Innovative effects for the detergents industry

Special Feature Detergents

Catalytic Bleaching - The New Technology Platform From Ciba Specialty Chemicals

Ciba Specialty Chemicals Inc., a technological leader in the field of specialty effects for laundry detergents, will launch a new catalytic bleaching technology in 2003. Ciba has over the past few years conducted in-depth research in the field of oxidation catalysts. The first catalyst will be launched under the trademark Ciba "Tinocat". It provides the benefits of high-- performance stain bleaching at low temperatures, and protects white and light colored garments from graying by inhibiting the transfer of dyes from other garments during washing. "Tinocat" is highly active and requires very low quantity usage. It fits in with the public's environmental expectations, namely to use lower quantities of detergent, lower temperatures and less water.

Peter Otto, Global Head of Ciba Specialty Chemicals Home and Fabric Care business, emphasizes the significance of the technology, saying, "We aim to establish a completely new technology platform for Ciba with catalytic bleaching technology. This innovative approach has been specifically developed with the purpose of meeting the consumer demand for high performance and at the same time, low usage for the protection of the environment."

Consumer Expectations Spur Innovation in Whitening Agents

Increased consumer expectations for laundry detergent performance have led to a number of technological innovations in this field over the years. Otto outlines how Ciba Specialty Chemicals' portfolio of fluorescent whitening agents has been designed to meet the demands of modern detergents. The fluorescence-based whiteness of Ciba "Tinopal" whiteners ensures that washed clothes retain their whiteness over the lifetime of the fabric and that colors keep their brilliance. "Tinopal" whiteners also have excellent bleach stability, particularly under high light conditions. A uniform degree of whiteness is attained even with low temperature and hand washing.

Otto explains how high consumer expectation has helped push innovation in the industry. "Around the world, people expect their laundry detergents to offer them more than just a means of cleaning their clothes. That detergents should care for the clothes is a major demand. 'Tinopal' whiteners were designed therefore to help keep laundered fabrics looking new longer and thereby extending the useful life of clothes. Convenience formulations, such as tablets or liquid sachets are also a demand, and so accordingly we have whiteners to fit with any formulation of detergent and to suit any style of washing be it low temperatures in Asia or low water-usage in Europe."

An Innovative Consumer Health Benefit - UV Protection via the Laundry

Other specialty effects for laundry detergents from Ciba Specialty Chemicals provide hygiene, freshness as well as comfort and easycare benefits. One of Ciba Specialty Chemicals' most successful innovations in the last few years, provides a consumer health benefit - UV protection while laundering clothes.

The introduction of Ciba "Tinosorb FD" and Ciba "Tinosorb FR" pioneered a breakthrough in the sun protection offered by clothing - something that experts on skin cancer regard as a necessity in battling what is the most common form of malignant disease worldwide, skin cancer. The special UV absorbers "Tinosorb FD" and "Tinosorb FR" are added by detergent manufacturers to detergents and rinse conditioners. The original feel and comfort level of the garments is retained, but their UV-- protection level is increased each time they are washed. After 5 washes a test fabric can reach UPF15, after 10 washes a UPF of 30. It is the proven effectiveness of "Tinosorb FD" and "Tinosorb FR" that convinced The Skin Cancer Foundation to grant a Seal of Recommendation to manufacturers who add the UV-protectors to their laundry products.

Laundry products that provide UV protection help people follow the recommendations of dermatologists. Dermatologists recommend clothing as a primary protection factor against harmful UV radiation. While clothing is one of the oldest means of sun protection - for example, the smocks and broadbrimmed sun hats of farm workers centuries ago or the safari shirts and panama hats of more recent times - not all clothes provide adequate protection against excessive UV radiation. This is particularly true of lightweight summer clothing made from fabrics such as cotton. "Tinosorb FD" and "Tinosorb FR" now allow people to increase the protection qualities of their existing summer clothes, simply by laundering them.