Synthesis and Characterization of Acrylic-Itaconic Acid Copolymer Used as an Environmental Friendly Polycarboxylic Detergent Builder

Abstract

Itaconic acid-based copolymers used as detergent builders are synthesized and its builder performances are characterized and compared with sodium tripolyphosphate. The acrylic-itaconic acid copolymer (AA-Co-IA) exhibits better balance cleaning performance. The detergency, antisediment ability, dispersibility for calcium soap, buffering pH capacities of the AA-Co-IA are better, but the surface activity is lower in comparison with those of the acrylic acid-maleic anhydride copolymer (AA-Co-MA), the acrylic acid-itaconic acid-maleic anhydride copolymer (AA-Co-IA-Co-MA ) and sodium tripolyphosphate. All the three copolymers have a good synergism with sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (LAS), so that their incorporation can lower the surface tension of the sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate solution obviously. The biodegradability of the AA-Co-IA is obviously better than that of AA-Co-MA and AA-Co-IA-Co-MA. So, the AA-Co-IA is a promising green detergent builder with high biodegradability and good detergent performance.