The Sirius Effect:

For a long time, phosphates and phosphonates were considered inevitable in water treatment. They were the best water softeners and anti scalants available. Nothing else could come close to solubilizing those pesky cation the way phosph(on)ates could.  But now a new product is available, which shrinks the gap between undegradable phosph(on)ates and biodegradable, phosphor-free alternatives to the smallest it’s ever been. Readily degradable, dispersing and chelating Briteframe AQn is the latest addition to Sirius’s product line. And with the coming of new EU restrictions for phosph(on)ates, the timing could not be better.

Water treatment and detergency is all about balance – between pH, temperature, and ions – to keep multivalent cations in solution and prevent them from scaling over the equipment. The most prevalent way this is achieved is through the use of phosph(on)ates, which form soluble complexes with calcium and other di- and multivalent cations. But phosph(on)ates are problematic for the environment, leading to eutrophication.  Other chelators, such as EDTA and phosphonates, are not biodegradable, and their accumulation in waterways can be detrimental to plants and animals.

There are several different strategies that can be used to prevent scaling.  Some prevent the growth of crystals, some from complexes with the ions in question. In the last decade, scientists began exploring whether steric hindrance could be used to limit scale formation.  They used polymers of various carboxylic acids to catch and surround the calcium, magnesium and other cations, preventing them from forming the insoluble complexes that would typically precipitate out of the water. Some of them have since proved to be nearly as effective as phosph(on)ates at preventing the formation of scales. One of these became Briteframe AQn.

Cation dispersants Briteframe MA-AA and Briteframe PAAS with linear molecular structure –[CH₂–CH]_y– [CHCOOH–CH₂]_x– are not chelating, only dispersing cations to prevent scaling. The next generation dispersants Briteframe PASP (containing nitrogen) and Briteframe PESA with linear molecular backbone –[CH₂–CH₂–O]_n– added dispersing power and biodegradability. With Briteframe AQn, Sirius combines both aforementioned molecular structures in one readily degradable molecule. The extra effect is that this new structure is branched. Cations are trapped and held in place by the inward bound acrylate groups in the x-backcbone and epoxy groups in the n-branche, acting as chelates. Unlike its predecessors, Briteframe AQn comprises the best of all worlds.

Briteframe AQn, available with 5, 10 and 15 ethoxy groups and in 50% water solution and in granulate, is the result of our close ties with research chemists who developed this, and heeding our customers who want readily degradable chelates for cleaning and water treatment due to new regulations. Application testing with Briteframe AQn proved good anti scaling properties on substrates of stainless steel, glass, ceramic and plastic.

It took a while, but it’s here, finally, and now you can make the next step to lessen your impact on the planet. Need advice on how to do so, a copy of the application and OECD301b test results and fresh innovative samples?

Don’t wait and branch out today!

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