Aerosol Fabric Protectant CSPA Household Products Seminar

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Aerosol Fabric ProtectantCSPA Household
Products Seminar

• July 27, 2006
• Chetan Jariwala
• Senior Product Development Specialist
• 3M Company

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Fabric Protectants

• Defined in the California Consumer Products
  Regulation as a product designed to
• Protect fabric substrates from soiling from
  dirt and other impurities or
• Reduce absorption of liquid into the fabrics
  fibers
• Do not include waterproofers

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Fabric Protectants

• Different technologies
• Fluorochemical-based
• Silicone-based
• Hydrocarbon-based
• Different degrees of protection from
• Water - Soil
• Oil - Stains
• Different VOC needs
• VOCs solubilize and disperse resins

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2003 Survey Data

• Two of 19 products (11.8 market share) comply
  with the proposed 16 VOC limit
• Both are 3Ms
• One has limited applicability one was
  discontinued
• The ARBs market data are based on
• A product appropriate for only some applications
  within this category
• A product that was not a commercial or
  technological success

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2003 Survey Data

• The product with limited applicability was
  designed for carpets and rugs
• Designed for those fibers (composition, texture)
• Designed for mostly soil protection, not for
  heavy water repellency
• Uses foam to penetrate fibers
• Not appropriate for use on apparel or most
  upholstery

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2003 Survey Data

• The discontinued product
• Was water-based
• Had longer drying times
• Had lower performance
• Had poor customer acceptance
• Was not a technological or commercial success
• Used a C8-fluorochemical
• US EPA ban on some C8s, scrutiny of others
• C4 to C6 more difficult to achieve performance

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An ExampleFluorochemical Fabric Protectants

• Provide broad protection
• Water, soil, oil, stains
• Can be applied to
• Clothing, upholstery, table linens, pillows
• Cotton, linen, canvas, wool, silk
• Not recommended for
• Carpet, leather, and plastic

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Fluorochemical Fabric Protectants

• Orientation is key
• Use water-based system heat
• Not appropriate for consumer use
• Or use solvent

Fluorochemical portion
Hydrocarbon portion
Fabric Substrate
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Potential Ways to Reduce VOCs

• Use low vapor pressure VOCs
• Use exempt solvents
• Acetone
• Methyl acetate
• HFEs (exempted by US EPA pending at the ARB)
• HFC-152a
• Use water without heat
• Use a different resin
• 3M has spent 3-5 million exploring these options
  over 10-15 yr

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Potential Ways to Reduce VOCs

• Use low vapor pressure VOCs, which dry slowly
• Treated article is unusable for 24-48 hr
• LVPs and uncured resins are irritating/defatting
• LVPs may increase articles flammability
• LVPs cause resins to be less effective ?
  formulate with more resins ? may change treated
  articles appearance and feel
• Consumer safety and acceptance issues

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Potential Ways to Reduce VOCs

• Increase acetone content
• Low flash point ? very flammable
• Aggressive solvent
• Overspray damages substrates (e.g., wood
  furniture, plastics in automobiles)
• Does not solubilize the FCs we use
• FCs that will dissolve are not good repellants
• Currently at Maximum Use Level

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Potential Ways to Reduce VOCs

• Use methyl acetate
• Twice the cost of acetone
• Would increase consumers cost significantly, so
  not commercially feasible
• Inhibits product penetration
• Use hydrofluoroethers (HFEs)
• About 40 times the cost of acetone
• Would increase consumers cost exorbitantly, so
  not commercially feasible
• NOT YET CONSIDERED EXEMPT BY THE CALIFORNIA
  CONSUMER PRODUCTS REGULATION

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Potential Ways to Reduce VOCs

• Use HFC-152a (1,1-difluoroethane)
• Approx. 5 times the cost of hydrocarbons
• Would increase consumers cost significantly, so
  not commercially feasible
• Supply issues
• A greenhouse gas

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Potential Ways to Reduce VOCs

• 3M developed and tested a water-based
  C4-fluorochemical product with 30 VOC
• Emulsifiers reduce water repellency
• Inadequate performance
• Lower oil and water repellency
• Reduced protection from oil- and water-based
  stains

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Potential Ways to Reduce VOCs

• 3M developed and tested a silicone-based, rather
  than a fluorochemical-based, product
• No protection from soil or oil
• Longer drying times (24-30 hr)
• 3Ms silicone products
• Do not claim to be fabric protectants
• Are waterproofers under the Aerosol Coatings
  Regulation

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Conclusion

• Two complying products
• One discontinued (not commercially feasible)
• One specialized use
• VOCs solubilize and disperse resins
• There is no room for VOC reduction if protection
  from water, soil, oil, and stains is to be
  achieved for a variety of substrates and fiber
  types