Chelating Agents

BTC Europe offers under the brand name Trilon® a broad product range of high performance and innovative complexing agents, also known as chelating agents. Chelating agents are able to prevent the deleterious impact of calcification in detergents and cleaning agents. The chelating agents of the Trilon® product range are used, besides others,

• to avoid the formation of poorly soluble precipitations,
• to prevent the undesirable decomposition of constituents of formulations,
• to prevent discolouration or rancidity.

They bind and mask reliably the metal ions and guarantee smooth processing and efficient employment of water. The production of detergents and cleaners triggers a huge demand complexing agents which can be fulfilled with our Trilon® grades.

Applications of Trilon® grades for the prevention of calcification in detergents and cleaning agents

BTC’s Trilon® grades are used in applications like

• formulations for automatic dish washing, either liquid or solid;
• chelate based and phosphate-free builder systems;
• laundry formulations;
• formulations for floor and hard surface cleaners, toilet cleaners and car cleaners.

Further applications for our Trilon® grades include

• industrial and institutional cleaners for the food and beverage industry;
• cleaners for the dairy industry;
• ware washing and professional car, truck and bus cleaning formulations.

Properties of Trilon® grades for the prevention of calcification in detergents and cleaning agents

Our Trilon® chelating agents belong mainly to the class of amino carboxylates which are organic complexing agents. They are available

• in powder or in liquid form, or as granules;
• as pure acid version or salt version;
• in very high purity as high-quality grades for special applications

Household and industrial cleaning formulations include chelating additives to soften hard water. Thus, the formation of lime scale, inorganic scale formation is prevented. Trilon® grades form typically 1:1 complexes. The high stability of these compounds makes them ideal for many industrial processes. They show a very good solubilisation property of the formed complexes.

Based on the used amino carboxylic acid the following organic chelating additives are available:

• Trilon® B grades; ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid, or Na-salt (EDTA)
• Trilon® M grades; methylglycine diacetic acid (MGDA)
• Trilon® Ultimate grades; modified MGDA
• Trilon® P grade (modified anionic polyamine)