, why is important to stay as micelle?
As I said, micelles are very small aggregates, so, I can move very fast through the bath of the washing machine looking for fabric surfaces. And once I see the surface, I can pass through the fibres while other big aggregates can stuck at the surface.
So, that means that micelles are in contact with fabrics?
Yes, exactly, I can do a micellar treatment of fabrics providing my properties to the fibres. Because of my molecular structure, I can form a homogeneous layer on fabrics providing lubricity with my fatty chains, protecting fabrics from abrasion, pilling, protecting also printed shirts and providing softness.
But standard esterquats also provide lubricity and fabric protection. What else do you provide to fabrics?
You are completely right, standard esterquats are very useful to increase the lifetime of clothes protecting them by forming a hydrophobic layer.
However, unlike them, I can keep hydrophilic properties of fabrics such as wetting, spreading, and drying like untreated fabrics. And not only with cotton. I know how to take care of sport fabrics and other synthetic fabrics keeping their comfort sensation while maintaining their mechanical properties.
So that means that you can be used for all types of fabrics. Is it right? In which formats can you be used?
Yes, exactly, I provide convenience to laundry, so everything can be washed together, and I will take care. I can be added in liquid laundry detergents as additive, as main ingredient for clear softeners and I can also be added as main ingredient in a wrinkle release spray, removing wrinkles and reducing the need of ironing. So, I can provide my best to all steps of the laundry.
It has been a pleasure. Thank you very much, and I hope I will be able to test you very soon!
You can now, I am already in the market!
Kao Chemicals Europe, S.L.U.
E.mail: marketing@kao.es
